Raptors Outlook

Record: 1-1

Seth Lundy exploded last game for 23 points while shooting 6-9 from three, and he was aided by Tyrekse Key who poured in 19 points of his own. Toronto has a fairly sound defensive gameplan with this group even without the services of Murray-Boyles and Martin. They have plenty of size and length on defense, with Allen Graves and Nate Bittle providing some rugged interior defense. There are no notable prospects on the Indiana Pacers summer league team this season, since they traded what would’ve been the 5th overall pick to the Los Angeles Clippers and were only left with later picks in the draft. Even if Murray-Boyles and Martin do not suit up again, Toronto has more raw talent on their squad than the Pacers do, which should give them the edge in this matchup.

Pacers Outlook

Record: 1-1

Indiana has fan favorite guard Yuki Kawamura on their squad, and in a summer league setting Kawamura provides some decent playmaking and ball handling to Indiana. So far during summer league nobody on Indiana’s squad has shined too brightly. Jalen Slawson, a second-year power forward dropped 26 points in their last game although it came in a loss against the Philadelphia 76ers. Slawson seems to be their de-facto go-to scoring option, but Toronto has the size and interior presence to force him to struggle. It is summer league so it remains to be seen if someone on their team will step up in the moment, but as of right now, things have been fairly lackluster for the Pacers in Vegas.

Game Info

Tip-Off: 4:30 p.m. ET

Television: NBA League Pass

Venue: Pavilion, Las Vegas

Rosters

Toronto Raptors

Indiana Pacers

Injury Report

Toronto Raptors

Collin Murray-Boyles – Questionable (Finger Sprain)

Alijah Martin – Questionable (Knee Inflammation)

Indiana Pacers

None to report.

Odds as of Jul 13, 12:00 a.m. ET

The post Gameday: Raptors @ Pacers, July 13th first appeared on Raptors Republic.

As the expansion squad continues to navigate a laundry list of injuries, the level of competition only seems to get higher, while the losses have started to pile up.

Standing in the Tempo’s way on Sunday afternoon was Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and a New York Liberty team that had already thumped Toronto by 15 points in a game last month when Sabrina Ionescu wasn’t even available.

The Liberty guard was in action tonight, however, presumably eager to help her team shake off back-to-back losses and hand the Tempo a second defeat at Montreal’s Bell Centre, and a fifth straight overall.

Which is why, despite blowing another late lead — after going up by as many as 20 points — and getting outscored 27-13 in the fourth quarter, the Tempo gladly settled for a 93-91 victory.

The box score certainly won’t go up on the fridge, considering the 23 turnovers for 27 points would be quite an eyesore, but the win counts in the standings all the same. Toronto improved to 10-13 on the season and sits two games back of the eight-seed Washington Mystics for the final playoff spot.

And what may go down as more of a standout from the game than the actual outcome was how the Tempo ended up there. The victory didn’t come together thanks to another offensive showcase from Marina Mabrey — while she racked up a game-high 30 points, and is now second in the WNBA with her fifth 30-point game (trailing only A’ja Wilson’s seven), she also shot 9-of-19 from the field and committed six turnovers to offset her five assists.

Sunday’s Montreal matinee wound up being a collaborative production, with the European contingent of Laura Juskaite, Maria Conde and Nyara Sabally all taking turns on centre stage. Early on, it was the rookies making the most noise as Juskaite hit a trail triple from ATB, then punched the ball into the paint a couple of possessions later before kicking out to Conde on the right wing.

The pair hit two of the Tempo’s four threes — on nine attempts — in the opening frame, as each chipped in five points to help build a 24-19 lead over the Liberty. Mabrey led the way with seven early points but did most of her damage by going 4-of-4 from the line, en route to finishing 9-of-11 from the charity stripe.

Juskaite and Conde weren’t done there, however, as the pair combined for 12 more points in the second quarter, even supercharging a 13-2 run that put the Tempo up 47-39 at the break. First, it was the Lithuanian import floating into the pinch-post area on the left side of the floor and finding Conde, who had lifted above the break, to hit the open three. The Spaniard then returned the favour by feeding Juskaite down low in that same pinch-post spot, who then spun off Ionescu and dropped in a push shot before pulling up and drilling a three of her own from above the break.

The Euro duo was relentless getting up and down the floor, no longer burdened by having to trail and check opposing bigs thanks to a (mostly) in-tact frontcourt rotation for Sandy Brondello to work with. Instead, it was as though they were plopped onto the autobahn, free to accelerate as much or as little as they pleased — the Tempo would up scoring 15 fastbreak points in the second quarter and finished plus-26 (28-2) for the game.

