Learning curve continues for RJ Barrett playing the point position

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The Raptors tipped off a home-friendly stretch that will see them play three times in seven days, beginning with Monday night’s visit by the 11-15 Chicago Bulls, a team that brought a 7-6 road record into Scotiabank Arena.

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Zach Lavine, the Bulls’ primary scorer, was unavailable because of a wonky back.

Toronto continued to be without its two best players in Scottie Barnes (ankle) and Immanuel Quickley (wrist).

Despite the absence of three marquee names, the night did feature its moments.

Here are three takeaways from the Raptors’ 122-121 loss to the Bulls, who barely trailed in improving their road record, while Toronto dropped its fifth overall game.

1. POINT TAKEN

Without Barnes, who was able to put in a modified session Sunday with the team’s assistant coaches and who was a partial participant at the team’s morning shootaround Monday, and without Quickley, the Raptors once again went with a non-traditional starting group in that a non-traditional point guard was among the unit.

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In short, it was RJ Barrett tasked with the running the offence for the second game in a row.

His first exposure to running the point position came last week in a road loss to the Miami Heat when Barrett recorded his second triple-double of the season, while also turning the ball over six times or precisely half of Toronto’s combined number.

Rookie Jonathan Mogbo made his second straight start and third of the season, while Gradey Dick, Ochai Agbaji and Jakob Poeltl were also featured in the starting lineup.

When he isn’t handling the ball, Barrett is at his best when playing down hill.

Chris Boucher entered the game for Mogbo mid-way through the opening period.

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Boucher entered the night with three straight DNP-CD designations.

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Instead of using Kelly Olynyk as the first big off the bench, the Raptors turned to Boucher.

It helped Boucher’s case when Jamison Battle was unavailable after the rookie floor spacer sprained an ankle with the Raptors 905.

The Raptors did take some of the ball-handling pressure off Barrett by inserting Davion Mitchell into the game.

A Garrett Temple sighting was even part of the game when the veteran was given minutes.

An air ball underscored Temple’s deficiency or simply magnified his lack of playing time.

In seven first-quarter minutes, Barrett recorded one assist, but he had zero turnovers in scoring seven points.

Mitchell was on the floor with Barrett when the second quarter began.

The opening half ended on a Barrett three-ball that resulted in his 19th point, a game-high.

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He had as many turnovers (2) as assists, but needed to be a scorer.

One of his best dishes was a bounce pass that led to an Agbaji flush.

Barrett recorded five assists in the third quarter, while turning the ball over three times, not exactly an ideal assist-to-turnover ratio.

In the fourth quarter, he was on the floor with Ja’Kobe Walker and Jamal Shead.

Barrett led all scorers by pouring in 32 points.

He also added nine rebounds, but he also turned the ball six times for the second game in a row.

The learning curve continues for Barrett, who is clearly at his best when he’s used as a primary scorer.

2. CENTRE OF ATTENTION

An appealing front-court battle was waged between Poeltl and Nikola Vucevic.

In Miami, Poeltl’s back made him doubtful for the tip, but he did enter the game in the first quarter on a night Bruno Fernando got the start.

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Unlike Poeltl, Vucevic can extend his offence given his ability to knock down three-pointers.

Poeltl does his damage near the basket, but his soft hands and floor vision allow the Raptors to use Poeltl as a facilitator from the foul line.

Combine the two bigs and you have a poor man’s Nikola Jokic.

The Jak versus Vuc game within the game, which began with the Raptors controlling the opening tap.

On the game’s opening possession, the Raptors went to Poeltl in the paint to score the night’s first points on a Barrett assist.

Vucevic is a lot of things, but he’s no rim protector on a Bulls team that is very susceptible in the paint.

He is athletic for a big.

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When the Bulls were able to bring Poeltl to the perimeter, Toronto’s defence began to get exposed in going on an early 11-2 run, prompting the Raptors to call the game’s first timeout four minutes into the game.

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Following the timeout, Poeltl made a nice alley-oop pass to Agbaji, who finished off the sequence with an emphatic flush.

Barrett earned the hockey assist.

Vucevic drained his first three-point attempt on an open look from 26 feet.

Chicago’s shooting allowed the visitors to take a 10-point lead.

Toronto’s lack of transition defence did not help its cause as a second timeout would be needed with 3:24 left in the first quarter as the Bulls took a 28-19 advantage.

After missing an open three, Barrett split a double team from the top of the circle and scored on a thunderous uncontested dunk.

At the break, Vucevic was Chicago’s lone double-digit scorer (11).

Within a 24-second span to begin the second half, Vucevic scored five points.

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Given the pace of the game, it did not play into Poeltl’s strength, paving the way for Boucher to receive extended minutes en route to posting a double-double, Boucher’s first of the season.

Two minutes into the fourth quarter, Poeltl’s left leg gave out in the paint just in front of Chicago’s bench area.

After a few anxious moments, he did get back on his feet and was able to walk to the locker room on his own.

It was then announced Poeltl would not be returning because of a left groin injury.

Mogbo was asked to defend Vucevic, whose size advantage was pronounced.

Vucevic led the Bulls with pouring in 24 points on 10-for-17 shooting.

3. DICK IN A FOUL MOOD

It was a poor start for Gradey Dick, who picked up two fouls in five minutes.

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On a roster woefully short on shooters, Dick’s presence always looms large, especially when playing a Bulls team that is keen on pushing the tempo.

When the pace turns frenetic, quick shots get heaved.

Unfortunately for the Raptors, Dick was planted on the bench in the wake of his two fouls.

The opening 12 minutes featured one make from distance by the Raptors on eight attempts.

Dick remained on the bench in the second quarter when the Bulls began to go zone following a timeout.

A third run would be forged the visitors, forcing the Raptors to take their third timeout within a span of 21 minutes.

When play resumed, Dick re-entered the game with the Bulls still in their zone defence.

An open look from distance failed to drop for Dick, who wasted no time in letting it fly, despite his extended time on the bench.

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He took a turn defending Lonzo Ball.

Ball’s history of injury has turned him into a shell of his former self as he attempts to regain his form, if that’s even possible.

Dick exposed Ball’s lack of perimeter defence by getting to the rim with ease.

Ball had a tough time making shots in missing his first six heaves, but he did record a steal and capped off an electric sequence by throwing a lob pass at the rim Talen Horton-Tucker flushed home.

Dick, on one play, hustled back on defence and drew an offensive charge.

The Bulls asked for a video review by initiating a coach’s challenge.

The play stood and the Bulls lost their challenge.

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Dick missed all five of his three-point attempts in the opening half, but he did emerge with a plus-five rating in recording three rebounds in 14 minutes.

A two-man action with Poeltl led to a Dick two-handed dunk.

Dick scored 10 points in the third quarter, a period that saw Dick play well at both ends.

He was aggressive in the fourth quarter in attacking the basket, at times even getting to the line when drawing a foul.
After missing his first five three-balls, Dick buried an open look from distance to reach the 20-point plateau.

He finished the night by scoring 27 points.

Shead (10 points on 4-for-4 shooting, six assists and four rebounds) had a nice night off the bench, but it was Chicago’s unit that outscored Toronto’s reserves, 50-37.

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