Immanuel Quickley shares plan to bounce back for Raptors

Toronto Raptors point guard Immanuel Quickley isn’t playing his best basketball, but it isn’t the worst thing in the world.

The Raptors are on a three-game winning streak, so it’s a positive sign to see the team still able to play successfully despite Quickley’s struggles. Quickley spoke about his struggles from the 3-point line and how he hopes to get out of the slump.

“I’m always confident, whether the ball is going in or not. I’m going to keep shooting. The best shooters keep shooting,” Quickley said via Sportsnet reporter Michael Grange. “But, really, it’s not just about me. It’s about staying in the moment, staying in the present, and trying to help the team win games. But yes, definitely being aggressive is the most important thing.”

Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley drives to the net against Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. / John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Quickley made just 5 of 15 shots from the field in the team’s most recent win against the Milwaukee Bucks, but he is still able to contribute in other positive ways. Quickley had six rebounds and seven assists, so he’s still making a positive impact.

“I try not to look at it as a rough patch. Everybody thinks it’s a rough patch, but it’s all in how you look at it, perspective,” Quickley said via Grange.

“Life could be a lot worse. But I just continue to come in every single day, being present: ‘how can I get better when I’m in a workout or how can I better when I’m watching film?’ At the end of the season, I know I’m going to be fine. The work I put in, the trust I have in God, I believe.”

Considering the fact Quickley is in just the second season of a five-year, $175 million contract, the Raptors need him to play better than he has been. Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic hopes to press different buttons to get different results.

“I mean, first of all, there is no magic wand,” Rajakovic said via Grange. “He’s not playing his best basketball right now. And that’s fine. That’s fine. That’s why he has his teammates to help him, and not everybody can carry it over an 82-game-long season and be perfect. 

“All he needs to do is take one day at a time, and one per cent, get better. What I can tell you is that he’s putting a lot of work in, a lot of effort in. He cares so much, and that’s why it’s frustrating for him because he’s going through this rough time, but it’s completely fine.”

The team has played roughly 10 per cent of the season, so the sample size is growing, but Quickley still has time to get things right before it’s really time to question his place as the starting point guard.