NBA 2018-19: 4 Takeaways From Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets match up
On Monday, December 3rd, 2018, the Toronto Raptors and Denver Nuggets matched up, in Toronto. For the second straight game, the Raptors' shooting was suspect. They were 3/23 from the three-point arc in the first half. Meanwhile, the Nuggets were 11/28 from long distance in the game, for 39.3%
The Nuggets also got a double-double from their center Nikola Jokic on 6/7 shooting for 14 points, 10 assists and 5 rebounds, in the first half. Jokic wound up with a triple-double, with 23 points, 11 rebounds and 15 assists.
Jokic had one of the best passes of the game, when he fired a right-handed pass, from the left side, of the offensive zone, to the left corner finding Jamaal Murray for a three-point make. The Raptors had another miserable game rebounding. They gave the Nuggets 8 first-half offensive rebounds and 15, in total, for the game. The Raptors also gave up 9 first-half turnovers. It all added up to a 12 point halftime lead, for Denver, at 59-47.
The Raptors kept fighting and found themselves down, by only four points with 5:30 to play. An attack, from the wing, along with the baseline, by Pascal Siakam, led to a pass to Ibaka, for a one-handed slam, with less than 5 minutes to play, tying the game at 94.
Hernan Gomez followed, with a three, restoring a lead, for Denver, at 97-94. Danny Green, on a great pass, from Lowry, retied the game at 97, with a three-pointer, and both teams then traded turnovers, before Denver recorded another three-point shot, for a 100-97 lead, with 2:28 to play.
The Raptors took the lead on a jumper, by Kawhi Leonard with 54 seconds to play at 101-100. Ultimately, the Nuggets would prevail 106-103 improving to 16-7 and the Raptors suffered their 5th loss of the season and are now 20-5. Both teams remain the class of the Western and Eastern Conferences respectively.
The three takeaways, from this game, are, as follows.
#1 Defensive rebounding is a shortcoming for Raptors
This continues to be a glaring weakness for the Raptors. Against teams with size and length, and players, who are active, on the glass, the Raptors struggle mightily, in this area, of the game. Pascal Siakam, as great, as he has been this season, needs to fill out his frame and add strength. Since Thursday night, against Golden State, the Raptors have allowed their last three opponents to record 30 plus offensive rebounds. It was 15 tonight against Denver.
It appears the failure to grab defensive rebounds is the trade-off the Raptors have decided, for the moment, to suffer, by not playing two big men together. Serge Ibaka has been starting lately and Jonas Valanciunas has been coming off of the bench.
While Ibaka is a good rebounder, there is only so much he can do on his own. With less than 4 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, against Denver, the Raptors' starting unit had grabbed 19 defensive rebounds five each to Ibaka, Siakam and Leonard.
On one key defensive possession, with 1:17 to play, the ball was knocked out of bounds and possession was given to the Nuggets. In the battle for the rebound, Jokic might have gone over the back, on Ibaka, however, even with good box out position, Jokic, at 7 foot 250 pounds, is bigger than Ibaka and was muscling Ibaka under the backboards.
The Ibaka versus Jokic match up cost the Raptors the game. With seven seconds left, Ibaka was caught tugging Jokic jersey around his chest. Jokic hit the ensuing free throw and, with time frozen, Denver maintained possession, on a side throw in. This meant the Raptors had to fowl again and Denver made the free throws. The score went from tied at 103 to 106-103 advantage Denver, without the clock moving.
In contrast, late in the third quarter, Denver's Jokic and Millsap had 16 total rebounds and five of them were offensive. Torrey Craig had three offensive rebounds out of four in his first 15 minutes played in the game. The Nuggets, by the end of the third quarter, were winning the second chance points battle 23-2. This is a direct link to the Raptors failure to close defensive possessions, with rebounds.