Welcome to the Raptors 905 weekly preview!
This is a piece that will drop every Sunday, previewing what is to come throughout the next seven days for the Raptors 905.
Let’s start with last week, however, when Mississauga’s team opened their season with a thrilling 116-115 win over the Delaware Blue Coats (G League affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers) before dropping back-to-back games against the College Park Skyhawks (G League affiliate of the Atlanta Hawks).
The stars for the 905 after the first week of hoops have easily been the guard duo of Kennedy Chandler and D.J. Carton.
Chandler leads the junior Raptors in scoring with 22.0 points, tacking on 7.7 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 steals, and 1.0 block per game.
The 22-year-old pushes the pace, picks up ball handlers full court, and gets to the paint frequently. His 48.1 percent field goal percentage is largely bogged down by the rough start from beyond the arc, where he is only shooting 28.6 percent on only 2.3 attempts per game.
Chandler’s running mate, Carton, has been the complete opposite, cashing in at a 46.2 percent clip from downtown on 6.5 attempts. The two-way player leads the team in dimes with 8.5 per game, adding 21.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.0 steals.
The 24-year-old missed the 905’s last contest with a sprained ankle, and it remains to be seen when he will return.
Another standout from last week was Montreal, Que. native Quincy Guerrier. Starting in all three games so far, the rookie is averaging 16.3 points, 8.7 rebounds (leads team), 2.0 assists, and 1.0 steals. The 25-year-old plays with physicality, is athletic, can guard multiple positions, and ultimately plays his role to a tee.
He’s been very efficient from inside the arc, shooting nearly 71 percent from 2-point land by play finishing and outworking defenders inside. If Guerrier can shoot the three-ball a bit better (30 percent), it would be hard to argue that he shouldn’t get an NBA shot.
Raptors 905 schedule for the week of November 17 to November 24:
| Date | Time | Opponent |
| Sun, Nov 17 | 3:00 pm ET | @ Capital City (Wizards) |
| Tue, Nov 19 | 7:00 pm ET | @ Capital City (Wizards) |
| Fri, Nov 22 | 7:30 pm ET | vs Long Island (Nets) |
| Sun, Nov 24 | 2:00 pm ET | vs Long Island (Nets) |
The 905 will wrap up their season-long five-game road trip this week with a pair of matchups against the Capital City Go-Go (G League affiliate of the Washington Wizards) before travelling home for the first time this season to face the Long Island Nets (G League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets).
The Raps will have to take on these opponents without their starting centre till this point, Branden Carlson. The 7-footer was scooped up by the Oklahoma City Thunder last week, signing Carlson to a standard contract. The South Jordan, Utah native has averaged 13.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.3 blocks to start the season and should he be sent back down to the G League, the 905 own his rights.
As for the opponents, on the Capital City side of things, they boast a triple threat of former 905 players in Mouhamadou Gueye, Justin Champagnie and Kira Lewis Jr.
Champagnie is averaging 15.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 3.0 stocks, while Gueye is putting up 7.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.3 stocks. Lewis has only played in one game for the Go-Go, where he put up 18 points and five assists.
Keep an eye out for Erik Stevenson as well, who leads the team in scoring off the bench with 22 points per game while hitting at a ridiculous 50 percent clip from deep on over seven attempts.
For Long Island, their go-to guys have been former seventh overall pick Killian Hayes and Toronto, Ont. native A.J. Lawson.
The 24-year-old Canadian leads the Nets in points (18.7) and steals (1.7) and is second on the team in rebounds (6.7). Lawson has been one of Long Island’s best players, all without shooting the three-ball well, only cashing in at 17.6 percent of the time.
Hayes has also been effective, putting up 16.3 points, 6.3 assists (team lead), 4.7 rebounds, and 1.3 steals. It will be interesting to see how the 905’s powerhouse guard duo matches up against the former lottery pick.
Make sure to check back at Raptors Republic after every Raptors 905 game for the recap, and now every week for a preview.
