Quick Reaction: Raptors 109, Thunder 90

If there’s one guy on cruise control this pre-season, it’s Amir. Missed a dunk on the break and soon after the coach figured that there’s little point in extending him after he tweaked an ankle, especially since he’s one of the few who hasn’t taken a complete game off this pre-season. Update: GIF of injury

Sometimes you lace up your shoes just right, have your legs in sync with your jumper, get the right amount of lift on the springer going either way, get your handles in sync with the ball, and have enough feints in your game that the defense doesn’t know how to handle you. This was one of those games for Ross.

Some nice post-moves, fought for a contested rebound and then threw it down, displayed some guile using a left-handed hook (which missed), and was too much for a Thunder frontline which saw Ibaka play limited minutes. Good stuff, real games can’t start soon enough.

That pull-up three tells me that that his legs are back which is all I care about. Traded punches with Westbrook (who looked like a ball-hog taking 15 shots in 27 minutes) and came out looking better. Is it just me or does he look like he has more pace this pre-season than ever before?

A type of game that will be overlooked on account of the poor shooting, but the 11 trips to the line in 23 minutes tells you that the defense can’t really handle him. And the impressive part of that is that the defense KNOWS that he’s trying to draw the foul, and yet can’t stop him.

He’s had some shitty offensive lines this pre-season yet I feel that his movements within the offense have been fruitful. If only he could hit an elbow-jumper. He, sort of, reminds me as Josh McRoberts in Charlotte last year as in the ball, at some point, goes through him on successful possessions. BTW, chew on a game-high +17.

Limited minutes in his return from exile, was part of the unit that slashed the Thunder lead and built the Raptors one in the second quarter. His role in that was hustling, hitting the glass, and giving everyone contemptuous looks.

Passed up looks that I thought he should take. Only took two shots in 21 minutes but did play some defense, including getting a block playing help defense.

This guy loves his threes, which I get since they’re basically unblockable. Runs the floor well and people should trust him to catch the pass and put it on the floor. Sure, he’ll screw up and look silly half the time but this season is all about getting familiar with how an NBA ball bounces on an NBA floor.

Another solid game of the spot-up, pull-up and driving variety. I say cut Fields, eat the salary, and give Hamilton a chance.

Got hit in the face, supplied rim-protection etc. Doesn’t matter, he could take a dump on center-court and still make the team, the Raptors are that thin at backup C.

Texted Dwight Buycks asking about cheap places to rent in Valencia.

See Ross. This guy’s getting tuned up and I like what I’m seeing. The Raptors have always had a scoring-type backup guard, but this guy’s different because he’s got deserved confidence in his game. Excited.

I don’t feel sorry for him. He’s made more money than I will in my life.

Managing minutes well this pre-season. Nobody’s over-extended, players are getting time off, and there’s enough of the main lineup being played together to get a sense of true progress. Gave Vasquez the night off (head injury) and seems to have found a role for Williams, and more importantly, seems to have gotten Williams comfortable with the rest of the team.