Quick Reaction: Raptors 117, Hawks 94

Superstar stuff on this night. Picked his spots, chose his moments, and controlled the game like a puppeteer. Maybe the best part of his game was drawing free throws, which has been a strength of late. That or the defence, which has been flat-out monstrous. He started out with a sly split against a dismal switch, hitting the paint, and diming Poeltl for an easy dunk. He’s such a stud. He took over a little bit as a scorer and then a passer in the third as Toronto pushed its lead.

The efficiency popped off the page as he thrived in a small role. Scored like a hyena: transition, cuts, offensive rebounds. Some impressive standstill shooting. That’s all good additive stuff, even if it’s not lifting the floor (except the shooting, that obviously does lift the floor). The defence had some exciting moments, which ended in poor results. He got called for a foul, but had a strong tag from the corner to tip away a lob. Then he took a charge, but his heels were in the circle, so it was reversed on a challenge. As the team defence settled down, so too did Barrett’s, as he contributed on that end more than has been his custom as a Raptor.

A quieter night from him, but he certainly did enough on both ends. It’s obviously a tough ask, but he had trouble balancing the threat of passing and scoring from Trae Young early when he was dropping in picks. That let Atlanta build a lead out of the gate. But he really settled in after on the defensive end, with some great hands in the passing lanes, and even blocking a late-clock fadeaway jumper. He unleashed a gorgeous post move in the third that saw him looking like Pascal Siakam drop-stepping for an uncontested layup.

Not his best night by a long shot. Maybe his worst? Beating a dead horse here, but he has to find ways to get through screens. Gave up an early 3 when he died on an off-ball pick. Even though he hit one of his own six seconds later, he THEN gave up another on the next possession. The handle remains loose when he tries to attack a standstill defender without getting a bite on his pump fake. He committed a charge driving in the third when the dump-off pass was right there and got a quick benching from Rajakovic. Then had a few bad closeouts to the corner to start the fourth and got another hook.

Was huge in a near-silent way. He was offensively very quiet, as is his custom, but he chipped in here and there. Airballed multiple jumpers, though. That was all moot behind his stellar defence on Trae Young. This is more or less the type of role for which he is best situated — guarding a heliocentric small guard. But he did the job perfectly, outside of a few fouls. More important than Mitchell’s box score numbers were Young’s box score numbers. Those numbers were bad.

Defended very well. Good second efforts, opportunistic moments. His entry into the game changed the texture of Toronto’s performance. The turnovers were frustrating, as he multiple times tried to do more than he has in the bag, but he otherwise offered structure and solidity to a team that craves it.

He was one of Toronto’s only players who appeared in the game and didn’t thrive. Early on he blew some finishes out of the pick and roll, and attacking from the corner, but he was still the most creationary guard on the team in getting to the paint. Got called for an offensive foul on a little set-piece back screen for Barnes, which always drives coaches apoplectic. He won his minutes, but it was largely due to the players alongside him on the court, rather than his own output. (He did break free for some nifty passes, including a lob to Barnes, in the fourth, but that was after Atlanta already knew the game was over.)

This was an extremely fun performance from a born scorer. After a rough start — his first touch saw him create a layup off a nifty cross, but he smoked it — he really found his way. Made up for that first mistake immediately by forcing a backcourt violation. Hit a triple. Stole a pass. Dimed Boucher in transition. Tossed in an and-1 fadeaway after a jump stop.

Great beginning. In his first minutes, he protected the rim very well, really helping cut Toronto’s early deficit. The athleticism was a clear boost on that end, and midway through the third he led the team in plus-minus as a result. Offensively, he didn’t offer much juice, neither fitting in as a passer out of delay, nor as a self creator out of the post (he turned over his only touch there). It didn’t matter. The defence popped. It was a lesser stint in the second half, but it was still enough.

Mr. Points in a Can scored moments after checking in with a dash to the rim in transition. Soon after hit a triple, then another. A tough layup after a cut in the fourth. What else would you expect from Points in a Can?

Garbage time.

I liked his extended run for Orlando Robinson when he was protecting the rim so well and steeling Toronto’s defence. I liked his quick hook for Dick in the third. I liked his rotations. I liked how Toronto sharpened up after committing a few silly turnovers in the third. A really professionally coached game.