We already have your pre-game, your post-game, and your quick reactions for every game, but by popular demand (a few people on Twitter) I am bringing my quarterly positives right here in long-form. Rather than try to sum them up in 240 characters or less, I can now expand on what I liked each quarter of the game. If you’re familiar with this format, you’ll know what to expect. If you aren’t, just know that if there is a baby wearing noise-canceling headphones, it counts as a positive and it’s going on the list.
First Quarter Positives:
- Win tip! Let’s go!
- Gary Trent Jr. is back like he never left, hitting the jab-step 3 off of the pass from Pascal.
- Pascal hits the step-back at the top of the key after separating himself from his defenders off of the screen from Precious.
- Precious grabs the defensive rebound and dribbles up the court, handing the ball to Gary and immediately setting the screen that gets Gary wide open for a 3 point attempt. The shot missed, but Precious did everything right.
- Fred throws the pass high into the post for Precious, who kicks it out to Pascal for another 3. The ball movement to begin the game is a great sign – if they can keep it up.
- Fred passing up an open shot to get the ball to Scottie for a 3 point attempt. The shot doesn’t fall, but Fred has been easing into his role as a leader, doing everything he can to get Scottie more involved, per Nurse’ repeated requests.
- Fred hits Precious with the bounce pass in the lane, and Precious grabs his own rebound and makes the basket on the second attempt. He has spent the entirety of the first quarter setting his teammates up for success.
- Gary has been menacing defensively this quarter. He is splitting screens and chasing the ball on every single possession.
- Svi checks in and immediately uses his length to block Rodney Hood’s long attempt (remember when he was a Raptor?)
- Svi rebounds the Pat Connaughton miss and takes it coast to coast for 3, giving the lead back to the Raptors.
- Scottie is 2 for 2 from 3 tonight!
- The Raptors end the quarter 26-23.
Second Quarter Positives:
- Khris Middleton blocked at the rim by Chris Boucher, who then grab the rebound and sends it to Scottie who gives it back to Boucher for a 3 point attempt.
- Gary off of the glass to maintain the lead.
- Brook Lopez apparently has a Rex from Toy Story action figure that he brings on the bench every game and Rex will accompany the team while Lopez recovers from surgery. This is as cute as it is ridiculous.
- Banton gets the second chance points off of the Scottie miss from the steal at the other end.
- Precious playing what we over here at Raptors Republic (just me actually) like to call “Sean Paul defence” and sticking to Grayson Allen like glue and denying him at the rim.
- Siakam automatic bucket out of the timeout.
- Precious pokes away the cross court pass from Jrue Holiday and brings it up to Svi for the make.
- Crossover Pascal? Yes.
- Scottie grabs the rebound and brings it across to Pascal on the inside for the make.
- ANOTHER SCOTTIE 3! He understood the assignment, as the kids say.
- Precious being aggressive on the inside and ripping the rebound away from two Bucks’ players off of Gary’s miss.
- PRECIOUS TRANSITION DUNK!!!!!! He needed that after the miss on the inside on the prior possession, and Fred knew it.
Third Quarter Positives:
- Spicy P with the denial!
- Fred forces Jrue Holiday out of bounds for a Bucks turnover. Literally. The ball went out of bounds with Jrue Holiday still attached to it.
- Bobby Portis may have blocked Gary Trent Jr. in transition, but Gary is forcing the Bucks to play at a pace that they are not usually accustomed to.
- One-legged Scottie! Our darling flamingo!
- Gary Trent Jr. from the top, make it drop, that’s a wet ass jumper.
- The Raptors are making the Bucks work for every basket, which is why they have an 11 point lead halfway through the third.
- Svi jumped too quickly on his man, who was able to slip past him. Luckily Isaac Bonga was already in perfect position for help defence and created a Milwaukee shot clock violation. That’s that Raptors 905 basketball baby.
Fourth Quarter Positives:
- Dalano drives and swings it back to Pascal behind him. Nothing really…happened after, but the court vision was worth mentioning. These are the positives, after all.
- Yuta blocks Portis at the rim and Svi runs the floor and makes the basket in transition!
- Fred is making sure the Raptors don’t collapse during the fourth quarter once again. He’s turned on his “fourth quarter takeover” setting that we have come to know and love.
- Yuta for 3!
- Precious grabs the two-handed rebound behind his head, and sends it to Pascal for the make.
- Fred is hyping the crowd up. He and Pascal have both been vocal about the fans deserving to see a better display at home.
- Scottie making a tough contested shot on the inside. These are the fun Raptors from the beginning of the season.
- Fred’s evil grin as he sinks both free throws to seal the game is its very own positive.
FINAL SCORE: TOR 97 – 94 MIL
POSITIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: Everyone. A team effort.
