The Toronto Raptors had three basketball games in the last week. On November 30th, the Raptors lost 126 to 108 to the Pelicans. In that game, they were outscored 40 to 29 in the first quarter. On December 2nd, the Raptors lost 114 to 105 to the Nets. They were outscored 41 to 17 in the first quarter. The next night, the Raptors bounced back and defeated the Orlando Magic 121 to 108. They outscored Orlando 36 to 22 in the first quarter.
As seen by the last few games, getting off to a good start is very important if you want to have success. The Raptors have a tendency to start slow and as a result, they have to work very hard throughout the game to either get back into it or take control of the game. This is not a formula for success as elite teams will exploit this and put the Raptors in a hole. So what can the Raptors do to improve this?
Toronto Raptors Basketball – Better Offense
The Toronto Raptors focus on defense. They want their players to play hard on that end. If they do not, they end up on the bench. Their offense, is a free flowing offense that has the player read and react to the situation. So there is really no set structure and allows for flexibility. However, the problem for the Raptors arises when they start taking bad shots which compromises their defense. An example is taking too many three point shots. The result is a long rebound and the other team going on a fast break. The Raptors do not have enough time to set up their defense and they are compromised. What is the solution?
As we saw in the Raptors last game, getting paint touches. Yes, the Raptors need to attack the paint. Not only will they get better and closer shots, but if a double team comes, they can easily kick the ball out to the open shooter for a quality shot. A good example was OG Anunoby’s shot selection in his last game where he scored 32 points. Most of his shots were taken in the paint. He attacked the paint aggressively. As a result, he got easy shots, drew fouls and got to the free throw line. Another player who did this was Scottie Barnes. He had 17 points on 8 for 10 shooting. And most of his points came from the painted area. He also had 14 rebounds. It was his best game in a long time.
Conclusion
The Toronto Raptors brand of basketball on the offensive end should be attacking the paint. They have three players who thrive scoring in the paint with Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby and Scottien Barnes. They should be attacking the paint as much as possible and when the defense collapses on them, pass it the the open man. And if a team goes into a zone defense, attack the paint still. How? By having a playing going to the center of the zone at the top of the paint and receiving a pass. Here they can either take an easy shot or let the defense collapse on them to open up passing lanes. The Raptors are not an outside shooting team. They have a couple outside shooters but they have a lot of tall players with long wingspans who can be much more effective in the paint. Here they can use their size and length to generate offense.
As we saw in the win against Orlando, it is a recipe for success. However, let’s see how they do against Boston tonight and the Lakers on Wednesday. Both will be a tough match up and in the words of Raptors’ broadcaster Jack Armstrong, “they will need offensive toughness.”
You Might Like:
This page has affiliate ads in which we might make a small commission at no extra cost to you!