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Even with Immanuel Quickley back in the lineup for the first time since he hit the floor hard in the season opener resulting in a pelvic contusion, expecting the Raptors to quickly find their rhythm was the stuff of fantasy.
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The baller known as IQ is the team’s second-best player, but with Scottie Barnes nursing an orbital fracture Quickley does assume the best mantle.
He wasn’t at his best late Saturday night against the host Los Angeles Clippers, which is to be expected, but he was effective nonetheless and played with a bounce.
As expected, the Raptors competed hard and they battled in the third game on their current five-game road trip that will wrap up Tuesday night in Milwaukee.
Despite some horrid shooting, the Raptors were in a two-possession game with five minutes left at the newly minted Intuit Dome.
What Quickley did well was attack the basket.
What Ochai Agbaji did well was score as the Raptors came within two points with four minutes remaining.
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Toronto made its run with Bruno Fernando on the floor in arguably his finest moment.
His dunk on a pocket pass from Quickley tied the game, 93-93.
One of the few times where the Raptors haven’t given themselves a chance to pull out a win came in Sacramento.
Saturday was not one of those nights as the outcome would be determined late as every possession proved critical.
A Quickley three off a pass from RJ Barrett tied the game, 102-102, with 38.1 seconds remaining
Down by three, the Raptors had possession.
L.A. had a foul to give and then sent Jakob Poeltl to the line with 6.2 seconds left in regulation.
He made the first, retrieved his second on purposely missed attempt, but his put-back did not drop.
Another game would be lost, but once again the Raptors were entertaining in a 105-103 loss as their record dropped to 2-8.
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As is their custom, the Raptors never wilted, even when trailing by as many as 14 points.
When they defended and were able to get out in transition, the Raptors were very much competitive, at times threatening.
One of the game’s best to emerge was Clippers big man Ivica Zubac, who scored around the rim and was a force on the glass.
L.A.’s best player this season has been Norm Powell, a former Raptor who has been on a scoring binge.
Compared to his red-hot start, Powell was kept in check by the Raptors, who last played Wednesday in Sacramento.
He missed a late free throw, but it did provide the Clippers with a one-point lead.
It would get extended when James Harden made one of his two freebies from the line.
Barrett wasn’t able to finish near the rim, but then came another missed free throw by Powell with 8.7 second ticks on the clock.
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The Clippers were playing the back end of a back-to-back set following their win over the host Kings.
L.A.’s bench played well and was a big reason why the home side took an 81-70 advantage into the fourth quarter.
DAVION AND OFF
With Quickley back in the lineup and running the show at the point, Davion Mitchell came off the bench and would emerge as the first reserve used by head coach Darko Rajakovic.
In Quickley’s injury absence, Mitchell has done an admirable job.
A healthy Quickley provides the Raptors with some much-needed depth in the backcourt.
Quickley’s range on his jumper forces teams to extend their defence.
When he’s making shots, it frees up his drive game and it also allows for floor spacing.
It’s no knock on Mitchell, but he’s nowhere near Quickley’s class.
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Another domino to fall in the wake of Quickley’s return involves Jamal Shead and the amount of minutes he’ll be given.
Also worth monitoring is whether Rajakovic will have both Quickley and Mitchell on the floor together.
In this alignment, the logical move would be to have Quickley play off the ball.
Mitchell buried an open three with 2:30 left in the opening quarter on a sequence featuring the Raptors going inside before kicking it to Mitchell.
It was the only three-pointer buried by the Raptors in the quarter.
L.A. made four three-balls and led 28-22 following the opening 12 minutes.
Shead started the second quarter alongside Quickley, who played off the ball and used his penetration skills to put pressure on L.A.’s defence.
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Shead’s first attempt was a brick he heaved from distance.
Then came a couple of sequences when the Raptors failed to get back on defence, prompting the visitors to call a timeout.
GETTING INTUIT
The Raptors made their first and only visit of the season to Steve Ballmer’s spanking new playpen, which is considered among the world’s most technologically advanced venues.
Among the many fan-friendly features to the new home of the Clippers, a team that has not had its own court in the city since the days playing out of the L.A. Sports Arena, are the 1,100 touchless toilets and urinals where pop music gets played to promote fans from quickly returning to their seats.
Money is no issue for Ballmer, whose passion can get a bit over the top but the billionaire owner is engaged and always enthusiastic.
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He was sitting front row courtside along the baseline near the Clippers bench watching his team play the Raptors, who were sporting their purple jerseys.
The Intuit Dome cost $2 billion and is strictly designed for basketball, both inside the arena’s confines and outside where a pickup court is located amid the 80,000-foot plaza.
Each of the 17,927 seats includes a four-button controller inspired by Microsoft’s Xbox.
For the uninitiated, Ballmer is a former Microsoft chief executive who has inspired an arena where fans are treated to more leg room in their seats with seating closer to the action.
One of the arena’s most discussed and unique areas is the region known as The Wall, a 51-row section rising at a steep pitch close to the opposing team’s bench that extends to the highest row.
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Only the most diehard is permitted to access the area.
In fact, fans must pass a certification test to demonstrate their Clippers fandom.
Fans trying to infiltrate the area by wearing a non-Clippers jersey will be removed.
Within The Wall resides a 13-row supporters section located behind the basket, fitted with elevated handrails common in European soccer to spur on fans to stand and cheer.
When the Phoenix Suns helped christen the new area in the Clippers’ season opener, Kevin Durant was asked about The Wall.
“Insane,” said K.D.
The Raptors got their first taste Saturday night and missed three of their first four free throws with The Wall in the backdrop.
About 21 kms north of the Inglewood hoops haven is L.A.’s downtown venue known as Crypto.com Arena, home of the Lakers who will play host to the Raptors Sunday night.
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