It sure feels like the Toronto Raptors are in for some tough sledding in the next little while.
No Scottie Barnes. No Immanuel Quickley. No hope? Even at full strength this roster would be perceived as one of the weaker offensive squads in the NBA. Without top overall player Barnes and premier pull-up shooter and assist man Quickley the challenge gets even tougher every night.
Thursday was the latest example, with Miami winning an ugly affair 114-104. The game really wasn’t that close and the Raptors shot 5-for-17 (29%) from three-point range before heating up in the fourth quarter when the game was out of reach.
Some takeaways from a second loss in three games against the Heat:
ZANY START
Toronto went with its 11th different starting lineup in 26 games. Last year’s team used 30 in 82 games. The truly weird part was Jakob Poeltl being listed as doubtful with back spasms minutes before the game, only to check in quite quickly for Bruno Fernando. Full credit to Poeltl for gutting it out. While he wasn’t his usual self, Poeltl was still helpful and was a part of Toronto’s best stretch of the game, the early going. Fernando didn’t re-enter the game after his two minutes.
Jonathan Mogbo started and grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds while also flashing his defensive versatility. Unfortunately, Toronto needed a bigger offensive threat than Mogbo with the first group.
STEPPING UP
Somebody has to pick up the slack when Barnes is out (actually several players do) and Gradey Dick has risen to the challenge. He led Toronto on Thursday and when Barnes was hurt the first time this season, Dick topped 30 points in three of 11 games and he scored in double figures in all but one of them. Most of Dick’s best games have come with Barnes out of the lineup.
For a shooter as talented as Dick, it’s a bit strange how poorly he has shot three-pointers this season (including just 3-for-11 against the Heat), but Dick did go 4-for-5 in the paint and has been outstanding finishing inside.
He and RJ Barrett will probably get the biggest offensive boosts in terms of responsibilities until Barnes and Quickley return.
ROAD KILL
Toronto is now 1-12 on the road, tied with New Orleans for worst in the NBA. Not so coincidentally Barnes has now missed eight of the 13 away games.
Here’s an odd stat: Toronto plays at the sixth-fastest pace in the NBA at home, but the fifth-slowest away. That can’t all be Barnes-related.
The team is also seventh in defensive rebound percentage at home, but fifth-worst on the road.
Barrett’s home-road splits have been well-documented.
MODEL FRANCHISE
You have to marvel a bit at the Heat and head coach Erik Spoelstra, who is one of the best in the business. Two early Spoelstra timeouts paid quick dividends. His first came with the team down nine and they promptly tied it up. After Miami’s worst period of the game, a stretch that saw the Heat look lost and go down by 16, Spoelstra again called timeout. A 14-2 run followed, forcing the Raptors to call timeout and Miami never trailed again.
The franchise handles drama (like whatever is going on with Jimmy Butler) better than most and always seems to find good players and make them a lot better through the team’s G League system.
Haywood Highsmith is the latest example. Plus, when a Heat player falls out of favour for a season or two, they tend to rebound more often than players in similar situations elsewhere. There’s a bit of a yo yo effect in Miami. Duncan Robinson went from out-of-nowhere good story, to out of the rotation, to solid starter again. Tyler Herro has been all over the map. Terry Rozier is now a reserve but you can bet he’ll be a good starter again before his Heat tenure is over. Even Kevin Love is contributing.
The key piece too few talk about: Bam Adebayo. Just a superb player.