The Raptors tipped off their 30th season in somewhat fitting fashion with a 30-point loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Not only did they get blown out, but Immanuel Quickley did not suit up in the second half after a hard fall late in the second quarter. However, the Raptors can’t hang their heads as they face off against the Philiadeple 76ers on Friday.
So, heading into the matchup against former head coach Nick Nurse, here’s what the Raptors need to address. What Issues the Raptors Must Address After Opening Night Loss Limit Open Threes Last season, Toronto finished with a 118.8 defensive rating, giving Toronto the 26th-worst defense in the league.
Heading into the new season, Coach Darko Rajakovic emphasized the importance of improving the team’s defense . Part of this new and improved team defense was upping ball pressure and collapsing driving lanes by bringing two to the ball. However, if the Raptors want to play this style, they must improve their perimeter rotations.
Against the Cavaliers, their rotations were a step or two slow, only rotating out to shooters after the pass was made. According to NBA tracking data , this led to 15 wide-open threes for Cleveland and nine open threes. Of the Cavaliers’ 30 three-point attempts, 24 were open or wide-open, with Cleveland knocking down 13 or shooting 54.
1% on open/wide-open threes. To limit open threes in the future, Toronto must quickly improve their rotations. Instead of rotating as the pass is happening or after, .
