Francis Chow - Raptors905.com
Raptors 905 went 1-2 at home this past week – a wire-to-wire win against Erie, a missed game winner against Maine and a late collapse against Westchester. Raptors 905 now sit at 3-8, last place in the Eastern Conference. Though the team’s record leaves something to be desired, player development is key in the NBA D-League and we’ve definitely seen some positive signs:
Player Watch
Ronald Roberts has been a monster on the boards, grabbing 11 against Erie, 14 on Maine and pulling down 20 against Westchester. Roberts is averaging 12.7 rebounds per game, tied for first in the NBA D-League. He feels no player on the floor can stop him and wants to prove that he belongs in the NBA:
Coach Mermuys believes Roberts’ ability to finish at the rim has created easy corner threes for the club:
Axel Toupane, Bruno Caboclo & Melvin Johnson are three players who have taken and made a high number of corner threes.
Melvin Johnson III had two breakout games this week, scoring a game-high 20 points against Erie and adding 18 in the loss against Westchester. When Johnson’s shot is going, he can provide a much-needed spark off the bench for Raptors 905.
Assignees
Caboclo has shot 9-21 from downtown in the last three games and looks to be turning a corner. Even when struggling with his shot, he has managed to make an impact defensively. The forward has been using his length to block shots, accumulating 10 in the last three games. Caboclo now ranks 8th in the NBA D-League in blocks at 2.2 a game. Undoubtedly, the best moment for Caboclo this week was when he rebounded a Delon Wright missed layup and scored a one footed fadeaway with 4.3 seconds remaining in the game to put Raptors 905 up by one point in front of a large school day crowd at Air Canada Centre.
Delon Wright had his first off game in a 20-point blowout victory against Erie. The game was decided early on so he was only needed for 25 minutes. Wright bounced back with a team-high 23 points along with eight rebounds and four assists. Wright flirted with a triple double against Westchester with 18 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. The Raptors rookie guard has finished 77% of his shots at the rim (20% higher than the league average) which is a huge factor for playing at the highest level. Wright has been the most consistent player all season and Raptors 905 will continue to rely on his poise and ability to contribute on both ends of the floor to start racking up the W’s.
Looking Ahead
Raptors 905 complete the massive nine-game home stand this week with three home games. The club will take on Grand Rapids on Wednesday at 7:30pm (GET TICKETS) followed by back-to-back weekend games against Delaware on Saturday the 19th (GET TICKETS) and Sunday (GET TICKETS). Both games are set to tip-off at 2pm.
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