Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković praised his team’s third-quarter performance in their 122-109 road victory over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday. While the Raptors are priced at +1400 to win the Atlantic Division according to Betway’s latest NBA odds, they are firmly in contention to secure a play-off spot.
The Raptors trailed 61-52 at halftime, but rallied to lead by 13 points at the end of the third quarter. Rajakovic was delighted with his team’s performance. “Glory to God,” Rajaković said. “Zone is such a defence that you don’t see it all the time. I thought it was great for us to play against the zone that much tonight.
“All the principles we work on kind of fall in line during that third quarter, and we felt very comfortable with what we were doing.
“We’re making good decisions. For a stretch of games, we were just more comfortable understanding that when our good shooters are taking shots, we’ve got to live with the outcome.”
Barnes Sparkles in Sacramento
Scottie Barnes was the Raptors’ standout performer in Sacramento, shooting eight from 17, adding eight rebounds, seven assists, and four steals. The Raptors have struggled against zone defences this season, but Barnes showcased his talent by adjusting and tearing the Kings to pieces in the third quarter.
With Jakob Poeltl, RJ Barrett, and Collin Murray-Boyles sidelined, the onus was on Barnes to prove why he has been praised for leading a Raptors revival in Toronto.
He achieved that with aplomb against the Kings, recording 14 of his 23 points in the third quarter. He attacked mismatches and created a ton of opportunities for his teammates. The Raptors demonstrated they are not a one-man team, with Brandon Ingram also scoring 23 points and Sandro Mamukelashvili tallying just one fewer.
A tough match at the Portland Trail Blazers is next on the agenda, before the Raptors complete their latest road trip at the Oklahoma City Thunder. With six of the next seven games scheduled for home, the Canadian team has a golden opportunity to improve its position.
Ingram’s and Barnes’ Chemistry is Crucial
The on-court chemistry between Barnes and Ingram has been a big reason the Raptors are 27-19 after 46 games.
Barnes can play any position from point guard to centre, which gives the Raptors plenty of flexibility when it comes to match-ups. He recently acknowledged that his link-up with Ingram is still developing, and says he is looking forward to seeing where it can take them this season.
“I like the pace behind it,” Barnes said. “You know, got the ball off the board, him pushing the pace and him creating so much gravity that he’s able to just see the floor, see open passes, and make them on time, on target. So, that’s what I like about it.”
With some key players scheduled to return from injury, the Raptors are well-placed to enhance their playoff qualification hopes over the next few weeks. On paper, a 6-4 or 7-3 run from their next ten games is entirely feasible if the Raptors continue to demonstrate the same spirit they showed in Sacramento.
While winning the NBA title for the second time in franchise history is probably asking too much, returning to the postseason for the first time in four years would represent significant progress.
