Sean Woodley here, the host of the daily Locked On Raptors podcast, with your daily Locked On Raptors newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Raptors and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
Gradey Dick and RJ Barrett get well against the defending champs
Jan 15, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (8) and Toronto Raptors guard Gradey Dick (1) reach for a rebound during the first half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski/John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Over the past week, the Raptors seem to have shaken themselves out of their month-long funk. Things got real ugly there between the first week of December and a spritely first half against the Knicks last Wednesday. Poor defense, “walls,” and a waning of the annoying try-hard identity that defined the early part of the season all fed into a dirt nasty month of no good hoop.
Now winners of two games running, their latest against the defending champion Celtics on Wednesday, the Raptors are recognizable again. Even in recent losses to the Cavs and Pistons, they’ve played competent, competitive ball — all you can ask for from a team clearly prioritizing other things more than winning.
And yet, even with the revival of the past week, something’s largely been missing from the formula that staked the Raptors to the most fun 7-15 start you’ll ever see. A couple somethings, actually.
The last month or so has not been kind to Gradey Dick and RJ Barrett. Once the two pillars of the Raptors’ skeleton crew offense, their collective punch on that end of the ball has packed much less wallop since before the holidays, bringing their many defensive problems under more fire than when they were keeping the points coming in bunches.
Going into Wednesday’s game, Barrett was sporting a 27% clip from downtown since December 15th on a diet of almost exclusively open catch & shoot looks. His rim finishing — the thing that saw him take off last year after arriving in Toronto — has been wonky, too. In that time span, only 55% of Barrett’s rim looks found bottom, a 7th-percentile clip among forwards per Cleaning the Glass. Dick was sub-50% at the cup in that 14-game stretch, and has seen slippage in just about every offensive department.
On the list of teams you’d expect them both to get their groove back against, the Celtics would probably rank pretty low, and yet here we are, talking about Barrett and Dick looking as comfortable as they have in weeks against a team designed to make both of their lives hell. Sports — they’re weird!
The threes were still a struggle for Barrett against Boston; he shot 1-of-5 on pretty unencumbered looks. But the stuff that really makes Barrett tick — rampaging downhill bursts, interior craft and heady playmaking in tight spaces — were very much on against the Celtics. His 22-11-8 line on 10/18 shooting pocked by just two turnovers felt very much in line with the Barrett we’d grown to expect before his winter swoon.
Next to him in the starting unit, Dick too looked like the idealized version of himself on Wednesday. He’s unquestionably been overburdened as the Raptors’ most effective offensive lubricant for long stretches this year. He’s tired, and well-scouted by opponents. Nothing’s come easy on either end of the floor, and he’s earned late-game benchings on multiple occasions as a result — something Darko Rajaković acknowledged in a pregame presser earlier this week.
His final line of 12 points, 3 rebounds and 4 dimes on 4-of-9 shooting, 2-of-6 from downtown doesn’t do his impact in the Celtics win much justice. This was Gradey Dick as intended — a agent of spacing and off-ball gravity with a quick trigger and the secondary creativity to punish panicked closeouts. Each of the four dimes he served up in this one were varying degrees of delicious. Didn’t hurt that he had one of his tidier defensive games of the season as well, apparently boasting to Rajaković after the game about his work guarding Derrick White, who turned in a 2-of-9 stinker.
One night hardly ensures a full-time return to form for Dick and Barrett, whose play in the second half, for however long the Raptors maintain interest in trying, will be under as much scrutiny as anyone on the team. There’s probably a limit to how good a team can be with two players as defensively limited as Dick and Barrett sharing 60+ minutes a night on the wings, and their fit alongside the Raptors’ other core guys is sure to be examined and re-examined in the coming weeks and months.
If they can bottle their work in the win over Boston over the long haul, it’ll expand those limits.
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Today on the podcast I went solo to talk about the Raptors handling the Fraudston Celtics in resounding fashion on Wednesday night. Enjoy the show!
Jan 4, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) greets Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) before a game at Frost Bank Center. | Scott Wachter/Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
I only get to write this column once per week, so while we’re still technically a game or two short of the halfway marker for most teams, I’m here with some second-quarter awards anyway!
These are honors for the second quarter and second quarter only; they aren’t predictive. Word count limitations mean I have no margin for a longer introduction. You get it.
Interior Defensive Player of the Quarter
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
When it comes to analyzing defense, it isn’t fair to lump wings and guards with bigs; it’s like comparing a sports car to a heavy-duty pickup truck when you can only buy one vehicle. Instead, I split Defensive Player of the Quarter into interior and perimeter editions.
My Interior Defensive Player of the Quarter won’t shock: it’s Victor Wembanyama. I could throw a bunch of advanced analytics at you to prove the case, but instead, I’d ask that you join me in prayer: Holy mother of basketballs, protect your children from the harm Wembanyama inflicts upon them.
Ok, fine, here’s one fun, if basic, number. In the season’s second quarter, Wemby had an outrageous 69 blocks. That’s 30 more than second-place Myles Turner, despite the fact that Turner played in three more games. Let’s not waste time here.
Mike Shearer (@bballispoetry) has written about the NBA full-time since 2021 at various and sundry places. For more from Mike, check out his Substack bestseller, Basketball Poetry, where he uses unnecessary metaphors and the occasional haiku to discuss the NBA’s happenings with an analytical lens.
Home and Away
Analysis The Toronto Raptors secured a significant victory over the Boston Celtics, showcasing their evolving team dynamics and strategic prowess. Key performances highlighted their potential moving forward. (Raptors HQ)
Analysis Toronto pulled off an impressive upset against Boston, displaying tactical brilliance and resilience. Key takeaways from the game indicate promising developments for the Raptors. (Sports Illustrated)
Trade Toronto’s potential targets for the 2025 trade deadline are analyzed, balancing dream scenarios with realistic options. Strategic acquisitions could pivot the Raptors’ season. (Bleacher Report)
Nick Richards Traded to Phoenix Suns: Fantasy Basketball Impact and Analysis
Jan 12, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Charlotte Hornets center Nick Richards (4) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas/Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Phoenix Suns have acquired center Nick Richards from the Charlotte Hornets in a trade that sent shockwaves through the NBA. While not a blockbuster deal, this move has significant implications for fantasy basketball managers.
In exchange for Richards, the Hornets received Josh Okogie and three second-round picks, while the Suns also got a second-round pick in return. At first glance, it might seem like the Suns got a steal, but let’s take a closer look at what this means for Richards’ fantasy value.
Richards has been averaging 21 minutes per game this season, putting up 9 points and 7.5 rebounds with 1.2 blocks. These numbers have him ranked 205th in category leagues, which is far from impressive. However, the change of scenery could potentially boost his value.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Raptors podcasts.
Tuesday — Raptors win sixth game in seven, defense shines again vs. Pelicans Sean goes solo to talk about the Raptors’ 113-104 win over the Pelicans, the defense’s continued success, the offense’s struggles & more!
Monday — Raptors complete sweep of Atlanta Hawks on the road Sean and Vivek Jacob recap a Raptors win over the Hawks on Saturday, talk about Scottie Barnes turning in another two-way master class, and debate a red hot Would You Rather conundrum.
Friday — Raptors hang on to topple Hawks for second road win of season Sean goes solo to talk about the Raptors taking the Hawks, Scottie Barnes’ two-way excellence (again) and why, no, the Raptors aren’t winning too much.
