Welcome to the Raptors 905 weekly preview!
This is a piece that will drop every week, previewing what is to come throughout the next seven days for the Raptors 905.
Let’s start with last week, however, where it was the worst week the 905 have had in the regular season, losing both their games to the Indiana Mad Ants and Osceola Magic.
After the NBA’s trade deadline, rookies Jamison Battle (who signed a standard three-year deal, Jonathan Mogbo, and others will see more time with the big club rather than the 905 presumably, as these games have begun the stretch without them.
They could get an addition, however, as after two separate 10-day contracts with the Raps, Orlando Robinson was signed to a two-way contract. With a 50-game NBA maximum, the 24-year-old big takes over Battle’s slot, which only has 11 games of NBA service left. Robinson will surely see time with the 905, as they will boast one of, if not the best centre core in the league beside Frank Kaminsky and Ulrich Chomche.
The week began at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indiana, where there were 13 lead changes, and the Mad Ants were up by 15 points in the third quarter, but the game still came down to the wire.
With less than 1:30 left on the clock, the Mad Ants had a shot clock violation and a backcourt violation. The 905 also trapped at halfcourt, forced a jump ball, and regained possession. But the 905 only capitalized once out of those three times and would lose 116-112.
Three days later, the 905 returned to Paramount Fine Foods Centre to take on the Magic, where it was once again another close loss. Arguably, the biggest star in the G League, Mac McClung, was fantastic as the two-time NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion lived up to the billing, dropping 39 points and adding 10 assists in the 110-104 victory.
A.J. Lawson and Jared Rhoden were both great despite the losses last week, as these two will have more prominent roles going forward with the others up with the big club.
Raptors 905 schedule for the week of Feb. 10 to Feb. 7:
| Date | Time | Opponent |
| Wed, Feb. 12 | 11:00 am ET | vs Cleveland (Charge) |
| Thu, Feb. 13 | 7:30 pm ET | vs Cleveland (Charge) |
These are the final pair of games before the All-Star break, during which Lawson will play in the G League Up Next game.
These will be the first and only matchups between these two squads, as the 905 find themselves near the top of the eastern conference standings (11-6) while the Charge (8-9) are middling. Both teams are coming in on losing streaks, however, with the 905 losing their last two while the Charge are on a three-game skid.
Cleveland is led by second-year wing Jules Bernard. The 6-foot-6, 210-pound UCLA alum leads the team in scoring with 20.1 points per game while adding 7.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 0.9 steals. He hasn’t been the most efficient as the go-to guy, however, only shooting 44.3 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from distance.
Also featuring prominently on Cleveland is former No.1 high school recruit, Emoni Bates. While coming off the bench, the recently turned 21-year-old is averaging 14.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists. He, too, has not been efficient, hitting at a 35.3 percent clip from the field and a 30.7 percent clip from downtown.
Make sure to check back at Raptors Republic after every Raptors 905 game for the recap, and now every week for a preview.
