Raptors Tonight | Dec 30 | Raptors @ Pistons

Raptors Tonight | Dec 30 | Raptors @ Pistons

The Raptors fall to the Detroit Pistons 129 127 the streak is over welcome to Raptors tonight I’m Randy Irvin joined by Jack Armstrong Leo RS and Sherman Hamilton all right earlier today the Raptors traded ogn and Obi precious atua and Malachi Flynn to the New York Knicks

In exchange for a package including RJ Barrett Emanuel quickley and a 2024 second round draft pick so that’s the news of the day but before we get to that let’s tackle the game a little but Sherm first I’ll start with you just how surprised were you for this loss for the

Raptors or was this just like a recipe for this type of situation based on the events of today yeah I’m surprised obviously the Raptors are a better team there’s no doubt about it um I thought coming off of that Boston game that there’d be a bit of a situation they played hard in

That Boston game they made a game of it against a team that was I would say the best team in the league right now and they were in that game to the end so you got to try and win it that expends a lot of energy and coming into tonight the

Back-to-back scenario and Detroit’s got this on their calendar marked and saying they’re coming in they understand that Toronto is a vulnerable team so they’re going to try and get after them and I thought that the Raptors really had to answer the call early and they weren’t able to and that to me created

Situations that they had to try and overcome and ultimately this Detroit team played hard they played well they played together and it’s just unfortunate I did not expect the streak to end tonight but you tip your hat to Detroit they did a good job maybe some of the emotions

Surrounding the trade that happened impacted this team but you know it impacted them defensively without OG on the floor jack you’re in the arena um when I was watching the game I felt like the Raptors Were You know despite getting down double digits were more or

Less you know still in the game at any point throughout until about uh the fourth quarter when the crowd really started getting into it when were you kind of worried about this the outcome of this game uh I think when uh Detroit kept counter punching yeah and uh you know like I

Thought the Raptors really came out to start the third quarter effectively and then bang Detroit counter punched so to me you’re going okay this could be the night uh and they’ve been close the last few games they’ve been close and they had more spirit and and I I probably

Said it too many times but I’ll say it again you had jayen Doren back in the lineup for this team he’s legit he’s a really good young player and they that that that changes how they can play a little bit so uh they are a better team

Than maybe they were a few weeks ago but there’s so much residue of losing uh to overcome and a lot of that’s psychological with a young team but if you notice Monty Williams went a lot with his older players tonight just to get through this thing uh and I thought

Kate Cunningham was masterful in terms of not only shot making in the second half because he struggled in the first half he was through for his first 10 uh but his playmaking was brilliant and I thought bovich uh just was sound Doran was excellent and I said it on the game I’ll

Say it again you know you know hey you got some nights just turn around look and say Hey you know they deserve to win that game tonight give them a lot of credit and I don’t necessarily look at this you know as disappointed as I am

That the rra is lost I also just look and say guess what you know what good for the Pistons they earned it they deserved it and that’s competition someone wins someone loses I mean there were multiple games Leo during this streak where the Pistons could have won um but for the Raptors

Defense obviously an issue again what were the key problems that you were seeing on that end of the floor well Randy I mean okay you’re you’re you’re playing a game against the team okay nobody wants to be the team that helps Detroit ends the streak right

Nobody wants to be that team so you got to come into this game you know fighting right and I think at halftime the Raptors are down in nine statistical categories nine okay and a lot of those are hustle a lot of those going after the

Basketball a lot of you know uh Hey in the third quarter the Raptor shot 80% guess what the Piston shot 60% right so you have to lock down and you know you know Sam Mitchell and I were talking and going into this game you know raptors have an allar and

Pascal cakam and what people feel is another All-Star and Scotty Barnes that you know your two Allstars in a game like this have to get at it they have to go um but you can’t wait till the second half to do it right and I think that’s

The issue that we’re seeing we saw it in Boston we saw it tonight we we see it most games that you dig this hole or you play a certain way for a majority of the game then you try to have this miraculous fight to get out of it and

Fix it and and you know sometimes you get lucky but most of the time you’re playing with fire when you play that way and you know somehow some way you know and the Raptors are up against a brutal schedule coming up they have to find a

Way to write the ship and and you know we we we mentioned it last night that you know one adjustment that should never be is playing hard right that should never be an adjustment that should be a given and when you keep starting slower don’t start the way you

Need to uh or have these lows a lot of it has to do with how hard you play at the defensive end of the floor yeah all right let’s leave the game for now Sherm just uh your thoughts on the trade and and what was your initial reaction first of

All oh first of all obviously sad to see OG Go I mean we know him we’ve seen him grow up we’ve seen his ups and downs in this league as a raptor and it you know it’s always hard and we know that they’re millionaires they play a game

For a living but they work hard and they they build bonds and there’s that familiar thread that’s that happens between a team when when a player gets moved on it impacts people emotionally so that to me is the biggest part of what transpired here and then you know

You think about OG going to a situation in New York where he can really help solidify what’s happening there from a defensive perspective on the perimeter and his shooting is going to help space the floor so I I think New York got a a very very good piece for them moving

