The Toronto Raptors beat the Jazz 80 to 74 to improve to 2 wins and 1 loss in summer league play. The Raptors jumped to an early lead and never relinquished it and staved off a late push by the Jazz to close the game out. DJ Wilson had a huge bounced back game as he led all scorers with 22 points 9 rebounds. Also, helping in the cause was Jeff Dowtin who also had a strong game with 19 points and had two clutch baskets down the stress to help hold off the Jazz. Now for some pros and cons.
Toronto Raptors Beat Jazz – Pros
DJ Wilson Comes Alive: I really like DJ Wilson and was glad that the Raptors gave him a contract. But to be honest, I was a bit concerned about his play in summer league so far. But last night he showed what he could bring to the Raptors. He rebounded, he defended and he hit his open shots including going 3 for 6 from the three point line. A great bounce back performance for him!
Jeff Dowtin, The Closer: DJ Wilson might have had the best performance of the night but for me, I was really impressed with how Jeff Dowtin closed the game out to seal the win. When the game was getting close at the end, it was Dowtin who wanted the ball in his hands. He made two clutch shots in the paint by using his change of pace and shiftiness to get his shots off in duress. He even hit a couple of free throws to boot. Not too many players want the ball in crunch of a game and even fewer feel confident in doing so. Dowtin was confident and wanted the ball and now we all know why. Dowtin has been the Raptors best player in summer league. That is a revelation! The Raptors need to sign this man ASAP to some sort of contract or someone will scoop him up. Dowtin is coming for someone’s job and Brooks, Johnson, Flynn, and Mykhailiuk better watch out!
Ron Harper Jr. Improving: Ron Harper Jr. had a nice game last night. He had 8 points and 6 boards and was a team high plus 15. His defense has improved a lot and he is understanding more how he can help the team. His dribbling still needs work but the game is starting to slow down for him which is good to see. He just needs to keep playing within himself and not try to do too much and he should keep on improving.
Team Defense was Much Better: The Raptors defense in general was a lot better. They played harder and were more aggressive which prevented the Utah Jazz from getting into many of their sets. There was one possession in particular that showed that. The Jazz had the first possession of the third quarter and the Raptors locked in on them. Every player a was focused and did not give up any thing to whoever they were guarding. The jazz could not do anything and it resulted in a 24 second violation. It was a beautiful thing to watch!
Toronto Raptors Beat Jazz – Cons
Atrocious Game by Brooks: Atrocious is a strong word but it really seems to capture how Armoni Brooks played. He was 2 for 12 from the field including 1 for 10 from three to score 5 points. To his credit, he did have four rebounds and three assists but he needs to recognize that if his shot is not going, needs to help others get looks or try to take easier looks from the basket. It was another forgettable game for him.
David Johnson Improves, I Think?: He hit a three pointer and had a nice flush in the game and 3 assists which pretty much sums up Johnson’s game. He was a little more aggressive but still a very subpar performance by him. This is the 3rd bad game for him in a row. He really needs to pick things up as his Raptor’s future gets murkier and murkier.
Kurucs’ Mask: Rodions Kurucs had a cheek injury and so he wore a protective mask for the game. His masks did him no favors as he had 4 turnovers and was missing shots a point blank range. You could tell that wearing the mask was causing him issues and he looked extremely uncomfortable. Hopefully, he can take it off soon!
Dalano’s Turnovers Continue to be a Problem: Dalano Banton had a quieter game last night but he still had 8 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. I like how he played as he looked to get others involved and facilitated the offence. However, his turnovers continue to be an issue as he had 4 more last night. At this point, it’s the only thing he needs to work on and has time goes on and he tightens up is handle a bit more and sees when plays develop quicker he can cut his turnovers down.
Conclusion
The Toronto Raptors Beat that Jazz last night on strong team defense and a couple clutch performances by DJ Wilson and Jeff Dowtin. It is even more impressive as this game as the second of a back to back and they beat a good Jazz team who prior to this game was undefeated. Now with the Raptors back in the mix for the summer league championship, I look forward to an even stronger performance next game.
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