If – at some point next season – the Raptors are competitive, we’ll selectively look for evidence confirming why they became good/so good. Many of us will be guilty of confirmation bias, looking back to the doldrums of the 2024-25 season where the bench got their development reps.
Players like Ja’Kobe Walter and Jonathan Mogbo among others will be asked about their success, and will point to moments like last night where they got the PT to develop for Season 2.
With 7:09 left in the game, the Raptors led by 20 points – a lead RJ Barrett helped build by putting up 31. During this period, Mogbo continued to work on his decision-making. He caught the ball at the elbow, and had room to attack the basket, but instead, dished it out to 10-day sharpshooter Swider in the corner.
Even if Mogbo attacked the basket and threw the ball over the backboard, it wouldn’t matter because this game doesn’t matter. But for players like Mogbo, these are invaluable in-game development reps.
Later, Mogbo got the ball at the top of the free throw semi-circle, telegraphed a skip pass to Walter in the corner. That was bad. In the first half, he tried to be a Poeltl-like offensive hub on a few offensive possessions, but failed. But at the end of the game, when he rolled off a screen, caught the ball at the elbow again, and attacked the basket with a one dribble floater, that looked great. Poeltl, dressed in his white sweater, clapped with approval from the sidelines.
In the first half, Mogbo tried to be a Poeltl-like offensive hub on a few offensive possessions, but they were mostly failed attempts (but good reps nonetheless). Two passes to Agabaji didn’t go his way.
Better days are around the corner. This isn’t just a RR-driven narrative, the team itself shows buy-in. Though Barnes maybe whining a little too much, he isn’t losing his shit at perceived missed foul calls – most notably, he kept his cool enough to not get a technical when he drove baseline, and became furious at a non-call. Barrett’s still playing with an aggression like he’s trying to prove something. Early in this game, the Raptors trapped at mid-court, and it was Barrett’s pressure D that stirred enough confusion for the Sixers to throw the ball out of bounds.
The buy-in also shows up in the team’s chemistry. Walter dove into the baseline to save the ball from going out of bounds, got the ball back from the wing, and splashed a corner 3. Garrett Temple and Orlando Robinson were celebrating like this was Toronto vs. Philly rivalry of a bygone era. Walter also drew a charge from Lonnie Walker as the tagger.
Battle, who played 25 minutes, got his three-point shots to go down last night, shooting 4-for-8 beyond the arc. He also showed a nice post-entry pass into Robinson, and had a beautiful closeout to the corner 3 in the first half, while the backline remained intact.
Ja’Kobe Walter’s defence is a real add, and his jumper and finishing have been trending upwards. Ochai Agbaji has cooled off, but he started the season on fire, and he’s still at 40 percent from deep on the year. Jamison Battle is one of the best standstill shooters in the league.
via Louis Zatzman.
“You don’t know the trenches, you ain’t played the benches” are the poignant words of New York rapper Dave East. Thankfully, there are only seven more games left of this season, but expect Mogbo, Walter, Battle, Shead, and maybe even Robinson to one day justify these days as one big preparation opportunity.
