Quick Reaction: Raptors 133, Hornets 138
| Raptors | 133 | Final Box Score |
138 | Hornets |
B+ | J. Mogbo25 MIN, 11 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 5-7 FG, 0-0 3FG, 1-2 FT, 2 BLK, 1 TO, -9 +/- The newest member of the Raptors starting five, due to Scottie Barnes being out for at least the next three weeks. Brought good defensive energy at the very start and looked like the only player out there who was impactful until the first timeout. Best player in the first half by far and you can tell when he’s on the court because of his energy. Kind of a quiet second half but I’d put that more on Darko as it felt like he wasn’t out there as much. A lot of dunks tonight for Mogbo too. | |
A- | R. Barrett33 MIN, 31 PTS, 4 REB, 8 AST, 2 STL, 10-18 FG, 4-6 3FG, 7-12 FT, 0 BLK, 3 TO, -6 +/- Terrible start for Barrett. Easy misses at the rim and some head-scratching turnovers. Beautiful assist to Mogbo in the second quarter as Barrett drove to the rim and found an open Mogbo while RJ was still in the air. The rest of the game was much better for Barrett as he was able to shake off a horrendous start. One of RJ’s best playmaking games as a Raptor and perhaps even his career (one short of tying his career high.) His poor free-throw shooting as a Raptor continues though. Took a huge charge late in the game that could’ve put the game out of reach. Barrett refused to give up with his two quick late triples, but it was too late for a comeback. | |
A- | J. Pöltl35 MIN, 20 PTS, 16 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL, 10-14 FG, 0-0 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 18 +/- Tonight made me notice Poeltl’s lack of second-effort contests as Davion Mitchell led a Hornets guard into the paint and did a good job contesting the shot. Poeltl also went for the block with Mitchell and gave up an easy rebound for Nick Richards who put back the shot with zero contest. Once Poeltl jumps, the second effort contest won’t be there like you see with elite rim protectors. A small victory was Poeltl closed out on a three-point shot tonight, which was the first time I’ve seen him do that. Still a great game tonight for Yak. | |
A | G. Dick36 MIN, 30 PTS, 2 REB, 1 AST, 3 STL, 11-17 FG, 2-6 3FG, 6-8 FT, 0 BLK, 3 TO, 12 +/- Professional game by Gradey as he took high-percentage shots and only missed a few. Dick’s double-clutch layups are starting to become a signature move as he once again busted it out tonight. Gradey has also been showing great reads on missed shots as he got yet another putback in this game. He’s so much more than a shooter, and tonight reassured that. | |
B+ | D. Mitchell28 MIN, 11 PTS, 2 REB, 11 AST, 0 STL, 5-11 FG, 0-5 3FG, 1-2 FT, 0 BLK, 2 TO, -5 +/- Very quiet first half. His first bucket was an absolute beauty as he made a double-clutch reverse layup to get himself on the board. Bad late free throw miss just like the Denver game. Almost all of his buckets came inside the last five minutes of the game and most of them were at the rim. Playmaking was good though like it usually is and the turnovers were down tonight so we’ll take that as a win. | |
B | J. Shead20 MIN, 7 PTS, 2 REB, 9 AST, 1 STL, 2-6 FG, 1-2 3FG, 2-3 FT, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 0 +/- Rough first quarter for Shead who couldn’t buy a bucket. Good playmaking like always though. His defence didn’t flash like it does most nights but it was still a good game for Jamal. | |
C+ | O. Agbaji29 MIN, 10 PTS, 3 REB, 3 AST, 0 STL, 3-6 FG, 1-3 3FG, 3-3 FT, 2 BLK, 2 TO, -10 +/- Typical Ochai game tonight as the good shot selection continued and he worked hard on defence. Slightly above-average game for Agbaji. | |
B | C. Boucher17 MIN, 13 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 6-10 FG, 1-4 3FG, 0-0 FT, 1 BLK, 1 TO, 4 +/- Boucher showed some nice playmaking in this one, especially in the first quarter when he led a fast break, dribbling the ball down the court and finding a cutting Agbaji. The three-ball was rough again tonight but he brought the energy once again. | |
D | J. Battle14 MIN, 0 PTS, 3 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0-2 FG, 0-2 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, -19 +/- Fourteen minutes of quiet basketball. A rough night at the office for the rookie. | |
D- | B. Fernando03 MIN, 0 PTS, 1 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, -10 +/- Short minutes in the first half, which didn’t show anything at all. Don’t like giving out inc’s unless its garbage time so he gets a sort of unfair grade just like D.J. Carton the other night. | |
B | Darko Rajakovic Good first timeout right away. Toronto came out of the timeout with a RJ Barrett lob to Poeltl. The Raptors then went on a 7-0 run off Darko’s first timeout. The rotations were solid again tonight outside of giving Battle a lot of minutes which should have gone to Mogbo in my opinion. Great challenge to overturn a charge call on RJ Barrett that could’ve made the game an 11-point deficit with 7 minutes left in the game. | |
Things We Saw
- 9-0 start for the Hornets which forced a Raptors timeout with 9:20 in the first quarter. Raptors possessions consisted of three turnovers and three missed shots. Raptors were able to tie the game at 13 before the Hornets went on a run again and won the first quarter 30-16.
- Shoutout to the Hornets commentators. Learned a lot watching their broadcast tonight, Poeltl has one of the best shooting percentages in NBA history and his first dunk of the night was his second on the season. As well as Davion “off night” Mitchell, a nickname Mitchell got in college due to locking up opponent players. They also possess the commentator’s curse as they were able to jinx the Raptors to miss at least four free throws tonight. Charlotte definitely has one of the best commentator duos in the business.
- The Raptors were down 51-28 at one point, luckily it’s the Hornets and they were able to make a comeback and give us an entertaining ball game tonight. Toronto may have lost the battle tonight but they’re winning the tanking war.
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