The Raptors have experienced quite a few tough losses this season. Most recently, they were blown out by the Phoenix Suns on March 22, losing 120-98 and adding to that list of unfortunate defeats.
And speaking of going through spells, the Brandon Ingram experience (at least for the large part), has been a positive Raptors development this topsy-turvy season. They desperately needed a bucket-getter and BI quickly stepped into that role for Toronto, ultimately earning an All-Star nod (albeit as an injury replacement) and establishing himself as the Raptors' primary scoring threat.
But in this demoralizing defeat to the Suns, it was honestly one of Brandon Ingram's worst games — perhaps his absolute worst performance of his Raptors tenure this year.
Ingram finished the game with just six points on 3-for-10 shooting and a team-worst -29 plus/minus. Speaking on the rough BI night in his post-game media availability, and why the All-Star did not look like himself, head coach Darko Rajakovic said: "It's a, it's a whole team. It cannot be just one player. We win as a team, we lose as a team, we never want to point out a player. So I thought that our whole team tonight did not have enough urgency for the game, and enough respect for our opponent tonight."
Now, again, for the most part, I see having Brandon Ingram on this team as a massive blessing overall, even if his highs and lows can sometimes be pretty radical. But aside from that aspect of his game, there's a very glaring concern catching the eye of many in Raptors Nation. It puts the team on high alert, especially with the playoffs just around the corner and Toronto still holding onto hope of making that push.
Ingram's struggles were highlighted even more by his five turnovers against Phoenix, and when you review that aspect of BI's recent play in the collective recent sample, it's clear that Ingram is really having a hard time holding onto the ball. That development is quite concerning, especially since BI is often in possession during key stretches as the team's leading scorer and trusted closer.
Managing turnovers will be key for Brandon Ingram and the Raptors
In the month of March, Brandon Ingram is averaging 2.8 turnovers. A couple of lapses are expected when you have the ball so much in your hands, but when you consider that BI is only averaging 3.0 assists, it definitely leaves a lot to be desired. Ingram came to the Raptors as their promising scoring threat, but he showed in New Orleans that he could be an adept playmaker and rebounder at the same time.
However, to be honest, his playmaking hasn't exactly been a major weapon in Toronto so far.
Outside of January, when BI limited his turnovers to just 1.8 compared to 3.5 assists, the overall trend all season has been that BI struggles to keep the ball in check and avoid turning it over. His handle can get pretty loose, and it's often at a point where Ingram can't even recover. He tends to lose the ball at the top of the key, giving the opposing team a chance to score easy fast-break buckets and draining energy from the Raptors' efforts.
The upside to this trend is that overall, Ingram is only averaging 2.5 turnovers on the season, which isn't terrible by any means. However, the pressure of being such a key part of the Raptors' system has sometimes caused him to be a bit lackadaisical with the ball, especially in games where Toronto can't afford to let momentum slip away. His performance against Phoenix is a perfect example of that.
Then again, it's something that inevitably happens when opposing teams zero in on you defensively, and that will only intensify in the playoffs. Meaning Ingram must either improve his handle or take it upon himself to make the right pass when he's under pressure. At the same time, I believe it's equally important for those around BI to maintain a heightened sense of awareness in order to respond accordingly in those situations.
We've seen BI bounce back from these slumps before, and I’m confident he can find his groove again. But becoming more secure with the ball is definitely a key step for Ingram as the regular season winds down and playoff intensity ramps up.