Listed below are 10 takeaways from the Toronto Raptors’ 108-106 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Thursday.
1. The Raptors fought to the sour finish, however their comeback fell quick: The Pistons had keep watch over for lots of the sport whilst the Raptors devoted themselves to complaining about calls slightly than committing to defence, and because it at all times occurs, they fell down large to the Pistons. It took an heated ejection from Nick Nurse to spur them into motion, and whilst they got here very with reference to stealing it again, the Pistons finished their season sweep of the Raptors for the 3rd time in 4 seasons.
2. The Casey Curse continues: Since he joined the Pistons after being fired with the trainer of the tear award in hand, Casey has received 32 in step with cent of his video games towards all 28 different groups, but he’s 9-3 towards the Raptors. In 4 seasons, simply beating the Raptors on my own accounts for over 9 in step with cent of all of Casey’s wins. A part of it is going to a familiarity with Nurse that comes from operating in combination for 5 seasons, however there may be additionally the component of motivation. Casey denies any particular emphasis in those video games, however his avid gamers have persistently stated that those video games subject extra to train, and therefore the variation in depth.
3. The matchup between Casey and Nurse can also be instructed in two timeouts from the 3rd quarter: When Nurse burned his 5th timeout early within the 3rd quarter to attract up a play, it was once totally neutralized by way of Casey going to a wonder zone for best that one ownership which resulted in Gary Trent Jr. tossing up a prayer to keep away from a turnover. A couple of mins later, Casey referred to as for time after the Raptors began gaining momentum. Nurse attempted to spring the similar lure by way of going zone, except for the Pistons countered this by way of surroundings a again display from Isaiah Stewart, which pinned each Pascal Siakam and Khem Birch and freed Cade Cunningham for a nook 3. It was once in step with the theme of the sport for the primary 3 quarters, which noticed the Pistons many times get downhill to bait the Raptors’ hyperactive defence, earlier than kicking out to the corners for 3. Casey obviously is aware of methods to harm Nurse’s scheme.
4. Nurse’s perfect transfer was once to get ejected: He misplaced his thoughts after Dalano Banton was once referred to as for a phantom foul, which negated a spotlight block from Chris Boucher, and stormed onto the court docket to confront referee Marc Davis. It was once one in every of a number of agonizing selections from the officers in a sport that was once concurrently allowed to be bodily to the purpose the place Siakam and Scottie Barnes each suffered horrifying falls, whilst additionally being saddled with foul hassle for respiring on Pistons avid gamers as they drove previous. Nurse’s response now not best were given the enthusiasts into the sport, however the calls became in Toronto’s favour as smartly. The Raptors shot 16 loose throws within the fourth quarter, which was once their major approach of fueling the comeback, together with their all-out depth on defence, which was once unexpectedly being authorised because of an easing of the whistle. The staff outscored the Pistons 34-18 after Nurse left the sport.
5. The Raptors at all times get in hassle in the similar manner by way of now not being involved in defence: The Pistons had been allowed to power downhill play after play, the Raptors needed to overhelp each and every time down, and it stored leading to open threes for the guests. Couple that with a hyperactive whistle, and the standard loss of dimension within the heart, or even a tanking staff just like the Pistons was once ready to rack up 91 issues thru 3 quarters. A few of it comes all the way down to schemes, because the Raptors deliberately press tight at the perimeter to bait the opposition to power right into a crowd, they usually additionally run with high-risk methods like urgent complete court docket, which bleeds open threes if Toronto cannot protected the turnover. However a few of additionally it is simply unhealthy defence. Thrice within the sport, the Pistons had been ready to attain on layups after a made basket by way of the Raptors, which is solely inexcusable without reference to what lineups or methods are getting used.
6. The fourth-quarter comeback was once made conceivable by way of two adjustments at the defensive finish: The Raptors performed part of the quarter with 5 six-foot-nine forwards which allowed them to change extra incessantly whilst additionally bringing shot blocking off on the rim and period to power closeouts. Upload of their endured trapping over the process the sport, and it did make the Pistons play quicker than what they appeared pleased with. The staff’s general depth additionally was once raised. Boucher and Valuable Achiuwa challenged each and every shot on the basket, and everybody’s closeouts had been that a lot tougher with the Raptors flattening the shooter a minimum of two times. The Raptors need to give you the chance to get to that degree of depth from the beginning, slightly than ready to counter after catching the primary punch.
7. The 2 avid gamers who persistently ship power are Boucher and Achiuwa: Nurse likes them of their present roles off the bench, however is there a method to get that jolt of power at the beginning of video games? OG Anunoby is ready to omit any other two weeks because of his finger fracture so there is a hole within the beginning lineup which is these days being crammed by way of Khem Birch on a foul knee. Birch is a nice participant when wholesome, however this present day he is not as cell and springy on defence, and offensively he is not even connecting at the quick turn pictures which can be in most cases his bread and butter.
8. This was once night time to overlook for Trent Jr. who were given blocked on the finish: To be truthful, Trent Jr. mustn’t also have pushed at the ultimate play for the reason that the Raptors had been down 3 with no timeout, but it surely was once simply that form of night time. Trent Jr. was once pressed into a larger function with the absences of Anunoby and Fred VanVleet, however not anything was once going for him. He shot 4-for-22, together with 3-of-15 from deep, and whilst probably the most pictures had been pressured, Trent Jr. additionally ignored a smattering of wide-open seems to be. As soon as once more, this highlights the loss of a loyal 3rd guard at the Raptors, as they endure every time anyone from their backcourt is lacking in motion.
9. Occasionally you marvel how Siakam ever ratings when the paint is as clogged as it’s: The Raptors hit simply seven threes as a staff — their 5th time with single-digit threes of their final seven video games — and from time to time had 5 non-shooters at the flooring directly, which allowed the Pistons to load all 5 defenders within the paint. Siakam nonetheless controlled to shoot 10-for-15 from the sector whilst getting 10 journeys to the road, regardless of assist defenders swarming him on each and every power. Nurse made the proper name in the use of his problem on Siakam early in the second one quarter, when the ahead pleaded to the trainer that he were given all ball. It stored Siakam from his 3rd foul and allowed the Raptors to near the quarter on a run.
10. The matchup between Barnes and Cade Cunningham lived as much as the hype. The primary general pick out was once spectacular as you may be expecting, flattening threes very easily whilst additionally working easily as a jumbo level guard. The Raptors trapped him for lots of the night time, but Cunningham allowed just one turnover and stored the Pistons offence buzzing. Barnes did not dangle the ball just about as incessantly, however his physicality across the basket and well timed cuts allowed him to document 21 issues and 10 rebounds, and his passing was once simply as suave. Crew document has Barnes forward of Cunningham within the rookie of the yr race, however this combat will proceed for future years as they each glance to develop into stars.
