GANTER: Raptors are built to defend, and now would be a good time to start

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From outdoors the locker room, the critiques had been scathing.

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A brand new Raptors staff opened the season in dreadful style.

They couldn’t defend. They didn’t shoot, and so they misplaced, badly, to a staff that has their very own set of query marks.

Nobody goes to confuse the Washington Wizards with the championship contender Brooklyn Nets, however the hole between Washington and Toronto on opening night time felt that large.

If there’s a optimistic in a loss so stunningly full, it’s that nobody on the within was denying the carnage both or attempting to spin it.

“We didn’t play arduous sufficient, robust sufficient, sensible sufficient,” Fred VanVleet mentioned. “And that’s the stuff that you may management. However once more, that comes with studying the way to be a professional and studying what it takes to win which, you realize, you look down the roster and there’s numerous inexperience there. We let the gang down, it was a hell of a crowd. The followers did their half. We simply didn’t play effectively sufficient however, you realize, it’s recreation one.”

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Hours later, following a follow to work out a few of these kinks, the temper was slightly lighter however the message was the identical: That Sport 1 efficiency simply can’t occur once more.

“I take a look at it this fashion: We couldn’t play worse, so it’s solely going to get higher,” veteran Goran Dragic mentioned as he dug deep for a optimistic to return from the sport.

The fact of the NBA is there actually may be very little time to make issues proper as soon as the season will get going.

The majority of Thursday’s follow was a movie session the place they dissected all that went fallacious with a couple of (a only a few) of the issues that went proper thrown in so everybody didn’t depart completely discouraged.

Then, following some brief on-court dwell motion, it was on to the airport and a flight to Boston the place the Celtics await coming off their very own season-opening loss.

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Raptors head coach Nick Nurse expects to tweak issues considerably when it comes to rotations and maybe personnel, although he’s not about to debate these plans in any element publicly. It will be foolish to present away the sport plan to the opposition greater than 24 hours prematurely, however Nurse admits some change is so as.

“I feel that after watching the movie, I feel there’s another rotational issues to have a look at,” Nurse mentioned. “I feel I felt that approach in the course of the recreation. Truly at halftime, I used to be pondering that this, this didn’t look fairly proper or that didn’t really feel fairly proper or no matter and tried to stagger it slightly in another way within the second half. Nothing greater than I’ve already mentioned. I feel there’s some interchangeable guys that possibly they’ll simply look totally different the opposite approach. I suppose we gained’t know that till I attempt a few of them which will likely be ongoing I feel right here.”

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The excellent news is Nurse has loads of choices and combos at his disposal if he so chooses.

The core isn’t going anyplace, after all. Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby and rookie Scottie Barnes are going to be an enormous a part of no matter this staff turns into, as will Pascal Siakam when he returns.

Past that, the components are vastly interchangeable and movable, if Nurse so chooses.

Dragic, who has seen and skilled extra basketball ups and downs than anybody within the Raptors locker room in his 14 years within the league, to not point out his years within the EuroLeague earlier than coming over, pointed the finger squarely on the defence as the primary space that has to enhance.

Dragic is aware of the unhealthy taking pictures night time general and the poor taking pictures particularly from VanVleet and Anunoby within the opener needn’t be a spotlight. These issues will revert to the norm and a mixed 8-for-37 from the sector from the Raptors two most constant scorers isn’t regular.

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Offence for this staff goes to return from its defence. It’s how the staff is constructed and Wednesday night time that defence simply wasn’t as much as the job.

“Our defence was not good. Our offence neither, however we’re nonetheless pondering we will get a lot better defensively,” Dragic mentioned. “From there, for those who power some turnovers we will get within the open courtroom and never a lot put strain on the halfcourt offence.”

This staff isn’t on the level the place it may well rely on its half-court offence. Happily any playoff dates, the place half-court offence is the norm, are an extended methods away but.

Within the interim the main target needs to be within the space this staff can excel and that’s on the defensive finish.

“Every part has to begin with our defence,” Dragic mentioned. “We now have the instruments to be an important defensive staff and power numerous turnovers. We is usually a nice transition staff. That goes hand-in-hand (with improved offence). In case you defend, you may get the rebound, outlet it and begin operating and attempt to rating within the open courtroom.”

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As for these instances when operating and getting out in transition with a bonus isn’t doable, the Raptors half courtroom units as they at present exist aren’t going to generate lots. This staff isn’t constructed for iso ball even when a handful of people tried to go that route on opening night time, however iso ball isn’t the one approach a staff can rating within the halfcourt both.

“To date we’re nonetheless in search of our id, particularly within the halfcourt offence,” Dragic mentioned. “We performed an excessive amount of iso recreation. We have to share the ball extra and attempt to create these open photographs, these rhythm photographs. We’re gonna get there. It’s robust to research after final night time. It’s just one recreation.”

TIPOFF

Toronto Raptors (0-1) at Boston Celtics (0-1), Thursday, 7:30 p.m., TD BankNorth, TV: SNET; RADIO: AM1050

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SCOUTING REPORT

The Celtics are coming off a double-overtime loss to the Knicks at Madison Sq. Backyard. Whereas there have been adjustments, the Celtics are nonetheless constructed across the two-headed monster of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Brown, recent off his COVID-19 sickbed, went off for 46 within the opener, together with a emblem three that enabled the Celtics to get the sport to extra time. Tatum struggled, going simply 2-for-15 from distance and simply 7-for-30 from the sector. The Celtics have added Dennis Schroder, who comes off the bench for newly put in place to begin guard Marcus Good. Al Horford has additionally made his approach again to Boston, however he’s within the league’s well being and security protocols in the intervening time.

MARQUEE MATCHUP

Scottie Barnes vs. Jaylen Brown

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We may simply as simply go along with OG Anunoby on Tatum, however the rookie, whether or not he will get Brown or Tatum will likely be within the highlight. Each are robust covers and Barnes, after a so-so opener, will likely be trying to bust out. Suffice to say, if he can at the very least restrict one of many two large scorers, the Raptors possibilities of getting out of Boston with a win enhance considerably.

DID YOU KNOW?

Centre Robert Williams had 5 blocks within the opener and can make issues robust on any Raptors drivers … The primary Raptor ever drafted is now employed as an assistant coach on Boston head coach Ime Udoka’s bench. Damon Stoudamire and Udoka grew up collectively and, following quite a lot of stops on the collegiate stage, Stoudamire’s teaching profession strikes again to the NBA … Udoka replaces Brad Stevens as head coach. Stevens moved upstairs with the retirement by Danny Ainge.

UP NEXT

The Raptors return dwelling to face the Dallas Mavericks Saturday (7:30 p.m.) within the first of 14 back-to-backs they may play this season.