I mentioned in my last piece that Immanuel Quickley would get a spotlight of his own ... and here we are. IQ, take a bow. He absolutely delivered, and then some, in Toronto’s season opener against Chicago.
Quickley led the Raptors in minutes, playing just over 28 in Toronto’s 43-point blowout of the Bulls. Kawhi Leonard had some growing pains with his shot, though he still left his trademark impact. Quickley, meanwhile, shot the lights out at Scotiabank Arena.
He finished alongside Scottie Barnes and Kawhi as the team’s leading scorer, with all three putting up 23 points. But IQ’s spark from deep was one of the game's most defining highlights. He took nine threes and made four, good for a 44.4 percent clip. While the rest of Toronto’s squad struggled to find the same rhythm from beyond the arc, Quickley showed in game one of the 82-game calendar that he remains a key source of life from deep.
If this is the Quickley we see all season, Toronto could be a lot tougher to handle
As the team’s starting point guard, Quickley has an important role to fill. I’ve had mixed opinions about how well he can meet that need, but I was pleasantly surprised by his decision-making against Chicago — and by the aggression and confidence he showed as an offensive spark.
Sure, the Bulls aren’t exactly part of the East's crème de la crème, and Toronto will encounter much tougher tests to put IQ's true impact under the magnifying glass. Still, this opener showed just how critical Immanuel Quickley can be to the team’s ambitions. His role was a major talking point this offseason, but it may have slipped under the radar a bit after Toronto missed his contributions in last spring’s playoffs, when an untimely injury sidelined him.
Toronto’s defense looks to be in good hands with Kawhi and Scottie. Toronto should also be encouraged by the contributions on that end from Collin Murray-Boyles, Ja’Kobe Walter and rookie Allen Graves. Even Jamison Battle impressed me a ton last night, showing he can evolve beyond a plug-in, shooting specialist.
That defense-first identity remains central to the Raptors’ culture — and could help push them toward the top of the league. Though, it’s a luxury to have a reliable shooter who can complement that defense, and Quickley is one of the roster’s best bets to fill that role.
In the summer, I pointed to Kawhi as the most likely catalyst for Toronto’s rise — a view shared by many analysts and commentators. But after this first look, IQ seems poised to play a key role in the Raptors’ success, too. If he stays confident, finds good shots, shoots efficiently, and stays healthy ... he could help take this team even further.
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