Raptors still a work in progress
Even sitting in first place, Nick Nurse and the team see reasons for concern
The Raptors sound like a particularly humble bunch for a team holding court atop the NBA with an 11-1 record.
The refrain following their first-ever 4-0 West Coast swing — ending with a win in Sacramento on Wednesday night — was not boastful, but rather measured and introspective. The way Danny Green, Fred VanVleet, Kawhi Leonard and coach Nick Nurse were talking to reporters in California, the focus is solely on things the team can improve, rather than any accomplishments in this young season.
There were assessments like “ugly night” and “gut it out, grind it out” and “scratching the surface” to deliver a message that, despite all the wins, they could be playing better.
The Raptors can feel good about where they are, but not too good if they really want to consider themselves championship material, Leonard said: “I think we can still get better. This isn’t our ceiling.”
It will take time, VanVleet added, but there are already lessons to be learned with 12 games under their belts.
“The first 10, 11 games in, you’re starting to see the flashes, and the next 10 you just try to build on what you did in the previous 10.”
A visit from the 4-8 New York Knicks on Saturday afternoon after a couple of days’ rest presents a good opportunity for the Raptors to start putting some of those improvements into place. Here are a few areas in particular that they will look to shore up:
GLASS HALF EMPTY
Nurse was happy to see his team outrebound the Kings 5331 on Wednesday night, thanks in large part to big nights from Leonard, Serge Ibaka and Jonas Valanciunas. That has not always been the case: In half of their games, the Raptors have failed to outrebound the opposition. Overall, their rebounding percentage is 50.2, 14th in the league heading into Thursday’s action.
“We haven’t been rebounding very well and I told them in there: We did one rebounding drill today in shootaround and look what happens,” Nurse said post-game on Wednesday. “So, look for some more in practice coming up.”
Toronto is also turning the ball over too often for Nurse’s liking, averaging 14.6 per game, and he’d like to see the Raptors capitalize more when they force turnovers.
“We haven’t been great in our transition offence after creat- ing a turnover. We’ve had a lot of advantages that we’ve let get away, so that’s something we’re going to need to clean up, for sure.”
Nurse hasn’t added a turnover drill to shootaround — yet.
GETTING TO THE LINE
The Raptors’ 79.9 free-throw percentage was ninth-best in the league when the trip ended, but the 16.6 buckets they make per night rank 23rd, and they’re 26th in attempts, averaging 20.8. They are also shooting just 34.7 per cent from behind the arc, 24th leaguewide. Green said getting to the free-throw line for some easy points could help the Raptors find their shooting rhythm going forward. “Teams get up on us and we try to weather the storm, but offence isn’t clear. We’re not making shots. There’s a lid on the basket. You’ve got to find a way to get to the free-throw line or get to the basket,” he said.
PLAYING TO THE END
The Raptors have been outscored 333-320 in fourth quarters this season, and outscored the opposition in the final stanza just four times — only twice by more than six points. Stalling late in the game could be a matter of not yet having a full rotation to choose from, but it is a reoccurrence that Nurse will not want to see continue.
BENCH BOOST
The Bench Mob was one of Toronto’s biggest strengths last season.
This year, the second unit, which Nurse frequently tinkers with, has yet to find its rhythm offensively or defensively, something the coach has said might occur as players get familiar with ever-changing lineups. Delon Wright, Fred VanVleet, C.J. Miles, OG Anunoby and Jonas Valanciunas have yet to see court time as a unit this season, because of injuries and absences.
In particular, Miles, who sat out Wednesday’s game against the Kings with a hip injury, has struggled — averaging 4.9 points and 2.1 assists per game.