When they previously hooked up on Nov. 21 in Toronto, the Raptors whipped the Washington Wizards by 30 points.
The teams met again in D.C., on Boxing Day and, based on the Wizards’ 138-117 manhandling of the Raptors, it was hard to glean whether Washington was this good or perhaps Toronto took its five-win opponent for granted.
As always, the answer is somewhere in the middle, but on this night it would be easy to lean Washington’s way.
Credit Washington for jumping on the Raptors for 35 points in the opening quarter, exposing Toronto’s soft underbelly, then continuing the onslaught when the visitors mounted so little resistance.
Defensively, the Raptors were hideous and gave the Wizards an air of confidence offensively, making one wonder how they had managed just six wins in 29 games so far this season. Naturally, their confidence was fueled by Toronto’s indifference and cavalier approach.
The Raptors, 18-14, wound up losing two of three on their road swing. Not promising for a team whose schedule turns much tougher as it returns for a five-game homestand.
The following are three takeaways from a brutal defeat that saw the Raptors give up 35 points or more in three of four quarters.
SCOTTIE STEPS BACK
Scottie Barnes limped off the floor late in the third quarter because of left hip soreness.
With Kyshawn George imposing his will on the offensive end in the opening half, the Raptors had Barnes defend the Wizards’ emerging talent who shows no hesitation when looking for his offence.
Barnes had one of his best games in Miami on Tuesday night, two nights after one of his worst games in a loss to the Brooklyn Nets.
This game was a step back for him. Minutes after he returned, Barnes flushed home a left-handed dunk. But he then showed his frustration, believing he had been fouled and should have gone to the free-throw line.
He finished with 14 points in 29 minutes, four rebounds and seven assists. However, his team-worst minus-29 rating told the story of this lost evening.
Brandon Ingram, who paced the Raptors offence with 29 points, can do only so much by himself. While it’s true Ingram can carry the Raptors, he needs help. And that needs to come from Barnes, who needed to be better.
George, by the way, had a team-high 23 points in the win after pouring in 18 in the opening half.
MAMU MATTERS
The impact Sandro Mamukelashvili has had on the Raptors cannot be overstated.
Prior to his run with Toronto, the native of Georgia could be best described as an NBA journeyman. But the way he’s been playing, the way he’s stepped up to give the Raptors some kind of a size presence, and one is left to wonder why he wasn’t as coveted this past off-season.
With Jakob Poeltl (back) and RJ Barrett (knee) missing from the lineup, Mamukelashvili — at 6-foot-9, the only size available to the Raptors — once again had to start.
Playing 33 minutes, he contributed 13 points — nine of those coming on 3-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc.
Mamu’s shot is very fluid, and equally smooth is when he takes his defender off the dribble.
GRADING GRADEY
What to make of third-year wing Gradey Dick will require much more of a run for someone who is at his offensive best when he’s running the floor and heaving shots with conviction and confidence.
As his defining moment awaits, Dick needs to consistently bring the overall game he showed in the opening half against the Wizards.
The best thing about Dick was that he did not allow an 0-for-3 shooting performance deter from his activity. In 11 minutes, he recorded three rebounds, two assists a steal and a block.
Still, Dick’s biggest asset is his ability to shoot from distance.
His off-the-ball movement is not an issue, but the Raptors’ inability to put Dick in the right position, appears to be.
Remember, on a team short on shooters, Dick is one of the few who can spread the floor when he is on target. He missed his first four shots from the field and finished with five points, four boards and three assists.
On this night, Toronto’s best reserve was Ja’Kobe Walter, who racked up 15 points on 5-for-7 shooting.
Up Next
Raptors are back home to begin a five-game stay beginning with a Sunday afternoon visit by the Golden State Warriors, the first of a back-to-back set that will see Toronto play host to the Orlando Magic on Monday night. In their most recent home tip, the Raptors were underwhelming, to say the least, against an undermanned Boston Celtics team that won its second game in as many appearances at Scotiabank Arena this season.
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