PG: Gritty win in Phily (9-1 in last 10, 5 W straight)

[PushDaRock]

I know it says 7 on offense and 9 on defense, but watching these games, it really feels like we're better than that offensively and worse defensively.

i think some of that is luck based, honestly teams are hitting the least amount of open 3s against us in the whole nba i believe so that defensive rating could really come back to earth once that normalizes.

While true, I wonder if the raptors pace has had something to do with the “luck” of team hitting less shots. It’s interesting.

The raptors are in the top 3 of transition frequency of their offensive possessions at 24.4%.


The top 5 is:
1. Bulls 25.4%
2. Heat 24.6%
3. Raptors 24.4%
4. Hawks 22.8%
5. Trailblazers 21.8%

Clippers are last in transition frequency at 13.7%

The Raptors, Heat and Hawks have all benefitted from low opponents 3p% (so lower makes by teams on average):

Top 6:

1.Nuggets 30%
2. Heat 30.8%
3. Raptors 30.8%
4. Suns 31.7%
5. Pacers 32%
6. Hawks 32.4 %

Hornets are last at 41.1%, Clippers are 4th worst at 37.6%.

And when you do a deeper dive into the stats, you’ll find the raptors are about middle of the pack in giving up shots from anywhere on the court except at the rim. And opponents are shooting 66.6% from shots less than 5 ft.

What I take from this is that the raptors are scrambling, they are running at shooters, running them off the line and when the opponents finally gets an opportunity to shoot a 3, they’re only doing it after multiple actions which has resulted in the raps giving up the 6th most attempts at corner 3’s but also the 3rd best opponents corner 3 shooting % at 32.7%.


This team is just good at defense, they try hard and they are connected right now. I don’t think its just luck, I think the raptors are tiring out their opponents and speeding them up. It was apparent last game against the sixers that Maxey was trying to get things rolling and he usually plays at a faster pace and he was testing the pace of our defense and I think ultimately that really tires out opponents over the course of a game.

Probably more important stat is we are #2 in Transition D. If we are good in that area, it's likely because we are limiting transition 3 opportunities which are going to be the most wide open of any 3 taken which would then coincide with a lower 3 PT% for the other team overall as well.

[pogi]

If Raptors beat Pistons and Knicks, I will believe, they are beating teams that missing their main players plus Eastern Conference is weak.
Raptors need revenge against Dallas they are beatable.

[rapz101]

i think some of that is luck based, honestly teams are hitting the least amount of open 3s against us in the whole nba i believe so that defensive rating could really come back to earth once that normalizes.

While true, I wonder if the raptors pace has had something to do with the “luck” of team hitting less shots. It’s interesting.

The raptors are in the top 3 of transition frequency of their offensive possessions at 24.4%.


The top 5 is:
1. Bulls 25.4%
2. Heat 24.6%
3. Raptors 24.4%
4. Hawks 22.8%
5. Trailblazers 21.8%

Clippers are last in transition frequency at 13.7%

The Raptors, Heat and Hawks have all benefitted from low opponents 3p% (so lower makes by teams on average):

Top 6:

1.Nuggets 30%
2. Heat 30.8%
3. Raptors 30.8%
4. Suns 31.7%
5. Pacers 32%
6. Hawks 32.4 %

Hornets are last at 41.1%, Clippers are 4th worst at 37.6%.

And when you do a deeper dive into the stats, you’ll find the raptors are about middle of the pack in giving up shots from anywhere on the court except at the rim. And opponents are shooting 66.6% from shots less than 5 ft.

What I take from this is that the raptors are scrambling, they are running at shooters, running them off the line and when the opponents finally gets an opportunity to shoot a 3, they’re only doing it after multiple actions which has resulted in the raps giving up the 6th most attempts at corner 3’s but also the 3rd best opponents corner 3 shooting % at 32.7%.


This team is just good at defense, they try hard and they are connected right now. I don’t think its just luck, I think the raptors are tiring out their opponents and speeding them up. It was apparent last game against the sixers that Maxey was trying to get things rolling and he usually plays at a faster pace and he was testing the pace of our defense and I think ultimately that really tires out opponents over the course of a game.

Trying to look at other aspects of opponents' 3pt shooting. Like when in the shot clock are they taking them:

Very Late (4-0): 3.7att (8th most), 30.9% (21st lowest)
Late (7-0): 3.9att (5th most), 32.8% (11th lowest)
Average (15-7): 17.5 (18th most), 35.0% (12th lowest)
Early (18-15): 6.9 (17th most), 32.0% (3rd lowest)
Very Early (22-18): 4.5 (28th most), 23.9% (1st lowest)

they do seem to be keeping a low percentage on early 3pt shots, which might be lucky, but at the same time they're also forcing more late clock 3pt shots than most teams, which are getting hit at an average race for late shots but late shots have a lower percentage on average.

