Three overreactions to avoid following Toronto Raptors preseason

TORONTO, CANADA - JUNE 10: Norman Powell #24 of the Toronto Raptors passes the ball against the Golden State Warriors during Game Five of the NBA Finals on June 10, 2019 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA - JUNE 10: Norman Powell #24 of the Toronto Raptors passes the ball against the Golden State Warriors during Game Five of the NBA Finals on June 10, 2019 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors – Serge Ibaka (Photo by KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images) /

Offensive projections

There are two different fronts to begin with here. First of all, the Raptors averaged 114.8 points per game, which ranked as the ninth-best in the preseason, shooting 44-percent from the field and 38.6-percent from three.

Decent all-around numbers, but the Raptors ranked in the middle of the pack in offensive rating. They did, however, rank second in pace with an 18.9-percent turnover percentage. This offense is difficult to figure out – there have been moments where they’ve played nice free-flowing basketball, and moments where they have looked rigid and slow.

Like the tweet says; that right there is beautiful. It’s Raptors basketball at it’s best, the ball movement is exquisite, and Marc Gasol and Kyle Lowry both show off their high basketball-IQ, and it ends with an open three-pointer: perfect.

That came in the Raptors final preseason game against the Brooklyn Nets – who they ran off the court 123-107. The Nets will be right in the same position as the Raptors this season – two teams who are both battling for homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The Raptors were the superior team in their final preseason game, but it should be taken with a pinch of salt – the Raptors shot 51-percent from three and exploded in a 46-point second quarter.

There will be moments where the offense plays lights out, but a top-10 offense it probably will not be.