Raptors @ Cavs, Pistons: Nov. 24, 25 Takeaways: Barnes heroics not enough to end road winless streak

Mogbo and the bench provided the biggest positives of the back-to-back

Toronto dropped to 0-10 on the road after losing the first two of a four-game road trip against Cleveland and Detroit. At 4-14, the Raptors are tied with New Orleans for the third-worst record in the league. The Pelicans are next up on Wednesday.

The Cavs game went about as expected, the home team jumping out to a big lead before the Raptors steadily tried to work their way back but were kept at arm’s length. Gradey Dick unfortunately picked up late and so missed the Pistons thriller.

A close game throughout, Jaden Ivey settled matters with a tough buzzer beating runner over the outstretched arms of Ochai Agbaji. Toronto had several opportunities to win the game, and really should have closed the game out after leading by eight entering the fourth quarter and never trailing in the frame until there were 39 seconds remaining.

Here are takeaways from both ends of the back-to-back:

Scottie’s purpose

More than anything, I’ve really liked what I’ve seen from Barnes on the defensive end. You expect him to crash the glass and contribute with some rim protection but the activity level on the perimeter has really stood out. When he’s this active and engaged, he’s an absolute monster to contend with on that end of the floor and flashes real All-Defensive Team potential.

Offensively, he was terrific against the Pistons from the second quarter onwards. Watching back all of his 26 shots, most of his 2-pointers had purpose and verve. Only one of his eight 3-point looks felt like a genuine force while another was an understandable heat check when he really had it going in the second quarter with a career-high tying 17 points (most in a quarter for his career).

It is what it is when seeing the stat that the Raptors are 1-8 when Barnes scores at least 30 points. I think back to the criticism Devin Booker used to receive and how he was called an empty calorie guy until the Suns suddenly took off with the right pieces around him.

The Raptors right now are just so shorthanded and bereft of 3-point shooting that the results won’t reflect his impact. Can he dictate the flow of an entire game the way the cream of the crop can? That’s a work in progress and we won’t properly be able to judge until the team is healthy.

Mogbo’s promise

It’s flat out rare to find a second-round player capable of this level of defensive impact in his rookie season.

During second quarter action, the Raptors went smaller with Mogbo at the five and alongside Barnes at the four (something I’d like to see more often), defended actions beautifully. What those two lack in size against a Mobley-Allen frontcourt, they make up with bulk and athleticism. For Mogbo, he actually has the stick-to-it-iveness to switch onto guards like Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland and hold his own.

It’s this ability that makes him special on the defensive side of the ball. The Raptors allow eight points fewer, per-100 possessions, when Mogbo is on the court. On the team, that mark is only bettered by Davion Mitchell.

Below is one example of Mogbo getting switched onto Mitchell and holding his own by staying in front before putting up a strong vertical contest at the basket followed by Mogbo providing great weakside help defence to block Garland at the rim.

It was surprising to see Mogbo receive just 12 minutes against Detroit after his impressive showing in Cleveland but there was something Rajakovic didn’t quite like about the matchup that made him opt for more from Bruno Fernando.

Bench excels

You especially need your bench in back-to-back scenarios and the Raptors’ reserves delivered.Toronto’s bench scored 76 combined points over the last two games, Chris Boucher and Mogbo combining to account for exactly half of those points.

Bruno Fernando had a really fun return to action against Detroit, tallying nine points, four rebounds, and five assists in 14 minutes. Fernando’s assists pretty much fall into one play type, screen hand-offs to the likes of Barnes and Barrett to give them a runway to the basket.

After shooting 1-for-14 from deep over 11 November games, Jamal Shead shot a combined 4-for-7 in the last two games. Between Mitchell and Shead, especially in the absence of Quickley, every triple they knock down feels like found money.

Jamison Battle showed some spunk with nine points and four rebounds in 22 minutes of action against the Pistons after hardly featuring against Cleveland.

3-point budget membership desperate for upgrade

The Cleveland Cavaliers are massive inside but not so much on the outside. Jarrett Allen has proven a matchup nightmare for Jakob Poeltl, so what’s the workaround?

When Boston gave Cleveland its only loss of the season, it was a barrage of 3-pointers that proved their undoing. The Celtics shot 22-of-41 from downtown and that plus-36 differential from beyond the arc ultimately proved pivotal in a 3-point win.

Toronto does not possess anywhere near that level of shooting but they tried that route anyway, going 5-for-21 from beyond the arc in the first half alone against Cleveland. The second half was an improvement at 7-for-18, finishing the game at 30.8% from three. The Raptors shot 10-for-35 against the Pistons (28.6%).

Herein lies a big problem for the Raptors right now. The team ranks dead-last in 3-point attempt frequency and 23rd in 3-point percentage. In a game like the one against the Cavs, it made Immanuel Quickley’s absence all the more glaring, and that 3-point inadequacy was doubled by Gradey Dick’s absence against Detroit.

Quickley’s averages are skewed this season because he left the first game with injury after playing just 14 minutes and then played 26 and 27 minutes in his return because of a minutes restriction. On a per-36 minute basis he would be attempting 8.5 threes per game, a tick above last season’s 7.7 mark as a Raptor.

Throw in Kelly Olynyk’s two or three attempts per game and Toronto desperately needs those 10-plus attempts back from its better shooters. Both Quickley and Olynyk will help the rest of their teammates take better quality threes as well.

Fighting fire with logic

You’ll hear a lot of successful teams talk about the importance of focusing on what they need to do and not worrying too much about what the opponent might do.

I thought the Raptors tried to engage in too much of a perimeter battle in the first quarter-plus against Cleveland and Scottie Barnes should have been more assertive (0-for-5 from three in the first half). The defence definitely improved, especially after the introduction of Mogbo, but in addition to transition opportunities it seemed as though there was a more concerted effort to create paint touches in the half-court.

Consider this: Toronto attempted 14 free-throws in the first half, eight of which were by Mogbo and Chris Boucher. The second half saw 20 free-throw attempts for the Raptors, 14 of which came from Barrett and Barnes. Now, they combined to make just seven of those attempts, but between the lack of 3-point shooters on this team and the strengths of its best players, the offence should consistently be thinking inside then out.

Notes:

• Toronto had a brutal sequence to end the Pistons game. Barnes missed a driving layup that Jakob Poeltl rebounded, which was followed by an Barrett three from the corner that was off. The Pistons were able to get out in transition off that miss but Ausar Thompson missed a layup. Barrett received the ball and decided to go 1-on-3 at the basket, upset that a foul wasn’t called as he missed another opportunity to take the lead. The Pistons were able to get out in transition again and this time Isaiah Stewart finished with a dunk. Barnes tied it shortly after, setting the stage for Ivey’s winner. Yes, the transition defence and Barrett’s decision-making screamed tank.

• Ochai Agbaji had his worst game of the season against Detroit, finishing with zero points on 0-for-4 shooting, one rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one turnover. He was a team-worst minus-26 in 24 minutes. It’s fair to say that Dick’s absence hurt Agbaji more than anyone.