Raptors fall to Celtics as actuality of log-jammed Japanese Convention setting in – Sportsnet
“We’ve acquired to search out methods to create it when it’s not there after which often we will do this on the defensive finish, however each cease we acquired it felt like they acquired an offensive rebound, after we acquired a breakout in transition, generally the ball simply ended up out of bounds, or missed a layup … it was a type of nights.”
On the night time the Celtics stole liberally from the Raptors most well-liked formulation: They gathered 12 offensive rebounds — eight by Robert Williams III — to 6 for Toronto whereas the Raptors turned it over 18 occasions to fifteen for Boston, the latter a low quantity for the Raptors, who lead the NBA in opponent turnovers.
Scottie Barnes completed with 21 factors, seven rebounds and 4 assists, one of many few vivid spots as Toronto shot 42.9 per cent from the ground and simply 6-of-24 from deep, off-setting a good defensive effort as they held Boston to 44.7 per cent.
Total, the Raptors are nonetheless looking for their bearings with Pascal Siakam working himself again into the lineup after low season shoulder surgical procedure. Siakam stays on a minutes restriction — he performed half-hour and could also be held out of Thursday’s back-to-back in Philadelphia. He contributed defensively, giving the Raptors yet another switchable defender whereas his two steals hinted at his exercise on defence, offensively he was clearly out of sync with 4 turnovers via three quarters, having a tough time merely discovering pictures and spots on the ground. He completed with eight factors on seven pictures.
Endurance might be required.
“I used to be simply was attempting to reassure him and preserve telling him: simply preserve going ’until you work it out. He’s discovering himself, discovering his legs,” mentioned VanVleet. “It’s a special lineup, you understand, and not using a massive on the market more often than not and the spacing is a bit of completely different. … I believe it’s gonna take a while, clearly, and we might all like for it to be tonight or yesterday or no matter. However, you understand, that’s not how these issues work. So we simply acquired to remain collectively and preserve working.”
Earlier than the sport Nurse was anticipating the Celtics can be seeking to reply after the Raptors tore them to items on the Celtics dwelling opener, which concurrently instructed Toronto may need a bit of extra upside than pre-season projections would point out and revealed some cracks within the Celtics basis.
Boston ended up beginning the season 2-5 and needed to resort to a players-only assembly to achieve their bearings. They responded with blowout wins over Orlando and Miami.
“I’d count on this to be a bit of little bit of a road brawl tonight, I actually would. They’re gonna include some physicality,” Nurse mentioned.
Robert Williams III emerges in 104-88 Celtics win over Raptors – CelticsBlog
The Raptors stayed inside a possession till Valuable Achiuwa blocked a Tatum drive, bumping him after as Josh Richardson chased down Svi Mykhailiuk the opposite manner for a block. Langford ran the ball again, missed inside, and Williams III adopted his shot with two palms above the rim. Tatum discovered Langford for 3 subsequent time down and the C’s led 33-25 coming into the second.
Schröder virtually derailed Boston there with three turnovers in a row and a wild reverse layup try on the Celtics’ first 4 possessions. The Raptors scored on all three, leaning into their transition recreation, till Langford acquired in the way in which of Achiuwa’s full-court cost to attract an offensive foul.
Good reestablished the Boston lead with a reducing layup, catching a go from Tatum beneath, then grew it by feeding Grant Williams on his personal reducing make. Good caught a steal within the passing lane and acquired pulled down by Malachi Flynn on a breakout layup, drawing a flagrant foul on Toronto.
The Celtics transformed just one level out of the replay, however stored operating, which paid dividends instantly. Rob put again one other Langford miss and jumped out on Siakam’s shot try, propelling himself towards the basket and catching a protracted Tatum go for a transition dunk and a 46-35 Celtics lead. One other Udoka emphasis.
Then, Good tossed a lob towards the rim that Williams III caught and buried over Scottie Barnes’ foul, the spotlight of a 14-point first half following his 7-for-8 efficiency in Dallas. Again-to-back Tatum makes secured a double-double and a 16-point halftime lead.
Toronto dug into that with a 22-18 third quarter, often reaching inside 10 factors solely to be stalled by well timed Boston baskets. Good stole a Siakam go aimed for the nook and lobbed his personal over Siakam’s outstretched hand in transition to set Schröder up for a breakout layup.
Breakouts following misplaced balls by Horford and Williams on post-up makes an attempt led to an early Udoka timeout, earlier than an uncontested transition dunk for Siakam despatched him onto the courtroom clapping his palms. Good hit a layup and located Tatum for a mid-range shot in response, earlier than Horford hit his personal jumper on a driving feed from Schröder.