But after the break was when Toronto really hit that next gear, putting up 33 points on 14-of-19 shooting while chipping in nine unanswered fastbreak buckets. The Tempo had seemingly reached flowstate between Juskaite attacking a closeout by freezing Ionescu with a pass-fake and finishing at the rim, Conde curling into a fadeaway three from the right corner and Mabrey joining in on the fun with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field.

Much of which felt like a luxury given the double-digit lead, but it turned out Toronto needed every bit of that 16-point buffer headed into the final 10 minutes of action. They wound up losing the final frame for a fifth consecutive game, now minus-45 in the fourth quarter during that span.

Committing 11 turnovers for 15 points was certainly the biggest culprit for the near collapse, but shooting 4-of-13 or sending New York to the line for 12 free throws did the team no favours either.

Five of those giveaways came off the hands of Mabrey as the Liberty hounded the all-star guard the full length of the court for much of the frame — doing just about anything they could to throw off her focus. Emphasis on anything, considering a shoe was flung at Mabrey right as the two sides were embroiled in a one-point game. The perpetrator, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, was tossed after receiving a second technical foul for the incident, despite making the case that she was simply trying to return the shoe to her teammate, Jones.

Call it a step in the right direction, as Mabrey managed to keep her cool; she is working on not being “rage-baited” after all, as she explained post-game.

The now-composed Tempo star made the lapse by Laney-Hamilton work in Toronto’s favour by knocking down the technical free throw, before setting up the game-winning basket. After receiving an inbound pass, Mabrey was immediately blitzed while trying to work into a pick-and-roll and she astutely swung the ball to Julie Allemand on the left wing, who then redirected it — for her 10th assist — to a rolling Sabally, who scored the final two of her 13 points.

It was fitting that while it appeared that those around Mabrey, like Juskaite and Conde, had all but run out of gas (a common theme of late), Sabally, who was kept to a modest workload entering the fourth quarter after missing the last game with a knee injury, stepped in and (literally) drove Toronto to victory. She also paired up with Juskaite for a game-sealing stop, as the two converged on a curling Stewart and suffocated her shot attempt at the basket.

Ultimately, it’s a win that’ll go down as far from perfect, but still a marker of progress.

The Tempo return to action on Tuesday, back in Toronto to host the very Mystics team they’re chasing in the standings.

(Editor’s note: We’re experimenting with a traditional recap format as opposed to the Quick Reaction style. If you have any feedback, let us know!)

The post Tempo snap skid vs. Liberty thanks to Marina Mabrey, European contingent first appeared on Raptors Republic.

The post Tempo hold on for CLUTCH win vs. Liberty | Full Game Recap + Analysis first appeared on Raptors Republic.

From Louis’ QR:

“Allen Graves | Grade: B

It was a quiet game, though he found his way to impact in a variety of paths. The hands remain an insane weapon, as he picked a pocket within the first minute or two of the game. He cuts well. He even dimed Bittle in a pick and roll (though Bittle smoked the layup only to put it right back in). He didn’t get many shots up, as his teammates weren’t creating anything for him, but his first bucket came on a clever screen, slip, catch, post, and hook wombo combo. He opened the second half with a little isolation, which created a tough mid-range fadeaway. He later drove for a soft lefty finish, then hit a standstill triple.

Nate Bittle | Grade: C

His passing stands out in Summer League, as he reads what’s actually happening on the floor beyond what is supposed to happen within an individual set. But he didn’t find time for open jumpers, though he did can a relatively contested one in the fourth, and his rim protection wasn’t as meaningful as it was in Game 1. He was losing some rebounding battles on both ends that he shouldn’t have lost. A quiet game for Bittle.

20 MIN, 9 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 2-5 FG, 1-3 3FG, 2-2 FT, 1 BLK, 3 TO, -3 +/-

Seth Lundy | Grade: A-

Wowie does he ever get them up. And he has so much lift on his legs with his jumper that even contested ones end up relatively open. But things got worse when he wasn’t getting shots up. He committed two unforced turnovers on his first two touches. Canned a triple on his next look. Hit another above the break minutes later. His contested jumpers were more or less Toronto’s only source of offence for long, long stretches. He did well to make them, but the Raptors really could have used better guard play across the board so as not to rely on contested shot-making.

