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Has Immanuel Quickley finally turned a corner?
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Based on his past two games, the answer is a resounding yes.
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Keep in mind it has been only two games, but he has looked quicker, played with more assertiveness and confidence with that bounce he showed when he first joined the Raptors following his trade with the New York Knicks in late December two years ago.
He will have to put together games such as the ones Friday in Atlanta and Saturday in Philadelphia on a consistent basis for the question to be completely answered.
For now, Quickley has at least addressed some concerns.
Against the Hawks, the Raptors trailed by double digits and played as well as they have this season in the fourth quarter to escape with a win, Toronto’s fourth in a row.
In Philly, the script was a bit similar, only on this night the Raptors exploded with a 43-point first quarter only to implode by posting 20 points in the second.
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Say what you want about this group, but the Raptors have been fun to watch with games decided late, making for competitive tips decided by a few possessions.
Quickley’s first 20-point game of the season was very encouraging, as was his ability to orchestrate an offence.
The Raptors even went with a two point guard look with Jamal Shead on the floor.
The Raptors don’t have a dominant big on the roster, while the Sixers have one in Joel Embiid, whose minutes were managed impeccably as Philadelphia snapped Toronto’s four-game win streak following its 130-120 win.
The following are three takeaways from the newly named Xfinity Mobile Arena in the City of Brotherly Love where the home side wore throw-back jerseys of a time when Allen Iverson used to rule the roost, a time when Vince Carter missed the potential game winner in Game 7 of the 2001 Eastern Conference semifinal.
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1. The Small Print
It was, to say the least, an interesting decision exercised by the Raptors to go with a small starting group once centre Jakob Poeltl was ruled out.
The decision to sit the big man shouldn’t come as a surprise because he has been dealing with lower back stiffness and the Raptors were coming off a win one night earlier in Atlanta.
Officially, injury management was cited for what was essentially a precautionary move that happened to be the right one.
When Poeltl was unavailable prior to his latest non-playing status, rookie Collin Murray-Boyles filled in at centre.
Saturday, Ochai Agbaji was promoted to the starting five as the Raptors went decidedly small.
Agbaji did not play against the Hawks.
Agbaji was a complete non-factor.
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In effect, Scottie Barnes served as the de facto centre. He fouled out late in the fourth quarter.
Fans of a certain vintage will recall a rookie named Magic Johnson who played centre for the Lakers in the 1980 NBA Finals against the Sixers for an injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Barnes is no Magic, but his body type is similar and he does have some Magic-like touch when making passes.
Barnes won the opening tap and scored the game’s first basket on a mid-range fadeaway.
With so many athletic players on the floor, it was easy to see why the game turned into a track meet.
2. Head Of The Rookie Class
The Raptors have now went up against the top three picks from the June draft, the third being VJ Edgecombe, who has separated himself from his rookie peers.
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The kid happens to be in the best situation to fully unleash his athleticism and ability to play in the open floor.
He’s very active.
There’s no Paul George, no telling what impact Embiid will have on games as he continues to play on a minutes restriction.
When he was on the court, Embiid was a man among boys.
Down the stretch, his presence was felt.
Tyrese Maxie is the team’s best player and entered the night as the NBA’s leading scorer on a Sixers team that can be entertaining with the rookie on board.
High draft slots don’t guarantee a high-end player, but a high draft slot does help.
Barnes was taken with the fourth overall pick in 2021.
CMB was taken ninth overall this year, and his defence continues to be his strength.
When he’s square to the basket and his feet are set, CMB can shoot the three-ball.
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3. B.I. Comes Up Big
Saturday marked the Raptors’ 10th game of the season, and the 10th time for Brandon Ingram to reveal his presence, while also providing a glimpse of his upside as long as he’s able to stay healthy.
He emerged as an anchor for the second unit when Ingram was the lone starter on the court.
When he’s with the first unit, Ingram has allowed every starter not named Poeltl to get open looks.
When a basket is required, the Notorious B.I.3. is Toronto’s best bucket-getter.
In Saturday’s first quarter, Toronto’s reserves outscored Philly’s bench, 19-0.
Toronto’s offence was pristine in scoring 43 points in the opening 12 minutes.
Up Next
The Raptors’ next game is Tuesday against the truly wretched Brooklyn Nets; Brooklyn is 1-8 and likely to drop to 1-9 with a tip at Madison Square Garden Sunday on tap against its city rival Knicks.
fzicarelli@postmedia.com
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