A New Approach | Raptors Today – March 4, 2024

A New Approach | Raptors Today – March 4, 2024

Back at our Raptors today with Javon Shepard and L Leo AKA Randy irban um how was Jonesy in the last segment you’re Shape Shifter no um let’s talk about the opp speak Shape Shifter look at these biceps get out of here man get out of here um let’s talk about the other

Opportunities um that present themselves RJ Barrett obviously is going to be the lead usage guy for this Raptor team along with quickley um two guys who are not technically auditioning for spots cuz they’re pretty much locked into the future of this organization but still along with the other ancillary players

They get an opportunity to show exactly what the ceiling is what the limit is Randy I’ll start with you on what this opportunity provides in this last quarter of the season for the guys that are healthy and available on this Raptor Squad well we talked about Grady before

I think he he gets a little bit more time I think aaji gets a little more time and I liked what he did in the game on Sunday against the Hornets you got the offense down that back door cut is lethal and and and blocking the shot and

Going coast to coast and finishing at the other end with a with a nice righty layup I mean he’s not just a three and D guy this guy has some sort of you know offensive Arsenal um but the guys I want to touch on real quick are are quickley

And RJ Barrett because these are another I know I talked about Scotty being different since the aler break but since the trade deadline too it feels like quickley has really settled into his role as this onew combo guard when Scotty’s out there he kind of defers and

Plays you know the two guard a little bit I I think his decision making has been so much better since the first few games like there were times earlier when when he was traded to the Raptors that he was kind of hesitant on do I shoot

Now or drive now do I pass now or drive now I think he’s figured that out a lot I think the coach is empowering him to shoot you know 10 threes a game is giving him that uh that was it wasn’t it eight I he was 10 and then RJ the

Numbers are great for for quickly and they’ve been great for for a while now and then RJ I looked at the numbers he’s shooting 55% as a Toronto Raptor from the field true shooting 60% yeah no I’m just kidding everybody say true shooting true shooting I got shooting percentage I’m old school like

You yeah don’t I’m not old school I’m new school baby okay stop trying to drag everyone into your trying to trying to bring us down I’ll ad that I’m old yeah uh but but then I and he shooting 42% as a Nick in the same number of games so

Something’s happening and whether that is not is because he’s playing with Scotty a guy that can facilitate and get RJ into great spots or not we’re going to see what he can do without Scotty now and see if he can still be that playmaker that decision maker that

Scorer okay what I want to ask you guys and Randy you can answer it afterward talking story Javan it’s okay don’t worry we can go as long as we want right Jake right Jake okay um is the the question what the metric say the question around quickly and the Toronto

Raptors is that point guard spot and can he play that role because this is a team that does not excel in the half court and often times you know some teams play with their big jic sabonis Etc but can he help orchestrate and lift other guys

Up or is he kind of an offense first for himself player can he grow into that yeah I think you know you look at first of all when when we first got here to Randy’s point he was a little conservative and you could see him just

Trying to feel his way through he’s gone through is since he’s been with the Raptors since the allstar break he’s been extremely aggressive obviously the coaching staff challenged him to shoot more be more aggressive on the offensive and assert yourself and he did that coming out the allstar break as soon as

He touched the basketball he was looking up at the rim and he was putting the ball in the hole you know he could do that but then you know the next step for him and dark hod mentioned it is becoming more of a playmaker while you know combining that with your offensive

Skill set you know he has a floater you know he can shoot an array of Threes a variety of Threes but the last two games he’s had 11 assist each right and so that that you it’s all there it’s in his bag it’s in his package now he’s just

Going to have to Runway to to do it right and I think you know with this group with guys like aaji cutting with Grady cutting now he’s going to have to learn read the game on the Fly and that’s going to make him so much better

So it’s not a matter of you know can he do it he has it he’s just shown it in spurts right he’s focused on there’s times where he’s focused on scoring there’s times where he’s focused on passing now put it together right and then when Scotty gets back somebody

That’s a hub that you can play through so it’s they compliment each other and I think you know you touched on aaji earlier and I think for aaji sometimes you don’t have to be the the the modern day player the modern day 3 and D guy

Create your own role right and how many times have we seen you know Kelly throw him a lob or perto throw him a lob and you’re like wow this guy is extremely athletic be that guy right go out there and change the game athletically make those big plays that can change the

Complexion of a game and then earn your minutes earn your keeps that way and let the game come to you sometimes young guys come into the league and they get caught in you know I I got to make and take a certain number of Threes because

This is this is today’s game no like yous look at his body like he’s a specimen be that player change your game that way and Quickly’s assist just going back to him for a second he 11 assists it’s not like he’s playing with Kevin Durant Bradley Beal Grayson Allen like

You know spot up Shooters guys that can score the basketball at will no disrespect like guys like that like you that could score right score you know yeah I’m not saying no disrespect to to the guys on the team but it’s not like he’s got this Allstar cast around him

He’s generating good assists easy buckets for players so you’re right it’s interesting that you say the phases of his game and now he’s really putting them all together it’s it’s fun to watch for sure I’m excited to see what happens this summer CU you know he’s got a good

Friend out in Philly that he works out with their point guard and I you know they’re going to trade notes because he’s grown so much I didn’t know where you were going with that when you said the summer what what were you what I thought you were going to hang out with

Javon in Vegas this this is what we can rely on when Randy comes and does the show his beautiful Segways into things that have absolutely nothing to do with basketball speaking of Segways time to check in with the players enough of Randy what kind of mindset do you have

To have as a team going forward and closing out the season strong kind of you know uh next man up you know we’re that’s why we’re a team you know it’s not just one guy um On Any Given night even when we are healthy so need our

Whole team and we had a good practice today and just going to you know see what our our team looks like moving forward how did things change for you with Scotty out of the line your Ro change at all you feel more aggressive I feel like I mean even

Yesterday you saw I kind of did the same stuff I normally do um it’s more about reading the game you know I feel like with with Scotty out there’s going to be more attention on quick and eye and it’s just about making you know the right

Plays the winning plays to to help the team win you study shooters from just at any time period whether it’s your favorite ones or just ones that have always been effective what kind of stands out to you about their game with a similarity that you’re trying to bring

Into yours um you know it can be you know mechanics it can be um just the I think the footworks you know really important just because of you know you have a good base in your shot um that’s kind of what you first look for cuz you

Know if you want your shot to be straight you know it starts with your Basse and then it kind of goes into mechanics up top and you know different things like that you kind of dissect here and there and kind of find what works for you do you notice anything

About their offall movement that they have in common as well of course you know that just comes kind of game play um how different defenses are playing you because it’s going to be different each game and um you know it takes a a lot of skill to you know have a knack

For finding open holes and um finding different places to be on the court to you know get open shots so thanks for watching Toronto Raptor YouTube channel check out our latest videos and subscribe for more [Applause] Trent answers back Gary side step break got it

On the show today is Akil Augustine, Jevohn Shepherd and Randy Urban to discuss who is the crucial player to step up in the absence of Scottie Barnes.

0:00 Introduction
0:28 Next Man Up?
1:04 Quickley and RJ
2:46 Point Guard Role
5:15 Sharing the Ball
6:16 RJ Barrett
7:00 Gradey Dick
7:52 Thanks for watching!

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