"Welcome to Raptors Roundup! A weekly recap of everything going on in the world of the Toronto Raptors. New year, new Raptors? If Saturday's game against the Atlanta Hawks is a representation of the 2026 Raptors, then this is going to be an excellent year. Then again, that's exactly what we said when the two teams matched up on opening night. It's been the story of the Raptors this year, a different outlook after every game."
"Coming off an electric game against Golden State, the Raptors were DOA against the Magic. Desmond Bane had a picnic in the first half, literally. There was a possession where Bane slowly drifted out of the corner, caught the ball and not a single Raptor was within 10 feet of him. Paolo Banchero followed that by attacking the rim with no resistance. The common denominator? Brandon Ingram defended both possessions. His defense was really awful in this one, and his offense not much better."
"By the halfway point of the second quarter the deficit had grown to 21. RJ Barrett was out on the second night of a back-to-back and yet he put up as much of a fight as any other player. Well... except for Gradey Dick, who was one of the few Raptors able to hit a shot. He ran the break, got to the free-throw line and nailed a couple of threes before inexplicably being benched the entire second half."
The Raptors have shown extreme inconsistency, capable of beating top opponents one night and losing badly the next. A dominant win against Golden State was followed by a poor performance versus Orlando, where Desmond Bane exploited defensive lapses and Paolo Banchero attacked the rim without resistance. Brandon Ingram provided ineffective defense and limited offense in that loss. RJ Barrett battled on a second night of a back-to-back while Gradey Dick hit timely threes before being inexplicably benched the entire second half. Jamal Shead delivered a career night to spark a comeback, aided by Collin Murray-Boyles’ offensive rebounds, and Scottie Barnes sealed the eventual win at the free-throw line.
Read at Raptors Republic
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