The Raptors aren’t exactly rolling, but they are winning, playing well when an opponent is threatening.
The latest example was provided Tuesday night against the host Brooklyn Nets, a one-win team that ended the night still searching for victory No. 2 as the the Raptors turned in a well-deserved 119-109 victory.
Overall, the Raptors improved their record to 6-5 — including 4-3 on the road.
Simply put, the Raptors are infinitely better than the Nets and the score reinforced the talent disparity.
When facing an inferior foe, the Raptors have feasted. Still, Brooklyn did have its moments and did go on some runs, though the outcome became a formality.
The following are three takeaways on a night the Raptors missed 14 consecutive three-point heaves, a horrid shooting display mitigated by Toronto’s ability to protect the ball, a night when Immanuel Quickley posted his third straight double-figure scoring game in netting a season-high 24.
Coach keeps maturing
Ultimately, head coach Darko Rajakovic will be judged on the amount of wins the Raptors produce.
In his first two seasons, wins were elusive, making any reasonable judgment of Rajakovic futile.
So far, so good this season.
On most nights, Rajakovic isn’t shy calling quick timeouts when straight-line drives to the hole are yielded.
Against the Nets, Rajakovic managed his bench well.
It doesn’t take a hoops genius to have at least one starter on the floor when the second unit is asked to enter games.
His rotation pattern kept players engaged, a sign of Rajakovic’s maturity.
From the first game he served as Raptors head coach, Rajakovic has always had his players’ backs, a trait that continues.
He did look helpless when too many sloppy fouls allowed the Net to get back into the game, fouls when his players weren’t moving their feet.
Water under the bridge
Brandon Ingram was handed a $25,000 fine by the league when he threw a water bottle to the floor Saturday in the City of Brotherly Love.
Against the Nets, he was inadvertently poked in the eye.
Smooth is one way to describe Ingram’s offensive game and it was once again on display at the Barclays Center with 25 points.
Toronto got off to a slow start, but Ingram, who found that balance where he looked to score, while also getting his teammates involved, emerged as a calming influence.
Toronto’s one-two punch of Ingram and Scottie Barnes were partly responsible for the team’s lead at the break, 24 minutes when the term team summed up the Raptors’ play.
In the second half, Barnes picked up an unnecessary foul on a reach-in, his fourth. A minute or so later, he was teed up. Mid-way through the fourth quarter, Barnes picked up his fifth foul and wound uip fouling out for the first time this season
Fouls aside, he did have a nice overall game scoring 15 points and pulling down 11 rebounds.
Georgia on their mind
The Raptors were without Sandro Mamukelashvili (neck) after the big man from Georgia was injured Saturday night in Philadelphia on an accidental sequence in the open floor.
Mamukelashvili started for Poeltl and has earned a role because he can shoot the ball, especially from beyond the three-point arc.
His absence forced the Raptors to go small when Poeltl was on the bench.
Poeltl, by the way, had one of his most active games of the season.
Once again, Barnes was given minutes at the centre spot.
The Nets don’t have a true back-to-the-basket big, but in today’s NBA not many teams feature a traditional centre.
The key for the Raptors is making stops and getting out in transition.
On Tuesday, they didn’t record their first fast-break point until the second quarter.
Toronto was also missing Ochai Agbaji (back), who hasn’t been that much of a presence this season.Without Agbaji, Ja’Kobe Walter moved up a peg in the pecking order.
He looked more comfortable against the Nets, providing scoring and a rebounding presence when Toronto’s reserves were rolling.
Walter had six of the bench’s 19 points in first half.
In the second half, he was asked to initiate the offence in the half court, but a poor entry pass resulted in a turnover.
Up next
Fourth game of the Raptors’ five-game trip will take them back to Cleveland on Thursday where they defeated the Cavs 112-101 on Oct. 31. Toronto was sparked by Jamison Battle’s 20 points.
