Toronto Raptors: 3 takeaways from loss against Blazers, including JV’s absence

Closing games is a must

Of the Raptors’ eight losses this season, only two have been blowouts. The other six have either been decided in overtime or were two-possession (or less) games. It seems that while the Raptors have been great at steamrolling teams early on this season, they still have not found a surefire way to finish off close games down the stretch.

As mentioned earlier, the inconsistency in lineups can make it difficult in terms of running set plays or figuring out who should be taking pivotal shots as time winds down. However, more than that, the Raptors should continue looking for ways to prevent the game from ever getting to that point.

The Raptors, despite shooting 55.8% last night, turned the ball over more than twice as much as Portland (17 to 8), leading to 26 points off of turnovers. One of the most poorly timed ones was a 5-second inbound violation at a crucial moment of the game coming out of a timeout.

Additionally, in terms of late-game execution, the Raptors seemed to oscillate between being unsure of who their closer should be and at other times relying too much on Kawhi to carry the team.

There were occasions down the stretch where Kawhi would get a defensive rebound or an outlet and rush up the length of the court himself and jack up an awkward three and other times where players were too unselfish with the ball. In one sequence after VanVleet pump fakes a defender, he opts not to shoot the three, but to dish to Ibaka.

However, Ibaka, despite playing behind the three-point arc often, seemed hesitant himself. He often times made the improper decision or took to long to make the correct one.

In the end, despite clawing back into a game that seemed to be out of reach, the Raptors fell short as Lillard, McCollum, and Aminu all hit dagger three’s to put the game out of reach.

The Raptors are currently still at the top of the standings, but they should look to figure out their late-game strategy sooner rather than later if they want to avoid getting continually exposed down the stretch, especially when the playoffs come around.

They look to face off against a banged-up Nuggets team tomorrow. While neither team will be at full strength, this will be yet another solid test for both teams to see how they can succeed without key players.