Raps vs Celtics: Preseason - Wed, Oct 15th, 2025 - 730PM EST

[HumbleRen]

I'm not as knowledgeable about basketball as most posters but I think the Raptors should lean into RJ more as a core player than the steady drumbeat of trying to trade/dump him - I'm expecting RJ to be the Raptor's best player until the team trades him at the deadline and will live to regret that decision.

If RJ is our best player, something went horribly wrong in the season.

[ATLTimekeeper]

Through 5 pre-season games we have a really high assist rate and a really low TOV rate. Fwiw, last pre-season we had a high assist rate with a high TO rate and that carried through to the regular season.

The offense is encouraging despite the poor results. Poeltl is just getting his legs under him and Scottie and IQ have been off.

[Duffman100]

It looks like Scott doesn't even have space to work with downhill. The paint always looks packed when he has the ball

If he could knock down his open 3s, the paint would be more open for him. Boston packed the paint and let scottie shoot the 3, knowing how bad he shoots.

Yeah, even with our stretch 5 Mamu, he still didn't have room.

We're seeing a bunch of the excuses for Scottie come back to the same spot - Scottie. I still like / believe in him as a player, but man he's got to start making some strides.

[OAKLEY_2]

Through 5 pre-season games we have a really high assist rate and a really low TOV rate. Fwiw, last pre-season we had a high assist rate with a high TO rate and that carried through to the regular season.

The offense is encouraging despite the poor results. Poeltl is just getting his legs under him and Scottie and IQ have been off.

I remember when we first had Lowry his instincts were to finish everything and it created a backlash that saw him confined to the bench in favour of Calderon. Him and Casey not on the same page and lots of friction. IQ is kind of similar in that you need him to finish which sometimes comes at the expence of everyone else. Ingram looks pretty good out there and Scottie looks like he has nothing to prove this time of the year. One of Barrett or Quickley should start the season as 6th man. Shead starting and handling and letting Scottie be point forward would make the offence so much better. Quickley as first off the bench as scoring punch and closer. Barrett as first off the bench would add a driver to the bucket who does not need to nail 3's to be effective. Having the whole starting 5 carved in stone because of big contracts and expectations is a bit of a noose around the neck of ending the development phase. Barrett to me has more "team value" at this stage than Quickley. Imagine if Poetl is ever unavailable. He is the glue. That said Mogbo is quietly becoming a decent rotation player. Mamou is a solid depth piece with good motor. Talent-wise Walter could be a low minutes starter with Barrett being a high minutes 6th man. Alijah Martin is almost too good for the G league and seems to be one of too many guards. Quickley traded at the deadline is not beyond the realm of possibility if contract doesn't completely kill his value.

[theonlyeastcoastrapsfan]

It's a bit concerning that the bright spots have been the third unit so far, as that's the people not likley to play. they've been the ones fueling our comebacks and wining close games, tonight notwithstanding. The poor fit of the first 5 makes Scottie look lost. I'm a little surprised how Scottie goes from 1st to 4th option so quickly. To me Scottie off ball spacing the floor for BI doesn't work. Only way it can work is reverse it and keep Scottie trending as a Magic Johnson type with BI IQ making space for him.

[causal_fan]

It looks like Scott doesn't even have space to work with downhill. The paint always looks packed when he has the ball

If he could knock down his open 3s, the paint would be more open for him. Boston packed the paint and let scottie shoot the 3, knowing how bad he shoots.

Yeah, even with our stretch 5 Mamu, he still didn't have room.

We're seeing a bunch of the excuses for Scottie come back to the same spot - Scottie. I still like / believe in him as a player, but man he's got to start making some strides.

I'm going reserve comment until regular season games start.

