A bad start by the starters on a night in Motown where the Raptors wrapped up their three-game road swing.
Saturday’s tip at Little Caesars Arena against the host Detroit Pistons also marked the fourth game in a row the Raptors’ preferred group of five had a chance to develop chemistry and show signs of improvement.
Take away the usual presence, which tends to be good, both Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl have and the microscope fell on Immanuel Quickley, Gradey Dick and RJ Barrett.
The experience/experiment continued with no definitive conclusion other than to describe it as a work in progress.
Quickley was more scorer than facilitator in a not-so efficient game, Dick finally regained his shooting groove, while Barrett struggled badly.
Toronto was allowed, in part, to be competitive by forcing turnovers.
Given the recent history when the Raptors and Pistons meet, the outcome would be decided in the fourth quarter.
Despite Poeltl and Barrett missing free throws, the Raptors were in a four-point game with three minutes remaining.
A couple of quick passes led to an open three, but Dick failed to bury it.
A made three by Detroit allowed the hosts to extend their advantage to seven points as Toronto’s margin for error grew as thin as its chances to win a rare road game.
In a two-possession game, Quickley’s ill-advised runner in the lane hit front iron.
He led the Raptors by scoring 25 points, but he’s a point guard and needs to get teammates more involved.
Barrett had more turnovers (5) than makes (4), while Poeltl missed all four of his free throws.
Barnes still can’t shoot threes and yet he’s allowed to launch them.
Break it all down and the Raptors would lose, which has been par for the course this season, especially on the road, this time losing 123-114 as Detroit sports a winning record.
The Raptors are 1-18 on the road and have lost five in a row overall and 16 of their past 17 games.
The team’s starters weren’t good, while the team’s bench was good.
Still, it was nowhere good enough, but this is hardly new for this team.
TRES BIEN BOUCHER
Chris Boucher celebrated his 32nd birthday Saturday having scored a combined 33 points in his past two games heading into Toronto’s tip against the host Pistons.
An unrestricted free agent this coming off-season, it remains to be seen whether Boucher attracts any suitors as next month’s NBA trade deadline approaches.
When he’s given minutes, Boucher has shown an ability to make an immediate impact when launching three-pointers.
As soon as the ball is in his hands, Boucher heaves it and has been making it with incredible frequency.
There’s not even a hint of putting the ball on the floor, absolute no hesitation and an air of confidence knowing more shots will drop.
He’s been on such a roll that any miss is noteworthy.
When the Pistons jumped on the Raptors, who were listless, by going on a 13-0 run, one of the first players off Toronto’s bench was Boucher.
His fourth three-pointer in the opening quarter came with 2.2 seconds remaining in the period.
One basket was recorded inside the three-point line in a frenetic first that would see Boucher pour in 14 points.
He single-handedly outscored Toronto’s starting group, a feeble five that managed to produce 11.
Based on merit, Boucher needs to be playing more and shooting more shots.
Based on the business of basketball and where the Raptors find themselves in their rebuild, more sequences such as Saturday’s first quarter and the previous outings in New York and Cleveland should entice bidders.
Of the handful of players on Toronto’s roster that seem destined to be moved with the Feb. 9 trade deadline ticking, Boucher is hands down playing the best.
The best overall player likely to get moved is Bruce Brown, who was very active and engaged against the Pistons.
When it comes to instant offence and igniting a sluggish starting unit, Boucher checks all the boxes.
Boucher made his NBA debut in 2018 with the Golden State Warriors, who will be in town for a Monday night tip as they make their first and only Toronto appearance this season.
Boucher entered the second half Saturday with 5:29 left in the period.
As expected, the Pistons were much more aware of Boucher, who wasn’t able to spot up on the perimetre like he did in the opening half.
In fact, Boucher had zero shot attempts in the third period because Detroit was locked in on him, which led to no points in the second half.
QUICK ’N DICK
The start to the game was beyond inexcusable, but it has happened far too often before and perhaps no one should be surprised at how ill-prepared the Raptors were in the Motor City.
Two players who did dramatically improve were Quickley and Dick, who have not been playing well of late.
Each needs to make shots, which opens the floor.
In the first half against the Pistons, both were Toronto’s lone starters to reach double digits in scoring by combining for 25 points on 7-for-13 shooting as the visitors took a 66-65 lead at halftime.
All four of Dick’s attempts came from three-point distance.
Each committed a turnover. In Quickley’s case, he had as many turnovers (2) as assists (2).
When he made his return from an extended injury absence on New Year’s Day, Quickley turned the ball over once during the course of an entire game.
Quickley took an ill-advised three-pointer early in the shot clock to begin the second half that had no chance of dropping.
He bounced back by drilling a three-ball heaved, this time, in rhythm.
Toronto’s starting group also bounced back by playing hard as opposed to how soft the unit played to begin the night.
Quickley took 20 shots and did not record a single assist in the second half.