Three standout Raptors players vs. Clippers

1. Immanuel Quickley

After a less-than-memorable game against the Miami Heat, finishing with five points, 2-of-6 shooting and a minus-eight showing in 12 minutes during the Raptors’ pre-season opener, Quickley bounced back in a big way on Saturday.

The lead guard chipped in 18 points, four assists, four rebounds and a steal on 6-of-8 shooting en route to a game-high plus-27 outing in 19 minutes of action. And aside from the box-score production of it all, it was positive to see how Quickley made it all happen.

After a — albeit brief — quiet start, Quickley settled into a rhythm, especially from beyond the arc. And in many ways it’s the type of looks that should come in abundance in an offence that’ll put a lot of focus on the gravitational pull of a Leonard and Scottie Barnes. All five of Quickley’s made threes were of the catch-and-shoot variety, with him relocating and flowing into opportune spots to let it fly. For the Raptors to inch towards a league-average perimeter attack for the first time in a long time, they’ll need all of that and then some from Quickley moving forward.

And his positive effort wasn’t limited to just scoring the ball either. One of the underrated plays he made was setting an inverted drag screen for Scottie Barnes around mid-court to free up the Raptors forward for a downhill drive and score. Quickley was plenty noticeable on the defensive end as well, whether that was by closing possessions with one of his four rebounds, or by being an active participant in the Raptors’ aggressive style in the gaps and the point of attack.

2. Jakob Poeltl

Saturday’s outing was about as loud a performance as we’ve seen from the mild-mannered Austrian in quite some time. Despite a modest line of nine points, four rebounds and two steals in 21 minutes, Poeltl’s performance (plus-19) undoubtedly inspired confidence in his (back’s) outlook this year.

Between his ground coverage on defence, active decision-making as an above-the-break hub on offence and general zip getting around the court, it was safe to say Poeltl was feeling — and looking — like his pre 2025-26 self.

It was much more similar to the version seen two seasons ago when he put up career-best numbers and earned a three-year, $84 million extension. And while many fans continue to have reservations about the 32-year-old’s $28 million AAV over the span of that deal, playing as he did on Saturday will go a long way toward quelling those concerns.

Aside from banging down low with the likes of Brook Lopez and getting in the way of Clippers guards slithering their way to the rim, Poeltl simply moved with a kind of burst many had forgotten he even had. The big man was diving for deflections, intercepting passes and running the break — as if to make a point to everyone that his back was doing just fine after a meticulous off-season learning to navigate what had hindered him so drastically last year.

3. RJ Barrett

Mississauga’s finest led the Raptors in scoring (20 points on 7-of-11 shooting) for a second consecutive outing, again showcasing his ability to put the ball through the hoop in a variety of ways. Barrett was especially efficient on his spot-up looks, knocking down 3-of-5 attempts from downtown, while also doing plenty of damage in transition and with his patented bully drives that either generated those go-to turnaround push shots or free-throw attempts.

Aside from his scoring proficiency, the Maple Mamba’s paint-touch playmaking was also on display all game, especially with Quickley on the receiving end. The long-time backcourt mates showed off the chemistry they’ve developed over the years, with three of Barrett’s five helpers ending up in Quickley’s hands for looks from beyond the arc.

Barrett is in a unique position entering this season as he’s yet again being asked to do more with less following the addition of Leonard, the same way he was when Ingram was in Toronto. All while navigating a contract year, with essentially no headway being made with the Raptors on a new deal before the start of the season.

But if he can continue scaling his game up and down depending on Leonard’s availability, Barrett could establish a robust market next off-season and earn the lucrative contract he’s seemingly been after, whether that’s with the Raptors or elsewhere.

Bonus round

Ja’Kobe Walter was a PEST at the point of attack, making life generally uncomfortable for the likes of Darius Garland thanks to high pick-up points and glue-like defensive tracking. He’s slotted in as the Raptors’ fifth starter in both pre-season games without Leonard and continues to demonstrate why that’s been the case.

Scottie Barnes was a beast on the boards, with his six offensive rebounds helping the Raptors generate 17 second-chance points (plus-four), while overcoming his own modest shooting night (4-of-10).

Meanwhile, Kyle Anderson made his (pre-season) Raptors debut and was largely as advertised. Slow Mo was every bit the Swiss Army knife he’s been known to be, from handling on-ball and back-line defensive duties on one end, and bringing the ball up or handling connective passing reads on the other side. The veteran forward is likely going to be the 10th or 11th man most nights, but if he can keep proving his versatility and ability to produce from multiple positions on a whim, it’s not unlikely that Darko Rajakovic will find opportunities for Anderson throughout the regular season.

Up next

The Raptors return to Toronto on Tuesday to host the New York Knicks in the first of back-to-back matchups and the lone game from Scotiabank Arena this pre-season.