[PushDaRock]

It's a bit concerning that the bright spots have been the third unit so far, as that's the people not likley to play. they've been the ones wuieing comeback and wining close games, tonight notwithstanding. Thbdfde fit of the first 5 makes Scottie look lost. I'm a little surprised how Scottie goes from 1st to 4th option so quickly. To me Scottie off ball spacing the floor for BI doesn't work. Only way it can work is reverse it and keep Scottie trending as a Magic Johnson type with BI IQ making space for him. II

lol some people just won't let the PG dream die

[Duffman100]

If he could knock down his open 3s, the paint would be more open for him. Boston packed the paint and let scottie shoot the 3, knowing how bad he shoots.

Yeah, even with our stretch 5 Mamu, he still didn't have room.

We're seeing a bunch of the excuses for Scottie come back to the same spot - Scottie. I still like / believe in him as a player, but man he's got to start making some strides.

I'm going reserve comment until regular season games start.

yeah I get it. But missing badly on all 3 attempts isn't really a preseason thing I would think? But maybe I'm wrong.

[theonlyeastcoastrapsfan]

It's a bit concerning that the bright spots have been the third unit so far, as that's the people not likley to play. they've been the ones wuieing comeback and wining close games, tonight notwithstanding. Thbdfde fit of the first 5 makes Scottie look lost. I'm a little surprised how Scottie goes from 1st to 4th option so quickly. To me Scottie off ball spacing the floor for BI doesn't work. Only way it can work is reverse it and keep Scottie trending as a Magic Johnson type with BI IQ making space for him. II

lol some people just won't let the PG dream die

Hey, they can change what's in the cupboard or we can make the best dish with what we have until they do. BI will make space for SB, SB will not make space for anyone. Otherwise, like in the 1st last night, these two are going to run to the same spot with BI going for a Jumper and Scotty running into his back, and facing an already crowded paint with easy def rotations.

[TheGeneral99]

Poeltl only played 1 game and he's our defensive ancho so hopefully that means our team will be better to start the season.

Very disappointed in Scottie and also didn't see that much from IQ.

I hope they are just coasting but still not a great sign.

[Raptors Realtor]

To add insult to injury, other players are using his contract as an example of why they should get the bag. I had high hopes for him and still have it but the roster construction is not doing him any favors

Suggs got 5 years 150m in the same offseason. The market is what it is, sometimes these things just come down to some luck in how the timing works out.

Suggs was a 17,4,4 per 36 minutes and more importantly he was coming off an all NBA defensive team. Plus they got him on a declining contract. Even then a lot of people said he was overpaid but it looks like he’s worth his money since Orlando completely collapsed when he was injured last year. I have no idea who exactly we were bidding against for Quickley.

You realize Suggs has historically missed a lot more games to injury than Quickly, and thus, that impacts contract terms.

[PushDaRock]

It's a bit concerning that the bright spots have been the third unit so far, as that's the people not likley to play. they've been the ones wuieing comeback and wining close games, tonight notwithstanding. Thbdfde fit of the first 5 makes Scottie look lost. I'm a little surprised how Scottie goes from 1st to 4th option so quickly. To me Scottie off ball spacing the floor for BI doesn't work. Only way it can work is reverse it and keep Scottie trending as a Magic Johnson type with BI IQ making space for him. II

lol some people just won't let the PG dream die

Hey, they can change what's in the cupboard or we can make the best dish with what we have until they do. BI will make space for SB, SB will not make space for anyone. Otherwise, like in the 1st last night, these two are going to run to the same spot with BI going for a Jumper and Scotty running into his back, and facing an already crowded paint with easy def rotations.

Yeah, I think we are better off just sticking him in the corner or having him in the dunker spot than doing that. We should not be running an offense through him, there's more than enough data to support that.

[theonlyeastcoastrapsfan]

lol some people just won't let the PG dream die

Hey, they can change what's in the cupboard or we can make the best dish with what we have until they do. BI will make space for SB, SB will not make space for anyone. Otherwise, like in the 1st last night, these two are going to run to the same spot with BI going for a Jumper and Scotty running into his back, and facing an already crowded paint with easy def rotations.

