Raptors Film Room: Their offense is broken

Here’s Ian Finlayson on the Raptors loss and Barnes’s performance:

Big brothered Noah Clowney with a swat to start the game – he remains a novelty-sized eraser on defence – but that was maybe to only positive from Barnes’ first half. Instead of making a read to Gradey Dick open in the corner he delayed and tried to make an interior pass to Mamu that went right to Zaire Williams. Barnes did immediately redeem himself by snatching a pass from Williams right back. His shot just wasn’t going down. He missed multiple wide-open looks and didn’t make up for it enough in other aspects of the game. Barnes aggression was minimal and he failed to use one his best attributes, his strength and touch, to finish shots at the rim.

1. The Raptors were utterly lethargic running their actions in this game. Even if an off-ball cut or screen isn’t the primary function of the play being run, hitting it at full pace can go a long way in changing how the defence reacts. The Raptors were doing the opposite, sleepwalking through pin downs and Iverson cuts. Listless.
2. The Raptors saw zone for the fourth time in four games. Earlier in the season, they were able to solve it against the Nets with some simple off-ball screens. In this game they looked relatively inept, lost, without a rope.
3. Toronto’s rim finishing is so bad, and this was among their worst games of the season. They were in the second percentile at 45 percent per Cleaning the Glass.
4. RJ Barrett was on the court working out with coaches before the game and seems to be nearing a return. A welcome sight for a Raptors offence that has plummeted to the bottom without him.