The Toronto Raptors may not have come away with the victory in their Summer League opener against the Boston Celtics, but that doesn’t mean the team’s late-moment fumble was a total calamity either. There were enough tantalizing performances to keep fans satiated until the next contest, and fortunately, that’s not too long a wait.
Here are four storylines to consider ahead of the Raptors’ matchup against the Houston Rockets. Tip-off is slated for 9:30 p.m. EST on NBA TV Canada and Prime Video.
Toronto
needs sharper execution down the stretch to close out games
Allen Graves was a revelation for the Raptors, but it wasn’t enough to pull out a win. The 19th overall pick dropped 22 points on 9-16 shooting from the field, with 13 boards and two blocks in a losing effort. The Celtics might have allowed a bit of cushion room for mistakes, but the Raptors can not afford to commit them against the Rockets.
The Raptors’ mistakes kept the Celtics in the game
The third quarter saw the Raptors’ lead balloon to double digits, but the Celtics capitalized on defensive lapses to put them back in the game. Curtis Jones was doubled at the top of the key, which freed up John Tonje in the wing for a non-contested triple, trimming the Raptors’ lead to 8, 43-51. In a subsequent pick-and-roll action, Hugo Gonzales collapses the defence, leaving Tonje for another three-pointer in the wing, making it a one-possession contest, 48-51.
As much as Graves has been credited for his standout performance on offence, his costly choices on defence gave Boston a lifeline to force overtime. Graves knocks down a transition triple to make it a two-possession game down the stretch, 75-71. In a press action for Toronto, Graves reached for a steal, forcing his teammates to scramble on coverage, which left Tonje open for a three-pointer. On the last possession before extra time, Milos Uzan was doubled off the dribble, finding Chris Cenac Jr. on the corner for the game-tying triple, to which Graves gave a late contest.
Defensive maturity takes time to develop. Besides, Graves’ production is the reason we are even talking about the errors on the other end that gave the Celtics the chance to recover. Expectations on an NBA floor aside, Graves and the young guys don’t have time to waste. If they want to extend their stay in Vegas, they will have to learn how to close out games. Against Houston, that might just happen a little sooner.
The Rockets took off in the 4th
The Rockets and the Denver Nuggets were a point apart entering the fourth. Houston did not waste any time in the early stretches of the last period, as they took off with their offence. Quadir Copeland sparked an early 5-0 run for the Rockets after going for a strong drive to the hoop and finishing with a layup. The next possession saw the Nuggets’ defence sag off him, making them pay with a triple on top of the key.
As good as Copeland’s outing was, it was Bruce Thornton who stole the show for the Rockets, with his ability to finish off the dribble and knock down shots. Thornton finished with 27 points on 7-18 shooting and 3-8 from downtown. While his shooting doesn’t scream consistency, Thornton was a game-high +20. This doesn’t come as a surprise considering his impact on the defensive end, as he finished the game with three steals while taking good care of the ball on offence, committing just one turnover in the process.
How can the Raptors win?
In their last contest, Toronto led for 79 per cent of the game, while the Celtics were only ahead on 12 per cent of the possessions. While Houston is a different team, Toronto could rely on the same strengths it had while minimizing its mistakes.
The Raptors’ paint defence was a force to be reckoned with down low. Jamarion Sharp finished with four blocks while Nate Bittle tallied a team-high six. Graves added a couple to the tally. Toronto might intimidate Houston inside the paint, but directing focus solely inside leaves shooters on the perimeter, and just like the Celtics, the Rockets can also make them pay.
It also didn’t help that the Raptors were defending aggressively, which led to plenty of fouls committed. While rebounding did not serve as an edge against Boston, Houston was massively outrebounded by Denver, which Toronto could bank on.
Defensive adjustments on the perimeter, less aggressive fouling, and dominating the glass are factors that could definitely swing the favor to the Raptors. However, once the game slows down to a possession-by-possession battle, execution will matter most.
Learning to make the right play down the stretch is surely a tall task for first-year and second-year players in the league. But if they want to fit in with the big picture of where the organization is heading, albeit the Aspiration investigation, closing out games is a great way to start.
