The Raptors’ gradual ease back into competitive basketball has come to an end.
After the preseason started with consecutive games against the Washington Wizards that offered little more competition than the intrasquad scrimmage that preceded them, the Toronto Raptors played the first game of this home-and-home against the defending champion Celtics in Boston on Sunday.
The Celts were fresh off a 139-89 clobbering of the Philadelphia 76ers the night before, and opted to sit seven of their top eight players, including Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick White. As a result, their lineup bared a closer resemblance to the Maine Celtics than the team that lifted the Larry O’Brien trophy four months ago.
Two disparate halves resulted in the Raptors falling 115-111. Now the two teams will tip off again in the Dino’s return to Scotiabank Arena, but one will look very different.
It stands to reason that most of the Celtics starters will be in play for Tuesdays contest. The water-wings that were the Wizards and the Celtics third-stringers are coming off and the Raptors are being thrown into the deep-end.
This isn’t exactly a team that is currently equipped for a tough challenge. Once again, the Raptors will be without at least one starter, as RJ Barrett has been ruled out for the remainder of the preseason with a sprained right AC joint.
Immanuel Quickley is currently listed as day-to-day, and Darko Rajakovic has said to media that he expects the six-foot-two guard to get into preseason action. But the Raptors have been without two of their four guaranteed starters (Barnes and Quickley in game one, Barrett and Quickley in games two and three) for each of the first three games of the preseason. Add that they have also been without a couple additional rotation players (Bruce Brown, knee, and Kelly Olynyk, lower back) and you get a team that has lacked stability and continuity as they prepare for the start of the regular season.
That isn’t as big of a deal for this Raptors team as they enter what was deemed year one of a rebuild by Rajakovic on media day, but it is still less than ideal.
Over the past two games, the Raptors have been out-scored by 54 points from 3-point range. Gradey Dick was letting it fly Sunday night – making 5-of-10 from deep – but overall, the Raptors haven’t gotten up many 3’s thus far. They rank 29th in attempts per game during the preseason at 31.7.
The Celtics are first in 3-point attempts per game at 52.0.
For both Ochai Agbaji and Davion Mitchell, 3-point shooting is a swing skill that could help cement their status in the league. It would be nice to see them both get up a few more shots than the 2.0 and 1.3 per game they are averaging, respectively, in the preseason.
Last game’s first half and Friday’s loss to the Wizards left little to be desired. It may have Raptors fans more inclined to focus on the illustrious career of Vince Carter, his induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Sunday, and the Raptors retiring his jersey November 2.
But all the preseason caveats apply, and we are bound to see some ugly basketball during these exhibition contests. There will still be plenty to look forward to on the court this year as well (if you know where to look).
Game Info
Tip-Off: 7:00 p.m. ET
Television: Sportsnet One
Radio: Sportsnet 590 The Fan
Starting Lineups (Projected)
Boston Celtics
PG: Jrue Holiday
SG: Derrick White
SF: Jaylen Brown
PF: Jayson Tatum
C: Luke Kornet
Toronto Raptors
PG: Davion Mitchell
SG: Gradey Dick
SF: Ochai Agbaji
PF: Scottie Barnes
C: Jakob Poeltl
Injury Report (Not official)
Celtics
Kristaps Porzingis (Foot) – Out
Raptors
Immanuel Quickley (Thumb) – Out
RJ Barrett (Shoulder) – Out
Ja’Kobe Walter (Shoulder) – Out
Bruce Brown Jr. (Knee) – Out
Kelly Olynyk (Back) – Questionable
Garrett Temple (Hamstring) – Questionable
Toronto’s final preseason game is on Friday, October 18 against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Centre. Tip-off at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
The post Gameday: Celtics vs Raptors, October 15 first appeared on Raptors Republic.
