Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam, and the Toronto Raptors are almost done with their preseason grind, as they have started off 2-2 with wins against the Jazz and Celtics while falling in defeat against the Rockets and Bulls. The results from these games have been very mixed.
While Toronto’s defense looks solid once again, and players like Dalano Banton and Josh Jackson have been extremely impressive at the back end of the roster. Toronto looked unstoppable early in the preseason, but their momentum has hit a brick wall after the last two games.
The flaws and defects of this roster have been laid bare for everyone to see. This included a poor perimeter game and a propensity to let the game get out of hand very quickly when trailing. The Raptors now know which issues must be sanded down before the season starts.
Let’s observe what the Raptors have shown us over the last few games and determine which problems will be addressed before the you-know-what hits the fan in the regular season. Are there any preseason issues that will likely right themselves through the laws of probability?
Panic or Patience for 3 Raptors preseason trends
1. Scottie Barnes at point guard
Barnes looks like a more confident offensive player, as he’s nailed a couple shots that have a very high degree of difficulty, but his point guard performance was less than satisfactory. With Scottie in line for the backup point guard role, Toronto needs to see more out of him.
He turned the ball over six times in the loss against the Rockets, failing to record a single made shot from the field in that performance. While it’s good to shake off the rust now rather than in the middle of a high-octane battle in the regular season, this doesn’t exactly instill confidence.
Scottie Barnes needs to be more composed at point guard.
Barnes has the passing skills needed to be a star, and his size was problematic on that end for players last year. His issues stemmed from his inability to keep the ball under control while setting up the offense. These are things that a still-growing player will figure out how to do.
Amid all of the hype surrounding Barnes, it’s easy to forget he is just 21 years old. Learning multiple positions for a playoff team is a huge undertaking, and he should have no issue eventually settling in and becoming a solid ball-handler for this team.
Verdict: Patience.
2. 3-point shooting
Toronto fixed their height issues by adding Christian Koloko and bringing in a bench gunner in Otto Porter Jr. to beef up the second unit. Shooting last year was a problem (outside of a few stars carrying the load for the rest of the team), and it may end up crippling them again.
The Raptors went 7-32, 6-34, and 8-37 from deep in that game, and those numbers may have been even more alarming than the already scary data would indicate. Gabe Brown, an undrafted rookie who will not factor into the team’s plans, hit a couple of the limited successful triples.
The Toronto Raptors need to shoot better.
The Raptors’ unique style of play will make them a huge pain in the rear end to play against, but that is not going to stop them from laying an egg against underperforming tankers and contenders alike if they keep shooting like this. Porter and Gary Trent Jr. can only do so much.
This team is going to be difficult to play against due to their veteran savvy, defensive potential, and unique roster construction. However, maintaining and coming back from big deficits is going to be nearly impossible to compete against some of the best teams in the league.
Verdict: Panic.
3. Losing big leads
While the NBA’s emphasis on 3-pointers has made it easier for teams to come back and pile up points in a hurry, the Raptors have been particularly vulnerable in this area over the last few games. It might be harmless in the preseason, but it won’t be in the playoffs.
The Raptors fell apart in the second quarter against the Rockets, and they saw an 11-point first-quarter lead against the Bulls wither away and amount to nothing. Toronto has similar issues last year, and it looks like they have made the transition to 2022-23.
The Toronto Raptors have struggled to stay ahead.
Raptors fans have every right to be volcanic when a lead like this is blown, but this is not something that is going to be an everyday occurrence for this team. With the rotation still not 100% healthy and the minutes doled out unevenly, the difference-makers weren’t always on the floor.
When the Raptors run their normal rotation, which features a good blend of youthful bigs that can get hot instantly and savvy veterans like Fred VanVleet that will refuse to allow such a huge capitulation, their second-half performance will improve. If this happens multiple times early in the season, then it might be panic time.
Verdict: Patience.