The Toronto Raptors are finishing out the preseason on the losing end of the 129-125 game against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena.
The Raptors dropped 45 points in the final frame and tried to pull off a comeback, but they were ultimately unsuccessful. That being said, the Raptors did not play much of their rotation. The starting lineup, along with Kyle Anderson, Jamison Battle, Collin Murray-Boyles, Jamal Shead and Ja'Kobe Walter all sat out of the game to rest for the regular season.
Here's a look at three takeaways from the game against the Pistons.
Trayce Jackson-Davis Drawing Fouls Left and Right
Jackson-Davisstarted for the Raptors and managed to see the free-throw line pretty frequently. He made 15 of his 16 attempts from the charity stripe, giving him 23 points in 29 minutes of action. His +10 led the team, and his ability to get to the free-throw line is definitely worth taking note of.
It remains to be seen if Jackson-Davis will be able to do this consistently against NBA rotations, but it's definitely a positive to reflect on as the team finishes out the preseason.
Allen Graves Crashing the Glass
Allen Graves drew the start at centre for the Raptors, and the rookie out of Santa Clara had some strong moments on the glass. He managed to grab eight rebounds for the Raptors throughout the game, seven of which were on the offensive end. If Graves is able to clean up the glass like that during the regular season, it should give him a chance to earn some serious minutes at centre in the second unit.
He's Also Letting it Fly
Offensively, Graves did not perform as well as he did on the defensive end. He made just 4 of his 13 shots, but all 5 of his attempts from beyond the 3-point line failed to reach the bottom of the net. He also missed 3 of his 4 free-throw attempts.
The offensive side of the game is definitely what Graves needs to work on in order to be a consistent NBA player. It's possible that he will look to sharpen those skills in the G League rather than the NBA, but Toronto is going to need him at some point during the year. He needs to continue working on his game.
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