"All the pressure was on the Raptors 905 to succeed. Coming into the G League Winter Showcase with a perfect 14-0 record, they had everything to lose. As we have seen with great teams that have played against the Raptors, great teams play all four quarters and are unfazed by the vagaries of the first or even second quarter. The 905 were down by nine points in the first quarter, but inched within four points by the end of the first half."
"Offensively, David Roddy and Jarkel Joiner stood out. Roddy had a big dunk after a slick crossover. His step-back jumper put the 905 within six. Joiner had a nice hop step, reminding me of early 2010s MVP Derrick Rose. He also had a mid-range jumper to beat the shot clock. The 905 got a pair of calls to go their way - an offensive foul by Zach Freemantle and a landing space flagrant-one by Jaelen House."
"When Lawson stormed the court like the Roadrunner and hit the transition triple, the 905 bench erupted. For the rest of the game, the bench became the 905's raucous sixth man. Xs and Os play a huge role in winning basketball, but intangibles also shift the outcome of the game. The energy was palpable and effort infectious for the entire team. Olivier Sarr went into the stands to save the ball."
Raptors 905 entered the G League Winter Showcase with a perfect 14-0 record and faced heavy pressure to preserve it. The team trailed by nine in the first quarter but reduced the deficit to four by halftime. Offense featured David Roddy and Jarkel Joiner making highlight plays and timely baskets. Two favorable calls — an offensive foul on Zach Freemantle and a landing-space flagrant on Jaelen House — shifted momentum. Defensive experimentation early gave way to increased aggression in the second half, leading to forced turnovers and transition threes. The bench supplied loud energy while Olivier Sarr and Jonathan Mogbo contributed hustle plays and rebounds.
Read at Raptors Republic
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