WORK IN PROGRESS
Loss against Jazz proof there are still many ways the contending Raptors can improve
The mood, predictably, was less than upbeat Saturday, a day after the Raptors blew a lead and frittered away a game they should have won against the visiting Utah Jazz.
With a little more than two minutes remaining, the Raptors found themselves up by six points, the game, it seemed in control, a win all but certain to begin a three-game homestand.
In the remaining 2:24, the Raptors scored a total of two points, yielding a threepointer with 5.7 seconds left when Ricky Rubio, not known for his shooting from distance, buried the dagger.
With rookie Donovan Mitchell getting anywhere he wanted on the floor, Kyle Lowry collapsed, allowing Rubio an open look on the perimeter.
In basketball, you take away that night’s best player, which in this case was Mitchell, and force someone else to beat you, in this case Rubio, who entered the evening shooting worse than 30% from three-point land.
In a make or miss league, Rubio’s make proved the decisive basket, even though the Raptors had their chances on offence, whether it was Jonas Valanciunas, who was a monster against the Jazz, turning down a corner three or DeMar DeRozan coming up short with his shots.
The slow start set the tone and now the Raptors need to start fast against Sunday’s opponent, the suddenly red-hot L.A. Lakers, winners of four straight.
These are not the Lakers of Kobe and Shaq, a team that has positioned itself to lure big name free agents this summer.
There is no marquee dimension to this group and it’ll be interesting to see how the Raptors rebound.
Whether it was the slow start, playing down to the level of the competition or failing to execute down the stretch, various issues have plagued this unit all season, themes that occasional resurface.
“I’m a firm believer in how you start is how you finish,’’ said head coach Dwane Casey following Saturday’s gathering. “We did not start that game (Friday night) with the right mindset, right approach.
“I take responsibility for it. We’re fighting for something bigger (top spot in the East) and if we’re going to do that we can’t come into games like that with that type of approach.”
Casey can live with the Rubio heave given how Rubio has not distinguished himself from distance.
“No question,’’ added Casey. “That’s what people don’t understand. Why would you leave him? You had to make your choice.
“This kid (Mitchell) was hot as a firecracker. Kyle was in a help position where he should be and make somebody else make a shot and that time it bit us in the behind.”
Utah was held to 22 fourth-quarter points Friday night.
Toronto’s primary go-to guys in DeRozan and Lowry went a combined 1-of-9 in the period.
As for the looks, the Raptors are trying to provide for DeRozan, Casey believes the team is moving away from its iso-centric style.
At the end of the day, in a star-driven league such stars as DeRozan and Lowry have to step up.
“We’ve changed a lot,’’ continued Casey. “Our defence, our offensive approach, but we’re still breaking some habits in the last five minutes, last three minutes of the game.
“We want the ball in our best players hands but have different ways of getting it in their hands that are not as predictable. That’s something we’re still working on, being creative and different as far as getting the ball to Kyle and DeMar.
“Some of it is on our young guys to take the reins … you run the show. Those are the things we’re coming to and getting to. Again, we’re one of the top four teams offensively the first 43 minutes and then after that we sink to like 24th or 25th. That disconnect is what we’re working on in transition. It’s all of us, it’s not just Kyle and DeMar, it’s everyone involved in that portion of the game.”