Yeah, I think we are better off just sticking him in the corner or having him in the dunker spot than doing that. We should not be running an offense through him, there's more than enough data to support that.

If that’s his role, trade him now for whatever we can and put CMB in that role.

[YogurtProducer]

Shead starting and handling and letting Scottie be point forward would make the offence so much better.

I just don't know how anyone can watch the games and think the solution is MORE scottie barnes at PG

[PushDaRock]

I'm not as knowledgeable about basketball as most posters but I think the Raptors should lean into RJ more as a core player than the steady drumbeat of trying to trade/dump him - I'm expecting RJ to be the Raptor's best player until the team trades him at the deadline and will live to regret that decision.

If RJ is our best player, something went horribly wrong in the season.

I thought it might be more egalitarian but it's clear that Ingram is going to be the guy offensively for us. The entire team defers to him.

[Brinbe]

Through 5 pre-season games we have a really high assist rate and a really low TOV rate. Fwiw, last pre-season we had a high assist rate with a high TO rate and that carried through to the regular season.

The offense is encouraging despite the poor results. Poeltl is just getting his legs under him and Scottie and IQ have been off.

yes, and I think that's a point in darko's favor that the process has mostly been good and he's generally getting guys into good spots to get positive looks but the execution has simply not been there. you'd hope that would swing back around because while we're seeing some guys like IQ/Scottie struggle a bit with their shots so far, I don't think it'll be nearly this bad from there forever. so things can/will swing upward but the fact they're winning the possession battles/getting way more shots off/shooting more 3s will pay off in the end. they're still keeping competitive now as is with awful shooting.

[PushDaRock]

Hey, they can change what's in the cupboard or we can make the best dish with what we have until they do. BI will make space for SB, SB will not make space for anyone. Otherwise, like in the 1st last night, these two are going to run to the same spot with BI going for a Jumper and Scotty running into his back, and facing an already crowded paint with easy def rotations.

Yeah, I think we are better off just sticking him in the corner or having him in the dunker spot than doing that. We should not be running an offense through him, there's more than enough data to support that.

If that’s his role, trade him now for whatever we can and put CMB in that role.

We won't be doing that until CMB shows a lot more or an opportunity to upgrade from Scottie comes (unlikely).

[dagger]

Yeah, even with our stretch 5 Mamu, he still didn't have room.

We're seeing a bunch of the excuses for Scottie come back to the same spot - Scottie. I still like / believe in him as a player, but man he's got to start making some strides.

I'm going reserve comment until regular season games start.

yeah I get it. But missing badly on all 3 attempts isn't really a preseason thing I would think? But maybe I'm wrong.

It's a concern, but if we are going to lean too hard into pre-season, then Gradey Dick shooting 47% from 3 and 56% from the field would mean he absolutely has to start. (There will also be regressions to the mean, so yes, let's wait for the serious action to begin).

[PushDaRock]

I'm going reserve comment until regular season games start.

yeah I get it. But missing badly on all 3 attempts isn't really a preseason thing I would think? But maybe I'm wrong.

It's a concern, but if we are going to lean too hard into pre-season, then Gradey Dick shooting 47% from 3 and 56% from the field would mean he absolutely has to start. (There will also be regressions to the mean, so yes, let's wait for the serious action to begin).

With regression to the mean in play, Scottie could be in for a hot start.

[ciueli]

This team is really looking like exactly what I thought they'd be, too many bad defenders in the starting lineup, you can't have a good defence with IQ, Barrett, and Ingram at the 1, 2, and 3, Scottie and Jak can't play defence for the entire team.

They'll try to compensate with their offence but it will be tough to do with Scottie looking like he has regressed yet again in 3 point shooting, even in preseason it's clear other teams are going to make it hard for the Raptors to get quality shots close to the basket. If they can't even play well against a decimated Boston team missing Brown for all but 7 minutes it's going to be a long season.