905’s loss to the Nets in final home game representative of their season

The Raptors 905 played their last home game of the season on Wednesday.  

Aside from player availability, which I’ll touch on later, the 905’s penultimate game was a microcosm of their season. They started out with some miscues on both ends but managed to hang around. They surged ahead on a run largely driven by their top two-way talent. And while they ultimately kept it close, they lacked the consistency to get the win across the finish line and fell 127-122 to the Long Island Nets in front of a sold-out school day crowd of 5,582. 

“Carry that second half with us. And not just into our next game, but throughout the rest of their careers,” said Coach Drew Jones after the game. “That’s the level of urgency and competitiveness and just all out playing for each other that you have to have. That first half, a little bit in the first quarter, second quarter, hurt us a bit. 

But again, the challenge is can we do it for 48. So, let’s bottle up that second half, that energy, how we played on both ends and then carry it with us for our final game and also for the rest of their careers. Cause that’s how you play basketball, together and connected.” 

Right from the 11 a.m. tip, the 905’s early offensive actions often failed to materialize as intended. Instead, they would have to reset and rely on individuals to create shots from a standstill. Eugene Omoruyi pumped and drove to the rim and finished an entry lob in transition. The Rexdale-raised forward drew bodies on a post-up before finding Jared Rhoden in the weakside corner for an open triple. 

Even when their actions produced the desired outcome, they didn’t pan out. The 905 shorted the pick n’ roll – Kennedy Chandler to Quincy Guerrier to Omoruyi in the paint – but his attempt at taking the ball up was nullified as he gathered by Nets two-way player Tosan Evbuomwan. Omoruyi finished just shy of a 30-point triple-double, with 29 points on 12-of-27 shooting, along with nine rebounds and nine assists.  

Meanwhile the Nets top players also took their fair share of tough shots, but made more of them. Scott isolated on the baseline late in the clock and stuck a tough turnaround fade. Killian Hayes splashed a 3 with Rhoden’s hand in his face. The former NBA guard was calm and controlled, slowing down in semi-transition to hit a fading pull-up middy in the lane. Hayes finished with 20 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three stocks.  

Rhoden took the Hayes assignment and got beat early, as the French guard hit him with a casual hang dribble and waltzed by the 905’s best point-of-attack defender to the rim. Later the two G League stars traded steals, with Rhoden picking Hayes’ pocket, and then Hayes immediately returning the favour in transition going the other way. As the game progressed Rhoden got acclimated to Hayes’ measured and crafty drives and kept him in front more. That was until Hayes left the game near the end of the third quarter after rolling his ankle and did not return.  

But, overall, the 905 provided little resistance both in their transition defence and when the Nets were proactive inbounding and running out quick off makes. The result was numerous drives that were picked up late and got deeper than they should have. 

There was inattention from both teams, as Lacey James hesitated to move the ball to open teammates off a rebound. Yet, the Nets transition defence failed to pick up the middle and Rhoden took James’ late pass to the dunker spot up for a flush. 

Easily the best player on the floor for the 905, and probably the best overall – despite Hayes’ quad-A G League scoring ability – was Rhoden. During the third quarter he almost singlehandedly willed his team to a tie going into the final frame.  

Rhoden stuck with Reece Beekman and collected a trailing block, immediately hitting ahead to Guerrier for a transition throw down (the French-Canadian forward’s second slam in a few possessions). He then made another full extension block on a corner 3. He hit his defender with a slick behind-the-back dribble and finished a contested finger-roll. He cut back-door for an and-1 finish.  

“I think it just started with me holding myself accountable on the defensive end. Picking up the ball, stopped getting beat off the dribble a little bit,” said Rhoden after the game. “I know offensively it’s gonna come. And I think I just started asserting myself a little bit more with the pass, getting everybody involved in the game and the ball started flowing, the energy started picking up and, you know, it gets infectious.” 

During the 905’s third quarter run, Rhoden really took the reins. He finished transition run outs, took it hard to hoop on drives, and cashed a corner 3, scoring 13 of his game-high 32 points to go along with the rest of his mammoth stat line: six rebounds, six assists, two steals, and two blocks. The exclamation mark was a blowby into the paint where Rhoden rose up and made a difficult bank shot over the top after he was walled off from the rim by two defenders.  

Evan Gilyard also got active late in the first half, first passing to Omoruyi, then slipping a back screen and cutting to the rim for free throws. To finish the half, he drove the length of the court and made a finesse scoop shot at the buzzer. These actions with Gilyard and Omoruyi were an exception for the 905, as once again the small guard passed to Omoruyi and slipped an off-ball screen to the rim, this time for a layup.  

Gilyard – who transitioned from bench to starter this season and has shown both skillful touch and the ability to reach the paint and pass – had 22 points in the game. This included three clutch free throws inside the final ten second to give the 905 a chance after it appeared the game was already over.  

With the scored tied at 102 midway through the fourth, the Nets went on an 11-0 run. Tyson Etienne scored eight of his team-high 30 points during the stretch, including two of his game-high seven triples. The six-foot-two guard did a great job drifting into open spot up opportunities and knocking them down.  

Rhoden and Gilyard hit a couple big time shots late to get back into the game. The two teams played the foul game, and the Nets missed some free throws while the 905 made theirs. Down three with just short of eight seconds left, the ball was inbounded to Rhoden. He took a behind the back dribble into a pull-up 3 and it caught front rim. That was the game.  

A fitting final home game for the 905, who have been consistently in games throughout their struggles, but have almost always come up just short. 

“We’re down three. Just need to get a three to go,” said Rhoden. “I think I rushed it a little bit. Could have waited to have a little bit more space, but just a tough shot, tough miss.” 

Outside of close losses, the 905’s season has been defined by player availability.  

Only two short months ago, the team posted the Eastern Conference’s best record in January at 9-3 and briefly occupied first place. That month Jamison Battle and Jonathan Mogbo appeared in 10 games and 11 games, respectively. Jared Rhoden and AJ Lawson also appeared in every game.

Since then, the Toronto Raptors have leaned into prioritizing playing time for rookies and players on the fringes of the roster, particularly late in close games (read: losing) and as a ripple effect the 905 have also been undermanned, rarely having two-way or assignment eligible players available.  

The result has been a dismal 3-16 stretch that has been somewhat reminiscent of the Raptors’ ‘ethical tank’ run to start this season. While they’ve lost nearly every game, nearly every loss has been close. 

Notes:  

-Lacey James had maybe his best game with the 905, playing larger than his six-foot-nine frame through unflagging energy. He finished with eight points, 12 boards and two blocks, and after the game coach Jones called him “a calming physical force” adding that “he doesn’t say a ton, but you feel him.” His presence was certainly felt in this game.  

-The 905 have been outshot from 3 and outrebounded in nearly every game over the last couple months, and while they lost in the shot department again, they did beat the Nets 48-36 on the glass. Along with James, Omoruyi, and Rhoden, Guerrier was instrumental in this effort, grabbing a team-high 15 boards.  

-Former Raptors 905er (last season and the beginning of this season) Kevin Obanor was in the house again with the visiting nets. He scored a single basket and picked up a couple blocks and a steal.  

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