Final Score | Raptors 905 130 – Windy City Bulls 93 | Box Score
Two Ways: David Johnson (905)
On Assignment: Isaac Bonga (905)
“We’re gonna be extra locked in tomorrow,” Raptors 905 forward Reggie Perry said Monday after an uninspiring loss to the Capital City Go-Go. “We can’t put two down in a row. One thing we’re not going to do is get into a streak of losing. We’re gonna get right back on track.”
As predicted, the 905 bounced back, demolishing the Windy City Bulls by 37 points. Seven 905 players scored in double figures, Perry leading the balanced attack with 21 points and 15 rebounds, good for his 11th double double of the season. Two-way David Johnson scored 18 points on 6-10 from the field, and 4-7 from three. Former Raptor / NBA Champion Jodie Meeks had his best game since rejoining the Raptors organization, scoring 15 points on 6-7 from the field and 3-4 from three. Defensively, the 905 allowed the Bulls to shoot just 34% from the field. They now own the G League’s best record at 10-3.
The Good:
Remember last night when David Johnson was in “The Less Good” category? Johnson had his most efficient game since opening night. It wasn’t just that he made shots, but unlike so many of his previous games, the shots came in the flow of the offence. Johnson made one corner three on a simple drive and kick, made another on a set baseline out-of-bounds play, and two other fluid triples from the wing. Johnson also had his first dunk in ages, a monumental alley oop showcasing the second round pick’s endless vertical leap.
“A little bit of a sigh of relief,” Johnson said after the game. The former star at Louisville was in his second game back after missing nearly two weeks due to health and safety protocols. “Thought I could have did better, clean up the turnovers and lackadaisical mistakes on defence and such. But overall I think I’m going in the right direction, getting back into a little bit of a rhythm.”
“He had his mojo today,” said G League Coach of the Month Patrick Mutombo. “Hit a few shots, was defending really well, executed the game plan with great concentration and precision. Had a little pop to his step. That was good.”
The Wisdom:
Perry turned a simple question about his satisfaction with the team’s win into a speech about the ideal G League mindset, which he learned in part from the coaches’ messaging before the season.
“Winning is what gets you to the next level. A lot of people in the G League don’t realize the more you win the more you get noticed,” Perry opined. “A lot of people just out there to get numbers. Most of us who get called up, they’re not looking for us to get 30 or 40. They’re looking for you to be role player. They’re looking for you to make the right plays offensively, make the right passes, not turn the ball over. For sure we’re not satisfied. It’s about getting to the next level. It’s about getting to the next level as a team as well as individually.”
The Teachable Moment:
In the third quarter, with their lead up to 24 and the Bulls’ body language slumping, Johnson got hung up on a screen, 905 forward Josh Hall didn’t switch onto the ball handler, no additional weak-side help came, and the Bulls got an uncontested dunk. Mutombo called a snap-timeout. This was a perfect chance for a lesson.
“That moment there, I’m coaching them as hard as I can, because it’s a great opportunity to let everybody know that I want us to be serious about the game every time,” Mutombo said. “(In the G League), we do not have the luxury to be casual. We don’t have the luxury to pick up bad habits. I gotta stay on’em. Love’em hard. Coach’em hard.”
The Raptors 905 stay home for another clash with Windy City this Thursday. Sorry, you’re not allowed to come.