29 MIN, 23 PTS, 5 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 8-11 FG, 6-9 3FG, 1-1 FT, 0 BLK, 2 TO, +13 +/-

Jaden Bradley | Grade: D

As in the first game, the offence suffered when he replaced Chucky Hepburn. He had a drive for a layup in the third. He struggled to bring the ball up the floor against pressure.

8 MIN, 2 PTS, 1 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 1-3 FG, 0-1 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 3 TO, -8 +/-“

Have a blessed day.

The post The Raptors are searching for diamonds at Summer League first appeared on Raptors Republic.

It was a quiet game, though he found his way to impact in a variety of paths. The hands remain an insane weapon, as he picked a pocket within the first minute or two of the game. He cuts well. He even dimed Bittle in a pick and roll (though Bittle smoked the layup only to put it right back in). He didn’t get many shots up, as his teammates weren’t creating anything for him, but his first bucket came on a clever screen, slip, catch, post, and hook wombo combo. He opened the second half with a little isolation, which created a tough mid-range fadeaway. He later drove for a soft lefty finish, then hit a standstill triple.

27 MIN, 9 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 4-7 FG, 1-3 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 2 TO, +9 +/-

Nimari Burnett | Grade: B

He’s quiet in a starting lineup that features others far more than him, but he canned a tough pull-up triple in transition on his first look. He cut backdoor for buckets, too. He fits well into the defensive identity.

21 MIN, 14 PTS, 3 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL, 4-9 FG, 1-5 3FG, 2-3 FT, 0 BLK, 1 TO, +1 +/-

Nate Bittle | Grade: C

His passing stands out in Summer League, as he reads what’s actually happening on the floor beyond what is supposed to happen within an individual set. But he didn’t find time for open jumpers, though he did can a relatively contested one in the fourth, and his rim protection wasn’t as meaningful as it was in Game 1. He was losing some rebounding battles on both ends that he shouldn’t have lost. A quiet game for Bittle.

20 MIN, 9 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 2-5 FG, 1-3 3FG, 2-2 FT, 1 BLK, 3 TO, -3 +/-

Chucky Hepburn | Grade: C-

He has quietly been less than expected, even if his defence is game-winning in Summer League. He forces so many negative dribbles when he digs into the ball. Unfortunately on the other end he really isn’t a threatening scorer. The jumper wasn’t falling, and he wasn’t creating space for himself inside the arc, either. He hit a mid-range pull-up in the second half, but that was the only real bright spot. He won his minutes by a massive margin, but he hasn’t proved to be ‘too good for Summer League’ in a way that I’m sure the Raptors were hoping.

26 MIN, 2 PTS, 5 REB, 8 AST, 2 STL, 1-5 FG, 0-3 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 3 TO, +23 +/-

Seth Lundy | Grade: A-

Wowie does he ever get them up. And he has so much lift on his legs with his jumper that even contested ones end up relatively open. But things got worse when he wasn’t getting shots up. He committed two unforced turnovers on his first two touches. Canned a triple on his next look. Hit another above the break minutes later. His contested jumpers were more or less Toronto’s only source of offence for long, long stretches. He did well to make them, but the Raptors really could have used better guard play across the board so as not to rely on contested shot-making.

29 MIN, 23 PTS, 5 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 8-11 FG, 6-9 3FG, 1-1 FT, 0 BLK, 2 TO, +13 +/-

Jaden Bradley | Grade: D

As in the first game, the offence suffered when he replaced Chucky Hepburn. He had a drive for a layup in the third. He struggled to bring the ball up the floor against pressure.

8 MIN, 2 PTS, 1 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 1-3 FG, 0-1 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 3 TO, -8 +/-

Tyson Degenhart | Grade: D

Committed a truly terrible foul with 0.1 seconds left in the first quarter to give the Rockets free throws. He missed some very open jumpers.

10 MIN, 0 PTS, 1 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0-2 FG, 0-1 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 1 TO, -2 +/-

Tyreke Key | Grade: B+

He works remarkably hard. Runs hard and far off the ball. He tried to hammer on a defender but got blocked, and probably wouldn’t have dunked even if he hadn’t, but drew free throws regardless. He plays physically and battled for free throws at times when the Raptors’ offence would otherwise have stalled. It was an impressive game.

