What a run.
At the time of my last edition of the Fulcrum, the Raptors were 1-4 and looking lost on defense. Fast-forward to today, and the Raptors are 7-5 and have taken a huge step forward defensively. After their rocky five-game start, the Raptors were near the bottom of the league in points against, but are now middle of the pack, ranked 15th. The last seven games have included wins against some of the top teams in the Eastern Conference (Bucks, Hawks, and the Cavaliers twice).
Scottie Barnes is an All-Star and should be in line for an All-Defensive Team
Raptors fans have long known Barnes has the potential to be a dominant two-way force. Until now, his defensive impact has been more middling than game-changing. That looks different this season. Barnes leads the team in steals, blocks, and defensive plus-minus, which estimates how many points per 100 possessions a player saves his team on defense compared to an average defender. Beyond the box score, it's clear that Barnes has worked on his defense and everything is starting to click for him on that end.
But it would be a disservice to only talk about his defense. He is looking aggressive on offense, and that is helping him score more efficiently than he ever has before. I love that Barnes has the ability to be the team’s lead playmaker if necessary, but I think he is at his best when the team asks him to be aggressive first and the playmaking naturally comes off of this aggressiveness. He has found that balance early in the season.
IQ is quickly turning his season around
The Raptors have committed a lot to Immanuel Quickley as the lead guard of this team. His season got off to an underwhelming start. Through seven games he was averaging 12.7 points and 6.3 assists, shooting 39.2% from the field and 27.8% from deep. His last five games have told a different story: 20.8 points and 6.0 assists on 52.8% shooting from the field and 47.4% from three.
In those first seven games, the Raptors were outscored by 25 points with IQ on the floor, but over the last five, they have outscored opponents by 41 with him on the floor.
Quickley has always been a boom-or-bust player, with awesome highs and eye-averting lows. For the Raptors to continue this recent string of success, they will have to rely on their lead guard to consistently play like he has over the last five games.
This is the Raptors’ opportunity to strike
The Raptors’ next five games are against the Pacers, Hornets, 76ers, Wizards, and Nets. Philadelphia currently sits at a respectable 7-5, but the other four teams are the four worst in the Eastern Conference, with a combined record of 7-41. They cannot take these games for granted. They need to stay sharp and take care of business. Their one loss in the last seven games came against the 76ers, but if the team is able to stay focused and play like it has over this recent stretch, a 5-0 run is very possible.
Conclusion
If Scottie keeps defending at this level, and Quickley keeps producing on offense, this recent run might be less of a hot streak and more of a turning point. The next five games are a real chance for the Raptors to prove that this version of the team is here to stay. If they take care of business now, the conversation around this season could look very different by the next Fulcrum.
All stats are courtesy of Basketball-Reference unless noted otherwise.