Last night was the final home game of the season for the Toronto Raptors. This was a largely transitional season, one that was being used in order to lay the foundation for the culture that Toronto wants to have in their future. This was a game in which the Charlotte Hornets also did not have some of their best players, and although the talent on the floor was not the best, it’s still nice to leave the Raptor faithful with a victory in the final home game.
Although Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley were active for this game, this was a very light night for them, only recording 20, 14, and 14 minutes respectively. Toronto was even without their shing rookies in Jamal Shead and Ja’Kobe Walter, players who would have definitely taken advantage of the bump in minutes tonight. Even with all of these players sidelined for the Toronto Raptors, they had a bench full of players looking to make a name for themselves and hungry for the opportunity.
Jared Rhoden, a third-year guard trying to find his footing in this league, finished the game with 23 points and 4 assists. Rhoden’s drives looked strong, he was no stranger to sprinting out in transition for easy looks, and his jump shot was also confident as he shot 3/5 from three. His trigger was quick, and even the smallest bit of space led to him firing up the ball and more often than not it dropped. Rhoden is still trying to find his home in the NBA and nights like last night are important in order for him to achieve that goal.
Jonathan Mogbo had a wondrous night as well as he recorded the first triple double of his career and the first triple double for a rookie this season. Mogbo did his usual stuff of defending the ball with effort and tenacity, often being a roadblock for any Hornet who dared to patrol into the paint. But last night, Mogbo’s passing is what shined the most. He did some playmaking from a standstill, finding cutters on their way to the basket, he even had a nice tight window pass to AJ Lawson for an open layup. Mogbo’s passing was also impactful in transition, as he would push the ball with vigor on the fastbreak and time the passes to his teammates on the break very well.
The trio of Barnes Barrett and Quickley, affectionately named “BBQ” were the ones who gave Toronto the lead that they wound up never giving up and eventually expanding on. When the starters entered the game as the first half was coming to a close, Toronto was able to get some separation. Barnes knocked down some triples, a welcome sight for the young Raptors star. Then Quickley hit a couple of bombs which extended Toronto’s lead to twelve and forced Charlotte to call a timeout. The vibes in the building were magnificent, as Toronto’s players just seemed to be enjoying the moment, playing freely, and succeeding at everything.
After Mogbo recorded his triple double, he was mobbed by his teammates, celebrating the moment with him. Raptors veteran Garrett Temple got in the game and hit some quick buckets, which ignited the crowd as well. The energy last night paints a nice picture for the future for sure. With the season only having two games left for the Dinos, hopefully there are a couple more nights like last night.