I'd also like to figure out if the raps are doing a better job of letting the right guys shoot 3s against them but i don't know how.

Based on the stats, it seems the Raptors are getting to shooters early. Our Transition defense by FG% is 50% (5th best), OKC is first at 47%, Kings are last at 60%. And I think because we are hustling and getting back on defense early, opponents have been shooting 32.1% (4th best) on above the break 3's. This team is just hustling and the stats seem to be suggesting that.

On 3's overall, the Raptors have faced opponents who usually score 36.2% of their shots when contested from 3 (7th hardest % a team has faced this season - meaning we're generally facing teams that are on the higher end of hitting 3pt shots that are contested). The raptors have limited those teams to 32.4% when defending the opponents 3's [DFG%] (4th best). And that leaves the raptors with a -3.9% difference , which ultimately means we are holding teams under their usual %. This could point to many different factors (maybe the players we are contesting are worse shooters versus their better shooters as you suggested), but one things for certain, we are making teams shoot worse than they usually do. Whether that is contesting their better 3 point shooters more often, or funneling shots to players we want to shoot the ball, whatever it is, it's working and credit to the team and Darko so far for this development.

[Potential]

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[NinjaBro]

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Amazing

[Dennis 37]

Read on Twitter

Looks like they have Potential.

[redraptor77]

While true, I wonder if the raptors pace has had something to do with the “luck” of team hitting less shots. It’s interesting.

The raptors are in the top 3 of transition frequency of their offensive possessions at 24.4%.


The top 5 is:
1. Bulls 25.4%
2. Heat 24.6%
3. Raptors 24.4%
4. Hawks 22.8%
5. Trailblazers 21.8%

Clippers are last in transition frequency at 13.7%

The Raptors, Heat and Hawks have all benefitted from low opponents 3p% (so lower makes by teams on average):

Top 6:

1.Nuggets 30%
2. Heat 30.8%
3. Raptors 30.8%
4. Suns 31.7%
5. Pacers 32%
6. Hawks 32.4 %

Hornets are last at 41.1%, Clippers are 4th worst at 37.6%.

And when you do a deeper dive into the stats, you’ll find the raptors are about middle of the pack in giving up shots from anywhere on the court except at the rim. And opponents are shooting 66.6% from shots less than 5 ft.

What I take from this is that the raptors are scrambling, they are running at shooters, running them off the line and when the opponents finally gets an opportunity to shoot a 3, they’re only doing it after multiple actions which has resulted in the raps giving up the 6th most attempts at corner 3’s but also the 3rd best opponents corner 3 shooting % at 32.7%.


This team is just good at defense, they try hard and they are connected right now. I don’t think its just luck, I think the raptors are tiring out their opponents and speeding them up. It was apparent last game against the sixers that Maxey was trying to get things rolling and he usually plays at a faster pace and he was testing the pace of our defense and I think ultimately that really tires out opponents over the course of a game.

Trying to look at other aspects of opponents' 3pt shooting. Like when in the shot clock are they taking them:

Very Late (4-0): 3.7att (8th most), 30.9% (21st lowest)
Late (7-0): 3.9att (5th most), 32.8% (11th lowest)
Average (15-7): 17.5 (18th most), 35.0% (12th lowest)
Early (18-15): 6.9 (17th most), 32.0% (3rd lowest)
Very Early (22-18): 4.5 (28th most), 23.9% (1st lowest)

they do seem to be keeping a low percentage on early 3pt shots, which might be lucky, but at the same time they're also forcing more late clock 3pt shots than most teams, which are getting hit at an average race for late shots but late shots have a lower percentage on average.

I'd also like to figure out if the raps are doing a better job of letting the right guys shoot 3s against them but i don't know how.

Based on the stats, it seems the Raptors are getting to shooters early. Our Transition defense by FG% is 50% (5th best), OKC is first at 47%, Kings are last at 60%. And I think because we are hustling and getting back on defense early, opponents have been shooting 32.1% (4th best) on above the break 3's. This team is just hustling and the stats seem to be suggesting that.

On 3's overall, the Raptors have faced opponents who usually score 36.2% of their shots when contested from 3 (7th hardest % a team has faced this season - meaning we're generally facing teams that are on the higher end of hitting 3pt shots that are contested). The raptors have limited those teams to 32.4% when defending the opponents 3's [DFG%] (4th best). And that leaves the raptors with a -3.9% difference , which ultimately means we are holding teams under their usual %. This could point to many different factors (maybe the players we are contesting are worse shooters versus their better shooters as you suggested), but one things for certain, we are making teams shoot worse than they usually do. Whether that is contesting their better 3 point shooters more often, or funneling shots to players we want to shoot the ball, whatever it is, it's working and credit to the team and Darko so far for this development.

