The Raptors have to get it together

Samson Folk & Trevon Heath detail the latest in the Raptors realm.

“Before this stretch, the Raptors were the 2nd most efficient pull up team in the NBA and didn’t rely on them often (bottom 10 in volume). Since then, they’ve jumped into the top half of the league in volume, and fallen to the bottom 8 in efficiency. They’ve gone from the middle of the pack as a driving team, to the bottom 3. They’re a team that is middle of the pack in terms of catch and shoot performance, but one of the worst in the league when it comes to spot up efficiency. Why? Because there’s so little driving prowess on the roster, even with the benefit of attacking closeouts. Somehow, they still don’t take a lot of threes as a team.

A lot of bad, so what’s been happening?

Scottie Barnes has been very strong, for his part. You wouldn’t turn your nose up at 21.5ppg / 8.8rbs / 6apg on 62% true shooting. He’s done it, honestly, with more defensive attention directed his way. He’s driven more, and been more efficient on those drives. He’s been clever in how he uses his physicality and his finesse has met the moment as well, but he isn’t a rising tide lifting all boats.

Quickley has upped his scoring without a dip in efficiency. Maybe his numbers are a bit buoyed by his eruption against the Hornets. His assist numbers — though they are inflated, like all point guards on this roster, because of simple entry passes and chest passes to players off of screens — haven’t fallen. You can lay some of the problems at his feet as the player with the most touches on the team, that he’s lost the thread on organizing the offense. There’s probably not enough paint touches or driving prowess. Maybe he hasn’t been as strong as you’d want and there’s lots of things for him to improve, but he’s not the big red flag or the reason for the death of the offense. Not a tide of any sorts, that Quickley. A boat, to be sure.”

Have a blessed day.