After a practice day Saturday, the Raptors hit the road, where things have not been kind to them so far.
Toronto enters its four-game stretch away from Scotiabank Arena as the NBA’s only side without a victory on the road (0-8, vs. 4-4 at home). While road futility hasn’t been exclusive to the Raptors (six other teams entered Saturday with only a single road win, four of them in the Eastern Conference), nobody likes to see a goose egg next to the team name in the standings.
It’s not all that difficult to figure out why Toronto has fared poorly on the road so far — the team’s best player, Scottie Barnes, has missed most of the season, and when he has played, only one appearance has come outside of Toronto. It’s hard to win when your all-star isn’t out there. Another major issue is Toronto’s top scorer, RJ Barrett, has shot an outstanding 50.8% from the field at home, including 40.5% from three-point range, but 37.2% and 27.5% on the road. Barrett averages 29.3 points per game at Toronto (three-time MVP Nikola Jokic averaged 29.3, MVP runner-up and Barrett’s friend and fellow Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also averages 29.3 in Oklahoma City, to show you the company Barrett is keeping), but only 19 on the road.
Wing Ochai Agbaji has bucked the trend for the Raptors, playing far better on the road so far, including shooting 47.6% on three-pointers, vs. 33.3% at home and the same can be said for Gradey Dick.
As a team, Toronto has played different styles depending on where the games have happened. The team has averaged 28.6 free throw attempts a game at Toronto, just 20 on the road. They have blocked nearly twice as many shots at home and shoot and rebound better there too.
As it happens, the first opponent of this trip, Cleveland, hasn’t lost at home yet. Detroit a day later should be an easier matchup, while a battered New Orleans Pelicans squad awaits in the Bayou on Wednesday. The trip concludes at Miami on Friday.
BROWN VOWS TO BE BETTER
The Raptors will soon get a lift in the form of the return of veteran wing Bruce Brown.
Acquired in the Pascal Siakam trade last February, Brown rarely looked like the player who helped Denver win an NBA title a couple of years ago. He had said in April a knee issue had hampered him. He eventually underwent surgery on the eve of training camp in October.
Brown provided some detail into his struggles and the decision to delay surgery after practice on Saturday.
“Last year I didn’t look really engaged or not a lot of energy like I (had) on previous teams. It’s just because I was playing on one leg,” Brown told reporters at OVO Centre.
“So I want that to be addressed because I know a lot of fans didn’t think I played with a lot of energy and I didn’t want to be here. That’s what I’ve seen on social media. But I do want to be here. I want to play with these guys … I was literally playing on one leg so it was tough for me mentally — that I couldn’t move the way I wanted to,” Brown said.
The six-year veteran said he couldn’t simply watch when a team decimated by injuries needed his help, even if he couldn’t play up to his usual standards.
“It was tough, obviously it didn’t look good some of the times. I didn’t perform the way I was supposed to,” he said.
But when Sportsnet’s Savanna Hamilton followed up by asking Brown what fans can expect from him now that he’s on the way back from surgery, he had a simple reply: “Just wait and see. I’m ready to hoop.”
Or just about. The Raptors listed him as out for the game in Cleveland due to “return to competition reconditioning.” But Brown is close.
How long he remains a Raptor is anyone’s guess, though. The 28-year-old is a valued locker room presence and can help on the court if he returns to form, but he also could emerge as a valuable trade chip for a contender.
Rookie Ja’Kobe Walter is now healthy, but he’s staying back with Raptors 905.
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