What’s remarkable is our first four/five games we were horrible on defence
Really bad. Transition D was so bad
So after game five we have been phenomenal

[JB7]

Trying to look at other aspects of opponents' 3pt shooting. Like when in the shot clock are they taking them:

Very Late (4-0): 3.7att (8th most), 30.9% (21st lowest)
Late (7-0): 3.9att (5th most), 32.8% (11th lowest)
Average (15-7): 17.5 (18th most), 35.0% (12th lowest)
Early (18-15): 6.9 (17th most), 32.0% (3rd lowest)
Very Early (22-18): 4.5 (28th most), 23.9% (1st lowest)

they do seem to be keeping a low percentage on early 3pt shots, which might be lucky, but at the same time they're also forcing more late clock 3pt shots than most teams, which are getting hit at an average race for late shots but late shots have a lower percentage on average.

I'd also like to figure out if the raps are doing a better job of letting the right guys shoot 3s against them but i don't know how.

Based on the stats, it seems the Raptors are getting to shooters early. Our Transition defense by FG% is 50% (5th best), OKC is first at 47%, Kings are last at 60%. And I think because we are hustling and getting back on defense early, opponents have been shooting 32.1% (4th best) on above the break 3's. This team is just hustling and the stats seem to be suggesting that.

On 3's overall, the Raptors have faced opponents who usually score 36.2% of their shots when contested from 3 (7th hardest % a team has faced this season - meaning we're generally facing teams that are on the higher end of hitting 3pt shots that are contested). The raptors have limited those teams to 32.4% when defending the opponents 3's [DFG%] (4th best). And that leaves the raptors with a -3.9% difference , which ultimately means we are holding teams under their usual %. This could point to many different factors (maybe the players we are contesting are worse shooters versus their better shooters as you suggested), but one things for certain, we are making teams shoot worse than they usually do. Whether that is contesting their better 3 point shooters more often, or funneling shots to players we want to shoot the ball, whatever it is, it's working and credit to the team and Darko so far for this development.

What’s remarkable is our first four/five games we were horrible on defence
Really bad. Transition D was so bad
So after game five we have been phenomenal

Look at the competition those first 5 games of the season (plus Yak was hurt to start the season):
- Hawks (Raps won)
- Bucks (Giannis healthy and playing out of his mind to start the season)
- Mavs (AD healthy at the time, at home and were done 0-2 on the season, plus probably got some help from the zebras)
- Spurs (Wemby healthy and rolling)
- Rockets (way too much size)

That stretch of 4 games will probably be the toughest they face this season.

[redraptor77]

Based on the stats, it seems the Raptors are getting to shooters early. Our Transition defense by FG% is 50% (5th best), OKC is first at 47%, Kings are last at 60%. And I think because we are hustling and getting back on defense early, opponents have been shooting 32.1% (4th best) on above the break 3's. This team is just hustling and the stats seem to be suggesting that.

On 3's overall, the Raptors have faced opponents who usually score 36.2% of their shots when contested from 3 (7th hardest % a team has faced this season - meaning we're generally facing teams that are on the higher end of hitting 3pt shots that are contested). The raptors have limited those teams to 32.4% when defending the opponents 3's [DFG%] (4th best). And that leaves the raptors with a -3.9% difference , which ultimately means we are holding teams under their usual %. This could point to many different factors (maybe the players we are contesting are worse shooters versus their better shooters as you suggested), but one things for certain, we are making teams shoot worse than they usually do. Whether that is contesting their better 3 point shooters more often, or funneling shots to players we want to shoot the ball, whatever it is, it's working and credit to the team and Darko so far for this development.

What’s remarkable is our first four/five games we were horrible on defence
Really bad. Transition D was so bad
So after game five we have been phenomenal

Look at the competition those first 5 games of the season (plus Yak was hurt to start the season):
- Hawks (Raps won)
- Bucks (Giannis healthy and playing out of his mind to start the season)
- Mavs (AD healthy at the time, at home and were done 0-2 on the season, plus probably got some help from the zebras)
- Spurs (Wemby healthy and rolling)
- Rockets (way too much size)

That stretch of 4 games will probably be the toughest they face this season.

Granted
I think they made adjustments to D
The second time they played the bucks and since that stretch of time they aren’t pressing as much and seem much more in control
They played cavs and bucks 76ers since then