The Toronto Raptors head into Washington to take on the Wizards after both squads came off convincing wins to open their respective seasons. All of the attention was on Kawhi Leonard’s return to Toronto and how he elevated the Raptors’ lineup, but there was an all-around balanced effort from this team, especially from their starting unit.
Other than Jakob Poeltl, every starter finished the game with over 20 points. Both Scottie Barnes and Kawhi Leonard tallied 23 points, but it was Immanuel Quickley who made a statement by matching their efforts with 23 of his own.
This is the type of effort we want to see from the Raptors’ starting point guard. There have been rumors and debates centered around whether or not the Raptors can truly thrive without a true floor general at the point guard position. Immanuel Quickley answered the call Wednesday night and showed us just how effective he can be, whether he’s the primary ball-handler or not.
Quickley went 4 of 9 from beyond the arc, hitting opportunities teed up by Scottie Barnes and Jamal Shead. It is only the smallest of sample sizes, but we can predict a bump in three-pint volume this season. With Barnes and Leonard drawing double and triple teams, the opportunities are going to present themselves, especially in transition on above-the-break threes.
Quickley went 4 of 9 from beyond the arc, hitting opportunities teed up by Scottie Barnes and Jamal Shead. It is only the smallest of sample sizes, but we can predict a bump in three-pint volume this season. With Barnes and Leonard drawing double and triple teams, the opportunities are going to present themselves, especially in transition on above-the-break threes.
Quickley Propels Raptors’ Offense In Transition
It’s only been one game, but the Raptors have already shown they can be at the top of the league in pace. Despite the win, we saw the Wizards struggle at times on the fast break against Milwaukee in their own season opener. The Raptors were able to push the floor against the Bulls, amounting for 34 fast-break points. If they can generate the same outlets on Friday night, this will pave the way for Quickley’s pull up threes, or set him up for the open pass for an even better shot.
Speaking of facilitating, Quickley set his teammates up at an effective rate as he led all players with 7 assists, against the Bulls. He displayed the ability to find the open man and did so without registering a single turnover.
When asked about his rhythm and spacing, Quickly said, “Honestly it’s kind of like a music ensemble. Sometimes it’s the solo of a percussionist, sometimes it’s..the whole band, you can’t really stop it in the middle of the song to be like, ‘okay it’s your turn.’ You just kind of feel where the game is going.”
That unselfish mindset is one of the many keys to unlocking this Raptors offense, and Immanuel Quickley will be a huge part of that equation.
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