"It is not an exaggeration to say that practically every Raptor played his role to perfection. The bench flat-out dominated. Even erstwhile weaknesses turned into strengths, at least for one night. And so the Raptors are 1-0, first in the East, after smacking a team that even plugged-in, intelligent observers believed to be clearly superior to Toronto coming into the season. The Ingram era is off to a blazing start."
"Gradey was being used in a multitude of ways in the halfcourt tonight. His speed running off of pin downs is exhilarating and his movement shooting impressed tonight as well. Gradey was also great in transition, he was the recipient of many outlet passes and got himself some nice easy looks, he played his role on offense practically perfectly today. He was also putting in a lot of effort on defense as well, diving for loose balls, and getting his hands in the lane to break up passes. Grade: A+"
"In a way, the Raptors assumed the personalities of their best offensive and defensive players, Ingram and Barnes. They were consistent and professional, like Ingram, never changing their approach. Their athleticism jumped off the page, like Barnes, resulting in transition dominance and bundles of offensive rebounds."
The Toronto Raptors demolished the Atlanta Hawks in the season opener, earning a 1-0 start and top position in the East. The team combined consistent, professional halfcourt play with explosive athleticism that produced transition dominance and numerous offensive rebounds. The bench delivered overwhelming contributions, turning prior weaknesses into short-term strengths. Gradey excelled in multiple roles, thriving in pin-down movement, transition, and defensive effort, earning an A+. Quickley prioritized pace and playmaking, accumulating assists and providing solid defense despite leaving scoring opportunities, earning a B-. The Ingram era began with a blazing start.
Read at Raptors Republic
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