Forward but my heart goes out to OG the person and just you know you wish him the best and the Raptors obviously felt that bringing in RJ and Emanuel quickley would make a difference so we’ll see and RJ is a a very good young player and he’s he’s getting better and he’s shown

That he can score big numbers in this league so it’s going to be fun to see his development as well yeah Jack your thoughts I love the trade there were five guys involved in it and I think you got two of the best three in the trade

Um it’s not the Rudy Gay trade where you get four guys but I think uh based upon the quality of the two that you get is probably better than the four you got in the Rudy Gay trade I think you get two guys that can fill some needs and holes

That you have in your roster uh Sherm you know touched on RJ and I love the kid I think he’s got a great makeup and I think his best five 10 years are ahead of him and I think the way the Raptors play will help him develop that much

More because he’s not going to stand around and be a spectator watching um you know Randall and uh Brunson and I think the free flowing uh intellectual uh you know read and react type of play I think fits his game that much more and I tell you what I love quickly Quickly’s

A guard you could say he’s a one he’s a two I think he’s a guard he can get you in some offense he can get his own off the bounce he’s terrific off the ball in terms of catch and shoot uh he’s a skilled guy he’s a tough guy uh these

Are two starters in my opinion at the very least top six guys uh so I think you helped your team today and uh you know considering that all three guys that you traded uh two of them you know one was restricted in in uh precious other was unrestricted in Malachi and

Then the OG was going to opt out for big money I think uh you’re getting guys with cost certainty as well on the backside I I love the TR I absolutely love it Leo what what are your thoughts on on the fit for the Raptors with those

Two guys coming in I like him uh you know you know RJ You Know Jack said you know his best years are in front of him uh he’s gotten better you know every year he works at his game uh what I like about him he’s aggressive right he he’s

Gonna hunt shots I when we talk about let’s just talk about offense like with OG we we see OG has some good games when the ball came through him and other times that he disappeared RJ will hunt his shots down RJ will be aggressive with his offense and and the Raptors

Need that because they have these offensive droughts and remember he’s kind he’s he’s been part of the turnaround in New York uh and helped them become a winning team so that tell and New York’s a high pressure situation you know a lot of people can say a

Toronto kid coming back to Toronto well he’s been in a tough situation and I think the timing is good for him to come back home because of what he’s been through in the environment he’s been to and then you look at quickly you know we talk about playing harder playing faster

Playing with more energy well this kid does it I Isa does it at both ends uh he reminds me a lot of Terry Rosier just the way he plays uh but he can get after you defensively offensively he can shoot he can drive it so and you know Jack

Made a point that he’s a guy that can come off the bench which he’s done for New York or he could be your starter right so he’s a guy that can play both roles and I’m sure that you know just coming in you’ll probably come in Off the Bench get comfortable but you’re

Going to be able to see how he adjusts and in in whatever role but uh you know I like it I think both of these guys will help and and let’s not sleep on that that second round pick that was a a early second round pick which is like a

Late first round pick so for the Raptors have no picks that was a good acquisition as well yeah sure I want to touch on quickly a little bit more you know he comes in averaging 15 points per game and a lot of Nick fans are wondering why he hasn’t been starting

You know the RO has been good for him but do you see him coming as a starter well I think he’s definitely going to push a guy like Dennis schroer and I think that’s a good thing healthy competition I think he brings a different style coming in off the bench

In terms of yes Dennis is a quick guy he can play Speedy basketball but he’s more of a pace turn it on turn it off Emanuel kickle can just go he’s got great energy he plays fast all the time and he can really change the tempo of a game and I

Really like that part about him and then from a shooting as aspect he’s going to keep you honest you got to defend him on the three-point line so I really like what he can do and you know if if things continue the way they’re going in terms of the slow

Start hey Darko has an option now he has an option to potentially see what that young man can do in terms of changing or upping his role From the Bench to the starting unit Jack 20 seconds Leo hit two things number one they come from a winning team uh two they come from

Programs like Duke and Kentucky is as well which I think is really important as well and I I I look as well you know there’s been two major changes you had a big you a lot of people got changed in the uh basketball operations now you had

This big trade and I don’t think it’s done I in my opinion I think they got to look at at these areas and say is this enough I still think they got to look at more moves uh to to change this thing right now because it’s gotten a little

Bit stale and you got to give it a jolt and there there was a jolt in the off season there was a jolt now and I think you got to let it marinate a little bit but between now and February 9th there might have to be another jolt or two all

Right guys great stuff going to stop there next game for the Raptors Monday versus the Cleveland Cavaliers 7:30 p.m. Eastern is the tip after the game come on by Real Sports be a part of the show thank you for watching and we’ll see you next time a

Jack Armstrong, Leo Rautins, Sherman Hamilton, and host Randy Urban break down the Toronto Raptors’ 129-127 loss to the Detroit Pistons.

Send us your questions and comments about the game and other NBA news! #basketball #nba #raptors #pistons #trade #Quickley #Barrett #OG