Darko says Jamal Shead changed the game after he was unhappy with how the Raptors started the game. Praised the bench for their efforts tonight.
Vivek Jacob
@vivekmjacob.bsky.social
Freelance sports journalist covering 🏀 🏏 🎾 ⚽ ⚾ Current outlets: Yahoo Canada Former outlets: The Athletic, Sportsnet, CBC, Complex Podcast: Locked On Raptors (weekly guest)
Raptors win 129-99 against the Magic, improving to 3-1. It's a really good response to the Wolves loss. Without Kawhi, need all of Barnes, Barrett, Quickley getting it done and they brought it tonight. Walter emerging as a big storyline, Shead's best game, nice TJD mins.
After a 21-13 start for the Magic, it's been 56-32 Raptors to take a 16pt lead into halftime. RJ leading the way with 21, solid two-way game from IQ, Scottie very impactful, Ja'Kobe continuing to be awesome, best we've seen of Shead in the early season.
shead with the push and kick out to ja'kobe, swing to IQ for the triple that was beautiful
great defensive sequence between cmb and shead there
really good response by the raptors after a very disjointed start, lead 32-25 after 1Q good energy from shead, battle, tjd while rj led the way with 12
depending on how much time kawhi misses ja'kobe might end up leading the team in steals
how did they not call a foul on anthony black on the scottie dribble??
Nice to see Scottie get an easy bucket to start, nicely done by IQ to use Jak's screen and find Scottie cutting
New episode of the Raptors in 7 podcast is out! Joe Wolfond and I talked: - learnings from the first three games - struggles against the Wolves - what lies in store for the upcoming stretch without Kawhi YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjc4...
Life without Kawhi Leonard, can the Raptors survive?
YouTube video by Raptors in 7
youtube.com
Anyway, new @lockedonraptors.bsky.social where @vivekmjacob.bsky.social and I talked about things that are concerning, encouraging and confusing to us to start the year. Stick around for the last segment where we talk about the Kawhi-less experience! youtu.be/dr8kMSOEHZM
As the Raptors get set for an extended stretch without Kawhi Leonard, wrote about how important RJ Barrett has been to the offence: raptorsinseven.substack.com/p/rj-barrett...
RJ Barrett keeps giving the Raptors what they need
And he’s making it harder for the front office to not give him what he wants
raptorsinseven.substack.com
Darko Rajakovic says that Kawhi Leonard will undergo further testing for his left knee and there will be an update after that. Status for Wednesday against the Orlando Magic currently up in the air.
Raptors get hammered 117-94 by the Wolves in Minnesota. Shockingly poor Scottie night, scoreless (0-12) in 28 minutes. Jak had 0pts and 1reb in 19 mins. RJ was really good while it mattered, Ja'Kobe great in his first start of the szn. Nice mins for Graves later.
Most disappointing aspect of Scottie Barnes' performance tonight is ZERO free throw attempts. Someone capable of his level of force has to understand that good scorers mitigate tough nights using the ft line. Needed step in his scoring evolution.
i stg sometimes they make those calls based on when the whistle was blown and others when the foul actually occurred
RJ kept the offence afloat till the threes finally falling could get the Raps within 8. IQ recovered nicely from a poor start. Scottie needs to wake up offensively, 0-9 and 0 free throw attempts. Gotta be happy with what Ja'Kobe has given so far and CMB defence disruptive again.
Since shooting 6/12 from three in the 1st Q against the Bulls, the Raptors have gone 12/63 (19%) over their last 8 quarters.
Ja'Kobe almost got a steal, Ant knocked down the triple, Ja'Kobe got back the triple. Good response after a bit of a deflating play
Third straight game RJ has opened the scoring for the Raptors. Good work from IQ getting the steak off the Ant kick out to trigger the break
Would've been nice to see the full strength Raptors against this Wolves squad tonight but still good to get a look at what the non-Kawhi team can do against them. Need a big night from IQ alongside Scottie and RJ. Huge test for Ja'Kobe.