17 MIN, 19 PTS, 2 REB, 0 AST, 1 STL, 4-6 FG, 3-4 3FG, 4-4 FT, 1 BLK, 1 TO, +12 +/-

Jamarion Sharp | Grade: B-

The man dunks or does nothing on offence, those are the options. Spent his entire first possession wide open only not to get the ball — welcome to Summer League — so he just threw it back in off the miss. He could use some work on his screen craft. Defensively, he didn’t block nearly as many shots, but his presence clearly dissuaded opponents in the paint. He had to hit free throws at the end of the game to maintain the lead, and he did well enough.

16 MIN, 16 PTS, 7 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 5-5 FG, 0-0 3FG, 5-8 FT, 2 BLK, 1 TO, +11 +/-

AJ Hoggard | Grade: B+

The five-year college vet was quietly one of Toronto’s better performers, at least until some missed shots late. But he was Toronto’s best passer. He threw a lob to Sharp from half court, which is fun. The defence was quite strong, as he played ball-handlers right into strips. Ran a pick and roll and actually got into the paint in the second quarter, finding Burnett on a backdoor cut for a dunk. He even hit a corner triple in the midst of a very low-scoring second quarter.

18 MIN, 7 PTS, 6 REB, 5 AST, 2 STL, 2-8 FG, 1-2 3FG, 1-1 FT, 0 BLK, 3 TO, +9 +/-

Ivo Simovic | Grade: N/A

What was with the horde of staff members on his bench?

The post Quick Reaction: Rockets 89, Raptors 102 first appeared on Raptors Republic.

Samson Folk breaks down Allen Graves’ Summer League debut.

From Louis’ piece:

“The Raptors finally got out in transition in end the first half with a lineup that featured all of Hepburn, Bradley, and Graves. The defensive-minded group forced oodles more turnovers and actually converted on the run, building a double-digit lead. It wasn’t pretty, but it was Raptors basketball.

Which also meant that a couple triples in the second half gave the Celtics the lead with relative ease. Hepburn fought Toronto back into the game with enormous effort, again drawing charges chasing around screens. Graves gathered more steals, more transition buckets. It wasn’t enough. Ultimately, the Raptors’ bench couldn’t hang in the game, and their starters couldn’t score enough to build an insurmountable lead.

Graves did had a letdown at the end of the game, as he failed to hustle back into the final play of regulation and ultimate gave up a triple to Boston to tie. He made up for it in overtime, as he grabbed two offensive rebounds to give Toronto a variety of chances to tie the game. They could not.

The Raptors made sure they supported their Summer League team. Among other attendees, leaders Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, and Darko Rajakovic were in the building watching their would-be teammates brick their shots and strip the ball from the Celtics. There were plenty of other teammates in attendance, too. That may not cause the continuity in identity between the big club and lesser squads like the Summer League roster, but it sure doesn’t hurt. Barnes spoke on the broadcast briefly about the theory of adding Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors. He mentioned “taking candy from a baby.”

When it came to the Celtics, the Summer League squad had the same idea in mind. The Raptors had plenty of blocks and steals, and Graves — the most important member of the squad with Murray-Boyles in street clothes — performed well. Sure, they lost. That’s just about the least important element of the night. It’s only been one Summer League game, but Graves looks more than ready. On a night of identity continuity, he, too, showed he can be a perfect cog of continuity in identity and fit when he joins the Raptors for his rookie season.”

Have a blessed day.

The post Allen Graves Dominated his Summer League Debut (Film Breakdown) first appeared on Raptors Republic.

Raptors Outlook

Record: 0-1

0-1

Raptors first-round draft pick Allen Graves had a very encouraging summer league debut, recording 22 points and 13 rebounds in last night’s contest. Graves showed a strong feel for cutting to the basket, had some tough finishes through contact, flashed some spot-up shooting ability while also showing that he can be a tenacious on-ball defender. Although they didn’t pick up the win, Raptors fans were left with a positive takeaway from last night’s contest. He will have the chance to continue his encouraging summer league against a lackluster Houston team tonight.

The status of Murray-Boyles and Martin will naturally have a very large impact on the outcome of tonight’s game, as their participation will shift the tide in Toronto’s favor. Murray-Boyles has been the talk of the Raptors summer league team, as it has been reported that he is looking to expand his game offensively, and what better venue to test these things out than summer league. 

Rockets Outlook

Record: 1-0

Houston’s roster does not feature anyone with too much NBA experience, so the reins for the team are up for the taking. Bruce Thornton had a big showing in their first game last night, dropping 27 points on 64 true-shooting in their 97-86 win over the Denver Nuggets. Daishen Nix was once a semi-notable prospect, and in a summer league setting his size and handling ability could prove troublesome as well. Overall, Houston’s roster is full of players who are trying to make a path into the NBA, and they’re as hungry as any team in Vegas, so you never know who could explode for a great game.

