"Brandon Ingram was the offensive dynamo he is known to be in the opening quarter, showing his scoring skills with an array of flashy spin moves and soft touch jumpers. For every bucket Toronto got it felt like Houston had an immediate answer of their own. With no Poeltl in the game Toronto had to be careful with how they guarded Rockets All Star center Alperen Sengun."
"On many possessions where Sengun got the ball they would double him and try to make the subsequent rotations. Early on Toronto's rotations looked crisp, they were closing out perfectly, running guys off the line. However, this strategy led to helping off of Jabari Smith Jr who punished them with an early 10 points. Toronto found early success putting Kevin Durant in pick n' roll actions early, they were able to get Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles wide open dunks as a result"
Toronto entered on a three-game losing streak and needed a win after a disappointing start to the season. Even with an absurd night from behind the arc, Toronto could not put together enough defensive possessions to win. Brandon Ingram scored early with flashy spin moves and soft-touch jumpers while Houston answered every time. Without starter Poeltl, Toronto frequently doubled Alperen Sengun, which forced rotations that left shooters like Jabari Smith Jr. open. Toronto generated offense through Durant-driven pick-and-rolls that created easy baskets for Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles. Transition defense and rebounding lapses allowed Houston to hold an early lead.
Read at Raptors Republic
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