The Raptors put on a show in their first playoff game in Toronto this year. Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett scored 33 points each, and the Raptors handed the Cavaliers a 126-104 loss to even out the playing field a bit.
Nevertheless, the team’s struggles in the halfcourt continue to be a topic, as Brian Windhorst, Tim MacMahon, and Tim Bontemps’ discussion on the April 24 episode of The Hoop Collective proved. The latter noted that the Raptors always struggle in the halfcourt, but it is only amplified by Immanuel Quickley’s absence and Brandon Ingram’s quiet first-round series.
After all, the Raptors’ massive advantage was largely a result of their ability to score off the Cavs’ 22 turnovers and a flurry of 3-point makes in the fourth quarter when Jamison Battle had his playoff moment.
This is not news to the Raptors or their fans and only underlines what the front office needs to do in the offseason: figure out a way to improve the team’s ability to create offense in the halfcourt.
Immanuel Quickley was ruled out for the remainder of the series
Quickley missed the first three games with a hamstring issue, but there was still hope that he would return to close out the series until the Raptors’ announced on Friday that he would also miss the rest of the playoffs. He reportedly reinjured his right hamstring.
So, knowing that Quickley and his 3-point shooting and playmaking won’t return to help the Raptors’ offense, they will have to continue to force turnovers, run, and keep up the surprisingly accurate 3-point shooting from other sources.
The playoffs will dictate a lot of what the Raptors do in the offseason
Of course, the Raptors want to win, but this playoff run is as much about evaluating the talent on the roster and identifying the most pressing needs as it is about anything else.
It will influence extensions, trade talks, and free agency pursuits. RJ Barrett, for example, is making the best case possible for why he should be a part of the organization’s long-term plans.
Brandon Ingram, meanwhile, is creating more questions than answers, and Jakob Poeltl only proved Raptors fans’ biggest concerns right. Gradey Dick’s future in Toronto seemed to be decided long before the playoffs even started, but it seems even more certain now. When Darko Rajaković needed some fresh energy off the bench, he turned to A.J Lawson and Jamison Battle over Dick.
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