Game Info

Tip-Off: 9:30 p.m. ET

Television: NBA League Pass

Venue: Pavilion, Las Vegas

Rosters

Toronto Raptors

Houston Rockets

Injury Report

Toronto Raptors

Collin Murray-Boyles – Questionable (Finger Sprain)

Alijah Martin – Questionable (Knee Inflammation)

Houston Rockets

None to report.

Odds as of Jul 11, 12:00 a.m. ET

The post Gameday: Rockets @ Raptors, July 11th first appeared on Raptors Republic.

The Raptors were missing Collin Murray-Boyles in their opening game of the 2026 Summer League, but that didn’t matter a lick for their defence. The Boston Celtics committed seven turnovers before they converted a field goal. And when they weren’t turning it over, Nate Bittle was swatting shots at the rim, or forcing wild attempts due to his presence. With Jamal Shead no longer on the Summer League squad, Chucky Hepburn stole his move of drawing offensive fouls by chasing around screens. Allen Graves’ magnet hands ripped balls away on drives. When Jamarion Sharp entered the game — seven-foot-five reigning G-League Defensive Player of the Year — he immediately swatted a pull-up jumper. At halftime, the center duo of Bittle and Sharp had combined for 10 blocks.

It was a defensive masterclass against a Celtics team led by Huge Gonzalez and Chris Cenac jr. Boston would come back and tie the game, sending it to overtime. And they would go on to win the game. But it wasn’t the fault of Toronto’s defence.

Toronto’s offence was far less certain, though there were positives flashes. Graves ran like a madman in transition; he got the memo when it comes to the Raptors’ identity. He lofted in a nifty reverse layup midway through the second quarter. He missed his early triples, but he settled in and eventually finished 3-of-8 from deep. He won extra possessions on the offensive glass, which is a real selling point to his game. He played exactly how he has been advertised: smart, effective, and reliant on teammates to create shots for him in the half court. The jumper requires a slow load, but he eventually started banging them in. Ultimately, his strengths traveled from college to Summer League.

In the third quarter, he had perhaps his most impressive moment of the night, at least for projecting forward. He drove a closeout, took a few dribbles, and finished in traffic plus the foul. Driving and finishing was a question mark as to whether it would translate to the NBA, and though it wasn’t the NBA, that he found success doing so in Summer League is a good sign. The defence was rock solid, and the offence was perhaps ahead of schedule. He finished with an outrageous stat line of 22 points, 13 rebounds, three steals, and two blocks. He won his minutes handily in the loss.

Jaden Bradley, Toronto’s second-round draft pick this last draft, had some flashy moments of his own early on. At one point late in the first quarter, he dribbled calmly, patiently, slowly through Boston’s entire defence only to smoke the reverse layup. He threw a lob to Sharp in a high-tempo pick and roll that drew free throws. But at the same time, Toronto’s offence clearly lost pace when Bradley replaced Hepburn, and the Celtics clawed their way back into the game. If he couldn’t beat his man clean with his dribble, he often picked it up and was forced to reset possessions.

Despite those flashes, the offence truly was clunky. Toronto’s shooters missed from deep, and there were few individually capable isolation scorers and self-creators. (Yet more continuations from the big club.) The Raptors were forced to drive into crowds, with no players really capable of penetrating them with proper handles.

Seth Lundy was Toronto’s poppiest offensive player early. The 26-year-old subsisted on jumpers, and his willingness to hoist them up meant he was Toronto’s leading scorer at halftime. It was his triple attempt at the buzzer of overtime that went in and out to seal the loss. Nimari Burnett cut with aplomb. Bittle hit a triple in the third quarter, another in crunch time, threw some deft passes, and annihilated Gonzalez with as hard a screen as I’ve ever seen. He was remarkably comfortable and could well fight his way onto the big squad with more performances like that.

The Raptors finally got out in transition in end the first half with a lineup that featured all of Hepburn, Bradley, and Graves. The defensive-minded group forced oodles more turnovers and actually converted on the run, building a double-digit lead. It wasn’t pretty, but it was Raptors basketball.

Which also meant that a couple triples in the second half gave the Celtics the lead with relative ease. Hepburn fought Toronto back into the game with enormous effort, again drawing charges chasing around screens. Graves gathered more steals, more transition buckets. It wasn’t enough. Ultimately, the Raptors’ bench couldn’t hang in the game, and their starters couldn’t score enough to build an insurmountable lead.

