The Toronto Raptors defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in summer league on Saturday. The game was close for three quarters until the Raps clamped down on their defense and outscored the 76ers 26 to 7 in the fourth quarter to run away with the game. As a result, the Raptors improve to one win and no losses in the Las Vegas Summer League with four games to go. Here are some of my observations of the Raptors performance in which I will call my Pros and Cons. Ready? Let’s do this!
Toronto Raptors Defeat 76ers – Pros of the Game
Christian Koloko Provides Needed Rim Protection the Raptors Sorely Need: Yes, admittedly his touch around the rim needs a lot of work and he needs to probably add a bit more weight and strength, but Koloko was a presence on the defensive end. His box score doesn’t really jump at you as he only had 12 points on 4 for 11 shooting. However, he had three blocks and he altered many other shots. It is awesome having a true seven footer in the paint as it really changes what an offense is capable of. Also, he is pretty quick for a player of his size and his long seven foot five wingspan helps him cover a lot of ground. Also, as an added bonus, he hit all four of his free throws and his form looked really good! This bodes well for him developing a 3 point shot as good free throw shooting directly relates to being able to shoot threes.
Delano Banton’s Second Half: Banton’s first half left a lot to be desired (see my Cons below). But in the third quarter, he decided to get aggressive and take over. He made back to back threes, attacked the rim and made the right pass. He scored 14 points and kept the Raptors in the game despite the 76ers Isaiah Joe (see my Cons below) scoring 15 in that half. Banton played with confidence and got the raptors going and ended the game with 21 points, 5 assists and 7 rebounds. Nice work for the second year player!
Armoni Brooks Providing Scoring Punch off the Bench: The one thing Toronto sorely needed last year was scoring off the bench. In fact, the Raptors had one of the worst benches when it came to scoring. If Armoni Brooks keeps playing like this, that problem might be solved! When Armoni came into the game, he immediately started scoring. He made threes, created his one shot, attacked the rim. It was great to see. He ended up scoring 25 points on 50 percent shooting and making 5 of 12 threes. He made a huge difference whenever he was on the floor as he was a plus 29 for the game.
Jeff Dowtin, Future Back up Point Guard?: Dowtin only had 13 points but he had nine assists and no turnovers. In a game where the Raptors had a total of 17 turnovers, he as the point guard had none. That is impressive and the Raptors will be watching him closely in the games ahead as a reliable point guard is something the Raptors need badly. If he keeps this up he might guarantee himself at least a training camp invite. It will be interesting to see how things develop.
Toronto Raptors Defeat 76ers – Cons of the Game
Dalano Banton’s First half: It might have been extra excitement of the first game or he could have been a bit nerved up to prove how much progress he has made but Banton’s first half was rough. As a result, he had only had five points by half and made a few critical turnovers that led to extra points by the 76ers. He completely flipped the script in the second as already mentioned. However he ended up with 7 turnovers to five assists. That is not a good ratio and that is probably the biggest thing Banton needs to improve on. If Banton can see the floor better and make the correct pass at the right time, his turnovers will drop greatly. The back up point guard minutes on the Raptors are his for the taking if he can cut down on his turnovers.
DJ Wilson Maybe Trying to do Too Much: Perhaps he wanted to prove to the Raptors he was worth the contract they gave him or that he could be the versatile big they are looking for but DJ Wilson’s first game wasn’t that great. He only shot 2 for 9 for 6 points. He did have four rebounds, two assists and a steal. I think he was pressing a bit too much. All DJ has to do is let the game come to him and when he does have a wide open shot for distance, shoot it with confidence. Also, if he focuses on the little things, he will have a big impact on the game. Marc Gasol was an example of just that. His stats with the Raps did not blow you away but he was a huge factor in the Raptors winning the championship as he did all the little things to win. DJ needs to do the same. I think he will bounce back.
Barely Noticed David Johnson: I barely noticed the Raptors second round pick from last year, and two way player. The box score says he scored five points but I can’t even remember him scoring anything. That’s never a good sign. Also, he wasn’t starting which means others have passed him on the depth chart. I remember during the game when Nick Nurse was being interviewed, he said he wanted his bench players to provide something that will help the team win. What definite skill does David Johnson provide that can help the raptors? Hopefully he can show something in next few games.
Isaiah Joe Went Off: I know he is the G league player of the year but man, the Raptors made him look like Michael Jordan out there! Joe scored 24 points and went 7 for 9 from three. Yikes! I was wishing the Raptors would have blitzed him, or trapped him or sent a quick double team and make someone else beat you. He was the main offensive cog for Philadelphia and he was the one who kept them in the game. If he doesn’t have a great game, the 76ers lose by 30 or 40.
Conclusion
The Toronto Raptors defeat of the 76ers was an encouraging sign. They played hard all game and really worked on defense. They still need to cut down on some turnovers and do a better job on the defensive glass but there are definitely going to be some intriguing story lines as summer league progresses. I am looking forward to it!
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