Boston’s lead held at 12 following a final second Richardson burst for a layup. He started the fourth hitting a 3 and operating down Achiuwa after the Raptors massive stripped him. Langford rose and blocked Achiuwa’s shot in tandem performs later, with Richardson earlier than the latter acquired known as for a foul. Boston’s rim safety held agency for a lot of the recreation, with Rob main a disruptive effort.
Recap: Toronto Raptors flat in 104-88 loss to Boston Celtics – Raptors HQ
To be annoying, although, it’s important to put within the effort. That’s why this season is so tenuous for the Raptors — when the workforce has a flat effort, it’s going to be apparent… and it’s going to harm.
Such was the case on Wednesday night, because the Raptors got here into TD Backyard and acquired roughly flattened by the Celtics. There have been vivid spots, particularly a rookie whose title rhymes with Dottie Carnes, however Boston overwhelmingly had extra power on the glass, made stops after they wanted to, and flustered Raptors gamers into foul hassle on the opposite finish. The outcome was a 104-88 win, as Toronto falls to a document of 6-6.
There was a little bit of revenge at play for the Celtics, who misplaced to Toronto by 32 factors of their second recreation of the season — one of many worst losses in franchise historical past (a protracted historical past, you may know).
But even with out Jaylen Brown tonight, who’s out with a hamstring pressure, and with Jayson Tatum taking pictures 8-for-24, Boston acquired away with trying glorious.
That is largely due to their rebounding, because the Celtics grabbed 12 offensive rebounds to Toronto’s six and received the boards battle 44-41 total. Robert Williams was a terror for Raptors centres all night, particularly feasting on Toronto’s small beginning lineup and any minutes with Chris Boucher on the 5. He tallied eight offensive boards, 13 total, scored 16 factors and was a game-high +20.
Regardless of the mediocre taking pictures, Tatum acquired concerned in different methods, tallying 22 factors, 12 rebounds and 7 assists. Dennis Schröder picked up among the Celtics scoring load as effectively, dropping 20 factors on 8-for-15 taking pictures.
The Raptors had been led by 21 factors from Scottie Barnes, each thrilling and a bit disappointing. Thrilling as a result of Barnes is at all times a deal with, whirling into the paint, making off-balance hook pictures, and persevering with to attach on daring passes — he had 4 assists tonight. Disappointing as a result of it means not one of the Raptors massive three had been in a position to usurp his manufacturing. OG Anunoby was 6-for-14 for 14 factors and had three turnovers. Fred VanVleet wanted 14 pictures to attain 16, and Pascal Siakam had a modest eight factors in half-hour.
As a workforce, the Raptors went 6-for-25 on three-pointers and turned the ball over 18 occasions. There was a sprinkling of different downside areas for the Raptors too — dysfunction on the quick break once more, and a few make-able pictures inside and outdoors the paint that went awry.
The Raptors had been manhandled by the Celtics, however count on higher nights every time Pascal Siakam rounds out key three | The Star
Nurse is aware of what he needs to find because the video games go alongside, although.
“I believe when it comes right down to it, what you really need is three guys who can sq. individuals up, look ’em within the eye and be capable to guard ’em one-on-one,” the coach mentioned. “And then you definitely’re not having to assist as a lot.”
The three weren’t very successfully defensively, however none of their teammates had been, both. The Celtics had 12 offensive rebounds for 21 second-chance factors, hit 10 of 27 three-pointers and greater than made up for a 32-point clubbing Toronto administered within the second recreation of the season.
“Actually anticipating an amazing effort from them tonight,” Nurse mentioned earlier than the sport. “They’ve had numerous days off. I’d think about they’ll keep in mind that final recreation a bit of bit as effectively. We should always get a fired-up Celtics workforce tonight.”
Toronto’s finish recreation — and it’s nonetheless a methods away with 70 video games to go within the common season — is to have the three frontcourt starters give prime opponents many alternative kinds to attempt to assault.
“The actually good gamers, they’re all a bit of completely different,” Nurse mentioned. “OG’s possibly down beneath ’em a bit of extra. Scottie’s a bit of taller. Pascal’s a bit of faster. No matter it’s, simply give them completely different our bodies to not enable them to get an awesome rhythm that numerous these star gamers and high-scoring gamers get.
“That’s most likely extra of what we’re after: a number of our bodies on one scorer.”
However even when there may be equality among the many three, Nurse needs extra from Barnes offensively. Not taking pictures away from both Siakam or Anunoby deliberately, however discovering a manner for the rookie to get extra field-goal makes an attempt. Barnes had solely seven in opposition to Brooklyn on Sunday, 19 in opposition to Cleveland on Friday. The coach needs his per-game complete far nearer to the latter.
