Takeaways from a Raptors rampage over Washington in Montreal

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The short-handed Toronto Raptors kicked off the pre-season with a powerful win on Sunday night time in Montreal, however obtained an damage scare.

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RJ Barrett needed to go away early after scoring game-high 17 factors in a dominant first half of an eventual 125-98 win over the woeful Washington Wizards on the Bell Centre.

Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, rookie Ja’Kobe Walter and Bruce Brown have been already sitting out, as anticipated, within the first of 5 exhibitions.

However that gave the staff a greater have a look at rookies Jamal Shead and Jonathan Mogbo, who began at energy ahead, sophomore Gradey Dick, who additionally began, and new acquisition Davion Mitchell, who changed Quickley alongside common starters Barrett and Jakob Poeltl.

Washington went with what may very well be its regular-season first unit of former Raptor Jonas Valanciunas, Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Poole, 2024 No. 2 total decide Alex Sarr and 2023 No. 7 choice Bilal Coulibaly. Sarr and Coulibaly have been about the one shiny spots for the Wizards, who by no means led.

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Listed here are some takeaways from the primary of 87 (barring an unlikely run at a play-in or playoff spot) Raptors video games this season:

WHO NEEDS A TUNEUP?

Barrett didn’t get as a lot day without work as ordinary as a result of he performed for Group Canada in France on the Olympics, however perhaps that’s a superb factor. He appeared to be extra prepared for recreation motion than simply about anybody else on the ground.

Barrett was red-hot early, even hitting his first three three-point makes an attempt and 7-of-10 pictures total, earlier than leaving for the locker room after getting his shoulder crunched on a display by the bodily Valanciunas.

Barrett and Kelly Olynyk will benefit from Olympic participation and the latter seemed relatively crisp as nicely, notably as a play-maker.

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Barrett was utilized as a pick-and-roll creator at occasions and seemed snug dishing, in addition to scoring. Granted, Washington’s defence was terrible, however Barrett seemed able to go.

The Raptors don’t play once more till Friday and held Barrett out for the second half, labelling the damage a proper shoulder contusion.

GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION

Jamal Shead, the forty fifth decide of the draft, made one heck of a primary impression. The purpose guard, who was the engine of a wonderful Houston Cougars program, instantly confirmed why he’s the reigning NCAA defensive participant of the yr. He made an important steal nearly immediately upon coming into the sport, and later added one other, then ran up the court docket, caught a go and made a troublesome layup.

Shead was far and wide defensively and a thorn within the facet of the Wizards. These Fred VanVleet comparisons (aside from the bounce shot) seemed fairly apt. The Shead-Mitchell battle goes to be attention-grabbing to observe as each can actually defend. Shead obtained an extended look when Mitchell slipped and tweaked his hamstring, forcing him to go away the sport for some time.

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WORK IN PROGRESS?

The Raptors used 30 totally different beginning lineups in a wretched 2023-24 marketing campaign, however that quantity must be far decrease this time round. For one, there most likely received’t be two blockbuster trades and the percentages of the accidents and non-basketball-related absences piling as much as the large diploma they did once more are fairly slim.

Nonetheless, head coach Darko Rajakovic appears like somebody who isn’t satisfied but he has a five-man unit written in stone.

“I feel this season, we don’t have a cemented 5,” Rajakovic informed reporters in Montreal. That’s a little bit of a stunning assertion, contemplating 4 gamers appear to be iron-clad locks to begin every time wholesome (Barnes, Quickley, Poeltl and Barrett), leaving capturing guard as the one actual dialogue, if everyone seems to be wholesome.
Dick needs to be the big betting favorite, and he seemed strong early on Sunday.

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It’s potential Rajakovic provides Brown a while when he returns to motion. However Brown isn’t a long-term Raptor so that may be merely to showcase him for a commerce. Ochai Agbaji can be another choice, if the staff prioritizes defence, however that appears unlikely as a result of there wouldn’t be sufficient spacing (except Barrett shoots like he did in Montreal).

Rajakovic additionally stated he can be experimenting together with his bench choices fairly a bit “giving guys alternatives in video games simply to see their progress and the way they’ll have an effect on the sport.”

MIXING IT UP

Dick was thought-about the perfect outdoors shooter in his draft class and the three-point shot is certainly his most harmful weapon, however he’s attempting to point out he’s greater than only a shooter. He’s a superb cutter and athlete who doesn’t thoughts taking contact and attending to the rim.

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On Sunday, he appeared to be making a degree of discovering different methods to attain as his first eight factors all got here off the dribble.

AROUND THE RIM

This was the Raptors’ seventh pre-season recreation on the Bell Centre the place it stays undefeated … The Wizards introduced earlier than the sport that oft-injured level guard Malcolm Brogdon, a former rookie of the yr and sixth man of the yr, was out with an damage to his capturing hand. Washington elected to go with out a conventional level guard to begin, bringing extremely touted rookie Bub Carrington off the bench … You may perceive the reasoning by the Raptors of holding out Barnes. He’s been away from the staff for private causes since media day final Monday, however it’s a disgrace he couldn’t play even a couple of minutes for the followers in Montreal who bought out the constructing once more. Not less than the group obtained to cheer on Montreal’s personal Chris Boucher and Washington rookie Kyshawn George, who had tons of family and friends available. His dad hails from Montreal.

@WolstatSun

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