Raptors takeaways: Opponents 'scared' of Shai, Mogbo gets a chance, OKC reality check
'Is that something you're living with? Because he does everything else at a such an elite level," Olynyk said of Gilgeous-Alexander shooting more three-pointers.
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The Raptors got taught a tough lesson by the title-contending Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday: They aren’t in OKC’s class, not even close, and even if Jakob Poeltl had been able to play, that still would be the case as the Thunder was also missing star big man Chet Holmgren.
While no team can enjoy losing by 37 points, it will benefit the players in the long run. As rookie Jonathan Mogbo said post-game, “That was a great team … We have to learn that when we’re ready to catch and shoot, (we’ve) got to shoot it. Teams like that are going to try to force us to shoot, so got to take our time, live with the shot, even if it doesn’t go down. Stay consistent and confident.”
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Raptors takeaways: Opponents 'scared' of Shai, Mogbo gets a chance, OKC reality check Back to video
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As head coach Darko Rajakovic put it: “They’re a team that’s built for now. I think there’s a lot for us to look at (with) that team and learn about the physicality they play with, how they’re aggressive,” Rajakovic said. “They’re No. 1 in the league in creating turnovers. And that’s very interesting for us. Sometimes we turn it over recklessly, and sometimes it’s because of the other defence. I felt tonight it was the other defence that made us turn the ball over. So there’s going to be a lot of good for us to go through this.”
Toronto was coming off some nice performances, but a reality check like that will be beneficial in helping the team recognize how to improve and that it is a long way from actually competing with good NBA teams. Toronto is just 3-11 against teams .500 or better, versus 4-5 against weaker opponents.
It hasn’t helped that Toronto has yet to field its full starting lineup this season and has had four of the starters (Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, Poeltl, RJ Barrett and Gradey Dick) available on the same night in only six of 23 games (with key veteran backups Kelly Olynyk and Bruce Brown yet to play at all).
More takeaways and a look ahead to a second straight Toronto visit by an NBA MVP candidate, this time Dallas star Luka Doncic:
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ONE OF A KIND
It says something about how brilliant Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is that he can shoot 1-for-10 on three-point attempts and still look dominant. The Raptors tried several ways to slow him, but only Ochai Agbaji had much success. Davion Mitchell had bothered star point guards such as De’Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton, LaMelo Ball and Darius Garland quite a bit this season, but Gilgeous-Alexander shrugged him off. It was a hope-he-misses-long-shots kind of night, but even that wasn’t enough.
I talked to Kelly Olynyk pre-game about his Canadian national team pal Gilgeous-Alexander and how he’s added increased outside shooting to the arsenal (he’s taking more than six a game now, versus 2.5 and 3.1 the previous two seasons). Olynyk saw it as a way for SGA to make himself less predictable and even harder to stop.
“You have to guard him for that now. As he continues to develop, that makes that a shot that he’s comfortable with, and you’re gonna have to press up and make sure to take some of that stuff away,” Olynyk said. “Or is that something you’re living with because he does everything else at a such an elite level?
“He’s going to look at how people are guarding him and doing stuff, and he’s going to figure out how he can counter that. And I think shooting the threes and the pound dribble, step-back and walk-up threes, guys maybe they’re scared. They’re scared of what he can do with the ball. So yeah, he’s gonna keep adding stuff to his game and keep making sure he’s as dynamic as he can be.”
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MOGBO IN THE MIDDLE
Without Poeltl and Olynyk (who were both upgraded to questionable for Saturday against Dallas) Rajakovic decided to start Bruno Fernando. Things went downhill after Fernando won the opening tip, with the reserve big man picking up turnovers and fouls before being subbed out (he fared better in a couple of stints later in the game). Rajakovic opted to start Jonathan Mogbo in the third quarter and the rookie again showed flashes, despite being a team-worst minnus-28 against the loaded Thunder.
Mogbo scored a career-high 17 points in 23 minutes, and though he didn’t rebound the way he usually does (grabbing only one, along with an assist, steal and block), the 31st pick of the 2024 draft is having a nice start to his career.
“It was really good for me tonight to see Jonathan Mogbo in an expanded role, against different matchups,” Rajakovic said after first noting how much the team misses Poeltl. “I thought that he had an overall good game tonight.”
Mogbo actually played a doubleheader, joining some teammates to suit up for Raptors 905 earlier in the day before then playing against OKC.
“Today was different, kind of felt like AAU back in the day,” Mogbo said. “Just go out, play hard. Kids were out there (in the crowd), had great energy this morning so that’s what Its all about.”
@WolstatSun
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