Graves did had a letdown at the end of the game, as he failed to hustle back into the final play of regulation and ultimate gave up a triple to Boston to tie. He made up for it in overtime, as he grabbed two offensive rebounds to give Toronto a variety of chances to tie the game. They could not.

The Raptors made sure they supported their Summer League team. Among other attendees, leaders Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, and Darko Rajakovic were in the building watching their would-be teammates brick their shots and strip the ball from the Celtics. There were plenty of other teammates in attendance, too. That may not cause the continuity in identity between the big club and lesser squads like the Summer League roster, but it sure doesn’t hurt. Barnes spoke on the broadcast briefly about the theory of adding Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors. He mentioned “taking candy from a baby.”

When it came to the Celtics, the Summer League squad had the same idea in mind. The Raptors had plenty of blocks and steals, and Graves — the most important member of the squad with Murray-Boyles in street clothes — performed well. Sure, they lost. That’s just about the least important element of the night. It’s only been one Summer League game, but Graves looks more than ready. On a night of identity continuity, he, too, showed he can be a perfect cog of continuity in identity and fit when he joins the Raptors for his rookie season.

The post Raptors fall to Celtics, but Graves proves ideal for Raptors’ identity first appeared on Raptors Republic.

The post Tempo Make More WNBA HISTORY in Montreal vs. Wings | Full Game Recap + Analysis first appeared on Raptors Republic.

29 MIN, 22 PTS, 13 REB, 0 AST, 3 STL, 9-16 FG, 3-8 3FG, 1-1 FT, 2 BLK, 2 TO, +8 +/-

Graves was as good as advertised if not better. Showcased his physicality, hands, and disruptiveness to the fullest degree. Started knocking down some threes at the end, took a couple possessions handling in the pick n’ roll and was just working his butt off all night on both ends. Lots to be happy with for the Raptors 19th overall pick.

Nimari Burnett | Grade: C

24 MIN, 10 PTS, 2 REB, 5 AST, 0 STL, 4-10 FG, 0-4 3FG, 1-1 FT, 0 BLK, 1 TO, +10 +/-

Burnett was solid, nothing too flashy. He had some really nice backdoor cuts that led to finishes as well as some kick outs for good looks. Showcased some midrange ability as well. He reminds me of a specific NBA player but I can’t put my finger on it. 

Nate Bittle | Grade: B+

26 MIN, 8 PTS, 10 REB, 3 AST, 0 STL, 3-7 FG, 2-5 3FG, 0-0 FT, 6 BLK, 3 TO, +13 +/-

Bittle was very impressive. Was blocking everything, able to play good defense, hit a couple threes and was able to make plays from the top of the arc except for the very end of the game when he turned the ball over to give the Celtics a three point lead in the waning seconds. At this point he’s probably the front runner for the Raptors final two-way contract.

Chucky Hepburn | Grade: B

29 MIN, 11 PTS, 2 REB, 5 AST, 1 STL, 4-16 FG, 1-9 3FG, 1-1 FT, 0 BLK, 1 TO, +8 +/-

Seasoned point guard. Last year Hepburn was very impressive with the Raptors 905 before his injury. He came out to Las Vegas and picked up exactly where he left off. Knew when to push the pace and when to slow down. The Raptors played much better basketball when he was on the court. Shot really wasn’t falling but he slithered his way through the paint for floaters or kick outs. On defense he went to the school of Jamal Shead drawing multiple offensive fouls on screens. He should get some run with the Raptors this year.

Seth Lundy | Grade: C

26 MIN, 16 PTS, 6 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 4-15 FG, 2-11 3FG, 4-4 FT, 0 BLK, 1 TO, +11 +/-

This man is not afraid to shoot, that’s for sure. He started out strong with some made threes, but in the second half the shot just wasn’t falling. For the most part he got pretty good looks but there were probably a couple possessions where an extra pass wouldn’t have hurt. Had the last shot for the Raptors that went in and out in heartbreaking fashion in overtime.

Brandon Angel | Grade: D

15 MIN, 2 PTS, 4 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 1-2 FG, 0-0 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, -15 +/-

The Raptors ran a lot of their offense through their guards and centers, leaving the wings to finish plays rather than initiate them. Because of that, Angel went fairly unnoticed out there outside of getting absolutely swatted in mid-air on a layup attempt.