Raptors Protection & Scottie Barnes Impress Celtics Ime Udoka – Sports activities Illustrated
Halfway via the third quarter, Barnes discovered Al Horford in isolation. He scanned the courtroom for a go, seeking to discover an open cutter, however when no person offered themselves, Barnes turned towards the online and swished a 20-foot pull-up, his seventh bucket of the night time. This time, although, as he ran again on protection he gestured towards Udoka. On the video, it seems as if Barnes shushed Udoka as if to say, “you possibly can’t cease me.”
“He’s one other lengthy energetic physique just like the physique varieties they like in Toronto, (Pascal) Siakam-type or whoever it might be, (Chris) Boucher or whoever. Guards a number of positions, performs with excessive power, aggressiveness depth,” Udoka mentioned. “He made a shot and seemed over and mentioned one thing to me one time. So I really like his confidence and he’s I believe the entrance runner for rookie of the 12 months as of proper now.
“He’s a man that’s clearly extremely touted coming in and he’s met each expectation thus far.”
However Barnes wasn’t the one downside for the Celtics that night time. Boston acquired killed on the offensive glass, giving up 21 offensive rebounds, and turned the ball over 25 occasions. It was their worst efficiency of the season and left a “nasty style” of their mouths, Robert Williams III mentioned.
That type of efficiency has been the Raptors’ calling card this season. They’ve been the league’s greatest offensive rebounding workforce and the second-best turnover producing protection, per Cleansing the Glass.
“They’re one of many extra bodily, aggressive groups, one of many prime offensive rebounding groups, and so they actually junk it up,” Udoka mentioned. “They’ll blitz, they’ll change, they’ll rotate from bizarre areas. So it’s important to be prepared for that.”
The Celtics have gone over the tape and tried to arrange everybody for Toronto’s hyper-aggressive defensive schemes, the sort Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant mentioned can preserve gamers up at night time. Even with all that preparation although, the Raptors nonetheless discover a technique to wreak havoc, leaping into passing lanes and poking balls away.
Raptors finish highway successful methods with a letdown in Beantown | Toronto Solar
After posting 5 wins in a row, the Raptors have now dropped three straight, the most recent extra disconcerting than the earlier two given they gave themselves no likelihood.
What the Raptors should do is get Siakam extra engaged and extra energetic on offensive units.
He compelled his recreation in opposition to Boston, enjoying half-hour and turning the ball over greater than he made baskets.
It’s not identified if Siakam will play in Philly.
Not surprisingly, the Raptors’ defensive depth was a lot improved within the third quarter, 12 minutes of play that will see Toronto maintain the Celtics to 18 factors.
Had the Raptors been on level offensively, it could have been a two- or three-possession recreation.
Because it was, Boston maintained its double-digit cushion.
Chris Boucher seemed misplaced and heaved some ill-advised threes, together with one try that changed into an air ball.
There was one possession the place the Raptors went to a zone, solely to have Boston flash a participant to the highest of the important thing for a straightforward, uncontested basket.
Within the fourth, they started to defend within the full courtroom.
Toronto was aggressive and tried to dictate a faster tempo, turning a double-digit deficit into single numbers.
All of the whereas, the Raptors had rookie Scottie Barnes on the bench.
Despite the fact that they improved defensively, the Raptors nonetheless trailed 91-79 with six minutes left within the interval.
With Barnes and Fred VanVleet again on the ground, the Raptors turned the ball over twice and immediately trailed by 16 factors.
Offensive rebounding was the most important space of concern within the recreation’s opening 12 minutes, a deficiency on the glass that allowed the Celtics to try extra pictures and consequently in a position to make extra baskets.
At occasions, it was Boston’s dimension benefit that led to second-chance alternatives after which there have been occasions when the Raptors forgot to place a physique on their man.
Six ideas as Jayson Tatum’s near-triple-double leads Celtics previous Raptors | NBA.com
Few (if any) rookies have gotten their seasons out to a greater begin than Barnes. The No. 4 total decide within the 2021 NBA Draft continued his excessive stage of play on each ends of the ground on this one, offering a ton of power for the Raptors, as at all times.
When the workforce seemed flat at occasions through the first half, Barnes was there to maintain the heartbeat going. It wasn’t the loudest efficiency, however Barnes practically led the Raptors throughout the board, ending with 21 factors, seven rebounds and 4 assists.
He was a bit outmatched by the dimensions of Boston’s frontcourt, however the 20-year-old held his personal inside in opposition to Al Horford and Robert Williams. It was one other take a look at of his defensive versatility, and it will likely be a studying expertise for the first-year participant.
Tip Sam Holako
Morning Espresso – Thu, Nov 11 originated on Raptors Republic.
