Raptors clipped by host L.A. Clippers in late-night barn-burner as Immanuel Quickley returns

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Even with point guard Immanuel Quickley back in the lineup for the first time since hitting the floor hard in the season opener, expecting the Raptors to immediately find their rhythm was the stuff of fantasy.

With Scott Barnes out with a fractured orbital bone, Quickley is the team’s best player. He showed some bounce attacking the basket, but wasn’t at his best late Saturday night against the host Los Angeles Clippers as the Raptors fell 105-103, their eighth loss in their first 10 games.

As expected, the Raptors competed hard in the third match of 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. Ochai Agbaji got them within two points with four minutes remaining and Bruno Fernando’s dunk off a pocket pass from Quickley tied the game 93-93.

It was 102-102 after Quickley drained a three with 38 seconds remaining.

Then, down by three, the Raptors had possession. L.A. had a foul to give and sent Jakob Poeltl to the line with 6.2 seconds left in regulation. He made the first, retrieved his second on a purposely missed attempt, but his put-back did not drop and the Clippers killed the clock.

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, they were competitive and at times threatening.

Quickley finished with 21 points — tied with Agbaji for team-high — on 8-of-18 shooting, including 3-of-8 with his three-pointers.

L.A.’s best player this season has been Norm Powell, a former Raptor who has been on a scoring binge, pouring in 24 points against his old team.

Compared to his red-hot start, Powell was kept in check by the Raptors. He missed a late free throw, but it did provide the Clippers with a one-point lead.

DAVION AND OFF

With Quickley back in the lineup and running the show at the point, Davion Mitchell came off the bench and was the first reserve used by head coach Darko Rajakovic.

In Quickley’s injury absence, Mitchell has done an admirable job. But a healthy Quickley provides the Raptors with some much-needed depth in the backcourt. His range on his jumper forces teams to extend their defence and when he’s making shots, it frees up his drive game and also allows for floor spacing.

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 out to him. It was the only three-pointer buried by the Raptors in the quarter.

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.

Shead’s first attempt was a brick he heaved from distance.

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.

Money is no issue for Ballmer, whose passion can get a bit over the top, but the billionaire owner is engaged and always enthusiastic. 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 US and is strictly designed for basketball, both inside the arena’s confines and outside where a pickup court is located amid the 80,000 square 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 and being 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. Only the most diehard are 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 arena in the Clippers’ season opener, Kevin Durant was asked about The Wall.

“Insane,” he said.

The Raptors got their first taste Saturday night and missed three of their first four free throws with The Wall as the backdrop.

About 21 kilometres 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 on Sunday night.

fzicarelli@postmedia.com