Jaden Bradley | Grade: C

18 MIN, 3 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST, 0 STL, 1-9 FG, 0-0 3FG, 1-1 FT, 0 BLK, 2 TO, -8 +/-

I think Bradley will get a lot out of playing for the Raptors 905 this season. He had a lot of the correct instincts and tools but was unable to execute at the same level as Hepburn. Whether it was leaving before a screen was set or simply missing shots he should make, things were close but not quite there for Bradley.

Tyson Degenhart | Grade: D

10 MIN, 2 PTS, 1 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 1-6 FG, 0-3 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, -15 +/-

Similarly to Angel, Degenhart was pretty quiet out there. He missed some threes that I know he can make from watching him with the Raptors 905. Otherwise he set a couple of back screens and had a couple of solid defensive possessions but uneventful overall. 

Tyreke Key | Grade: C-

16 MIN, 6 PTS, 2 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 2-6 FG, 1-3 3FG, 1-1 FT, 0 BLK, 3 TO, -11 +/-

He did it last year for the Raptors 905 as well all season but I’ll never get tired of watching Key just WORK out there. He’s not the tallest or strongest guy but he hustles his butt off and isn’t afraid to put the ball on the floor and try to create for himself. Three-point shot didn’t fall and had some turnovers but should have an excellent season for the Raptors 905.

Jamarion Sharp | Grade: C+

17 MIN, 0 PTS, 7 REB, 0 AST, 3 STL, 0-1 FG, 0-0 3FG, 0-2 FT, 4 BLK, 4 TO, -16 +/-

Sharp has some really impressive speed for his size at seven-foot-five. Had four blocks and three steals and showcased some great recovery on a couple possessions seemingly coming out of nowhere to scoop up blocks.. At one point he jumped a passing lane and dribbled it up the court himself. Really hoping to see him stick with the Raptors 905 this season, they could use the size and keeping him in the Raptors system would be excellent.

Ivo Simovic | Grade: N/A

I’m not going to try and evaulate a head coach in a summer league game, the goal isn’t always to win as much as it is on development.

The post Quick Reaction: Celtics 83, Raptors 80 first appeared on Raptors Republic.

Bueckers got out to a masterful start from the mid-range, savvily weaving through traffic, finding her spots and sinking it. She went 4-of-5 on middies in the first frame. But Mabrey, fresh off a frustrating, physical matchup with the Golden State Valkyries on Wednesday, came out with bigger guns blazing.

The newly anointed All-Star came off a high handoff, so high that Arike Ogunbowale dared to go under on the W’s top three-point shooter, and Mabrey used the tightest of windows to drill a triple from 30 feet.

It was the start of an onslaught. Another catch-and-shoot dropped. Julie Allemand grabbed a backcourt steal and immediately hit Mabrey, who ran into another 30-footer. Clearly feeling it, Mabrey went to work on Ogunbowale, hit a snatch-back dribble behind her back, stepped back, and banged another deep 3 with a hand in her face. It was a 4-for-4 start from downtown Montreal for Mabrey, part of a 17-point first quarter that shot them out to a 33-25 lead. It was apparently “insane” inside the Bell Centre, where a crowd of 20,996 broke the WNBA’s attendance record as the Tempo played the first game of their Cross-Canada Series. Mabrey’s final three points of the first came on foul shots after Odyssey Sims understandably played her aggressively at the 3-point line.

Mabrey, well known for her fiery personality — see the crash-out jar — didn’t hesitate to show aggression back. However, it quickly resulted in three personal fouls and got her a seat on the bench. But her hot shooting was contagious, and her teammates picked her up.

Fresh off a career-high 24-point night, Izzy Harrison continued to finish efficiently on cuts and as a roller, including the Tempo’s first two buckets of the game. Her pick n’ roll connection with Allemand kept bearing fruit. Later, Maria Conde came off a flare screen and hit a popping Harrison for an open 3. She had 11 on a perfect 5-for-5 at half.

After coming off the bench and seeing a slight dip in minutes, Laura Juskaite returned to the starting role she had occupied for 13 straight games previously, and it suited her. She scored on a couple of hard-charging drives, but also picked up where Mabrey left off from deep. She drained three first-half triples, including a tough side-step on a closeout and step-back. Juskaite’s mostly been a standstill catch-and-shoot 3-point shooter this season. Seeing her comfortably making shots off movement is an encouraging development.

