Quick Reaction: Grizzlies 108, Raptors 100

Downhill RJ Barrett is the best RJ Barrett. He’s literally a human locomotive. What’s most impressive about his downhill ability is he’s able to do it in a variety of ways. His first three baskets were all a result of his downhill activity but all different. First, he worked off the dribble and finished through contact for a layup. Second, he cut effectively and caught a baseline inbound pass for a basket at the rim. Lastly, he ran down the middle of the floor in transition and finished the play by slamming down the ball.

Scottie Barnes has gotten to a point where regardless of the context of a game, he can get his numbers. Now it’s time to see him do that while still impacting the outcome of a game, consistently. His box score was full (like really full) but it didn’t feel like he turned momentum in favour of Toronto at any point prior to that patented fake comeback in the final minutes. Keep in mind, a lot of that is a by-product of the fact that he’s now number one on opponent’s scouting reports. He’s been great at changing the tide of games when he hasn’t had to deal with all the attention, but now it’s time to see how he responds when all eyes are on him. Barnes has developed leaps and bounds faster than anyone expected, so chances are he figures this out too, but even Barnes isn’t immune to the growing pains of being option 1A.

Jontay Porter subbed out early and was seen on the sideline dealing with what appeared to be an eye injury. So it’s good to see he’s okay. Although, some may have assumed the watery eyes were a result of trying to contain Jaren Jackson Jr…Porter doesn’t lack anything when it comes to the effort department, he just wasn’t able to translate effort into impact tonight.

For a while now it’s been the belief that Gary Trent Jr., despite his struggles this season, can be impactful when playing with the starting lineup. Tonight wasn’t a game that people who’ve tried to make that case are going to file as evidence. He didn’t take a shot the entire second half of this game.

A very erratic start for Quickley that spiralled throughout the game. He seemed to be thinking the game rather than trusting his instincts. IQ talked about showing his playmaking chops when he first joined Toronto, but forcing the issue isn’t the way to go about it. Quickley had three of his four turnovers in the first quarter, repeatedly running through the lane and throwing what looked like pre-determined jump passes to whoever was behind him, rather than reacting to the defence. His best pass came in the second quarter when he took the ball in transition off a turnover and threw a lob pass to RJ from beyond the three-point line…he didn’t have time to overthink it, and his instincts pushed the right choice. Don’t think, just do.

Bruce Brown was called upon by Rajakovic just three minutes into the game, as the Raptors tried to counter the Grizzlies’ strong start by going small ball. If Brown somehow stays through the deadline, his versatility and what it offers to this team is undeniable. However, the same argument can be used to explain why he’s worth moving as his value on the trade block is equally undeniable.

There haven’t been many games to this point that Thad Young has looked like a 35-year-old playing in the NBA. Today was one of those days, where he absolutely did, as the vet simply couldn’t keep up with the youthful athleticism of Memphis in this one…that’s what I wrote BEFORE the fourth quarter when Thad was diving for loose balls and being his usual pesky self…so shut up Zulfi, what do you know.

Subbed in for Quickley fairly (pardon the pun) quick, and calmed things down for the Raptors after a sloppy start. The backup PG helped spark a 7-0 run in the first quarter after the substitution for what felt like the only real run the Raptors made tonight.

Gradey Dick has gotten to a point where he no longer looks like a glaring negative in his short stints on the court at the NBA level. In fact, he looks to be a positive, evidenced by the fact he was a +5 through 14 minutes tonight. In all three games he’s played since the Siakam trade he’s shown development in a different area. Playmaking one game, shooting the next, and defensive instincts tonight, all visibly improving. All that to say, I hope as the season continues to unfold he gets more and more time on the floor because he’s clearly starting to figure it out.

If Chris Boucher is moved soon, as many reports are seeming to indicate, I’m glad he was able to splash a triple and get one last “BONJOUUUUR,” out of Jack Armstrong on the broadcast. His shot, nor the team’s, was falling outside of that but the Montreal native brought his patented hustle and for that he has my respect.

For what it’s worth, Rajakovic tried just about everything to spark his team. He yanked Porter early and tried small ball with Brown. He yanked Quickley early and tried giving Schroder some burn. He went to a different starting lineup coming out of the break. I just find it hard to evaluate Darko when it’s clear he’s trying to make things work while also managing this glaring seven-foot-Austrian-sized hole in the middle. However, this Grizzlies team, for all their pluckiness, is not a squad that should beat the Raptors in wire-to-wire fashion, and for that, he deserves to be held accountable. Part of a young coach’s job leading a young squad is to ensure they don’t overlook opponents and tonight the coaching staff failed to do so.