We're back for the second week of the brand new series of Top Ten Raptors Plays of the Week. Let's get into it, as this week's games covered five matchups that went from the Trail Blazers game last Tuesday to obviously last night's showdown against the New York Knicks.
Jakob Poeltl and RJ Barrett have been stellar in their roles to start the year. Both have been efficient and a critical part of the team's early-season success. Poeltlis shooting a mind-boggling 73.3% from the field and helps initiate the offense with rock-solid screens. Barretthas continued to thrive as a crucial offensive option in the team pecking order, putting up almost 20 points (19.4) per game on quality efficiency.
Second seed in the Eastern Conference and atop their Atlantic Division, the Toronto Raptors have been absolutely bulldozing through their opposition as of late, boasting a superb 9-1 record in their last 10 contests. The Raps have a win percentage of 66.7 percent, beating their opponents by an average point differential of +5.0, riding an ongoing five-game winning streak, and a 10-5 record overall in the East landscape.
The 25-year-old Hoggard spent Summer League with the New Orleans Pelicans, following five years in college. Hoggard played four years under Tom Izzo at Michigan State before transferring to Vanderbilt for his final collegiate season. In his four years at Michigan State, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound guard averaged 8.6 points, 4.6 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 0.9 steals while shooting 41.0 per cent from the field, 30.3 per cent from distance, and 74.7 per cent from the charity stripe.
Murray-Boyles' performance at Summer League was a mixed bag per the box score, with some very high high's and some mediocre low's, but he immediately performed as one of the two best defenders on the roster (Mogbo was the only one giving him competition there) and displayed the overall floor game that high-impact players always do.
The Toronto Raptors were without any starters tonight in their third pre-season game versus the Boston Celtics and opted to start their entire second unit. Gradey Dick took full advantage. In 24 minutes, Gradey poured in 22 points on 13 shots, adding six rebounds, one assist, and one steal as well. Raptors rookie Collin Murray-Boyles left the game in the 1st half with a bruised right elbow and did not return. He scored four points in 7 minutes.
If training camp is any indicator, then the 10 man rotation is as follows: Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes & Jakob Poeltl as the starting 5; and they're flanked by Gradey Dick, Jamal Shead, Collin Murray-Boyles, Ochai Agbaji, Sandro Mamukelashvili. Now, it's my understanding that Coach Darko is planning to play deeper than 10 men on an average night.
Even before it landed Kevin Durant, Houston had embraced a surprising strategy for escaping the depths of despair. It paid above market value for NBA champion point guard Fred VanVleet, invested in a veteran wing in Dillon Brooks, and prioritized size and versatility from thereon out-ultimately resulting in 52 wins and the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