Milton, Ont., native Kayla Alexander checked into the game in the second quarter, her first WNBA action since 2020, after signing a seven-day hardship contract on Thursday. With starting centre Nyara Sabally (knee) now sidelined along with fellow big Temi Fagbenle, Alexander stood to contribute in the frontcourt. She played 10 minutes, grabbing a pair of boards and sinking a single free throw.

Meanwhile, despite Mabrey and Juskaite letting it rain from 3, Bueckers miraculously kept pace from 2. She relentlessly wormed her way into the midrange and made her shots. Why slow down when you can keep smashing the Turbo button, if ain’t broke, don’t fix it, etc, etc. Jess Sheppard’s driving and Azzi Fudd’s shooting complemented it well, and the Wings drew even as the game crossed over the halfway point, setting up a wild second half that would somehow exceed the first-half shootout. Full speed ahead!

Ogunbowale came out of the half determined to attack Mabrey, and did so successfully, first making a fading mid-range jumper over the top. Next she drove and got an and-1 to go through contact, giving the Tempo’s first All-Star her fourth foul.

But Mabrey stayed in. First she split a blitz but fumbled the ball out of bounds as she spun to the rim. Then she split another double, and this time finished an and-1. Four fouls, plenty of time left and still not shying away from contact. Very Mabrey-coded. She made a great lay-down pass to Juskaite, but the swarming Wings’ defence stopped it. But a long rebound went to Harrison and she drained a triple. Allemand and Fudd traded transition pulls. It was breakneck runout after exceptional shot after well-executed play. The two teams had combined to shoot over 48% from 3. The defence was solid, but the offence was better. Good basketball. Juskaite rejected staggered pin downs and cut baseline to tie her career-high of 19. Then she passed it with a pair of free throws (Juskaite finished with 25). Toronto led 85-84 going into the final quarter.

Then, when it came down to winning time, it wasn’t there for the Tempo.

They had to work hard to get Mabrey the ball, having her screen and pop out to the perimeter. Getting the job done was a grind. She put her head down and drove, decelerated and stepped through for a tough, crafty finish. Conde dished for yet another Harrison layup, giving her 16 points and the Spaniard eight assists. All-around, the Tempo moved the ball well, particularly in the first half when 16 of their 32 field goals were assisted. But they had only eight more dimes in the second.

The offence stagnated. After their blazing start, Mabrey and Juskaite took on the brunt of the offensive possessions and scored only six points on nine shots. The Tempo scored only 10 points as a whole in the last frame. Meanwhile, Alysha Clark stepped up with all ten of her points, Ogunbowale sunk a big 3, and Bueckers kept owning the middle of the floor and pouring in points.

Ogunbowale’s 3 at the midway point of the fourth put Dallas up seven, and they kept the pedal on the floor as an 18-4 run silenced the largest crowd in WNBA history. It was an exhilarating game for the Montreal fans that skidded to a hapless ending for the Tempo. Great basketball until it wasn’t.

The Tempo are now 9-13 at the halfway point of the season, and it won’t get any easier when they host head coach Sandy Brondello’s old team, the New York Liberty, on Sunday at the Bell Centre again.

The post Tempo run out of gas, lose high-powered shootout to Wings first appeared on Raptors Republic.

This comes as a massive blow for the Raptors as they lose two of their strongest players for their first summer league game. For a roster that is came to Las Vegas with few players that have NBA experience, losing two of them before the first game tips off is less than ideal.

In particular, this is a shame for Murray-Boyles. Michael Grange reported yesterday that the Raptors were looking to push the sophomore forward out of his comfort zone and give him additional reps as a point-forward. That experiment will have to wait.

TSN’s Josh Lewenberg reports that the Raptors will start Chucky Hepburn, Nimari Burnett, Allen Graves, Seth Lundy, and Nate Bittle for tonight’s clash with the Celtics.

On the brightside, these injuries do provide opportunities for players still fighting for their spot in the league. The Raptors still have one two-way contract up for grabs and to this point have signed center Nate Bittle and guard Nimari Burnett to Exhibit-10 deals, meaning they will be around for training camp.

It also means that the Raptors 19th overall selection, Allen Graves, will be featured more heavily and Raptors’ fans will get a chance to see what skillset he brings to the team (hint: Lot’s of defense).

Chucky Hepburn getting the starting point guard slot is no surprise, as the guard was leading the Raptors 905 last season before tearing his meniscus partway through the season. He is on a two-way contract with the Raptors this season and will likely spend some time with the Raptors throughout the regular season, tonight’s start is a good way to get back on track.

Tonight’s game is set to tip-off at 9pm ET from the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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