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The Raptors return home from the Lone Star State feeling empty.
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At Big D on Sunday nightA 39-point third quarter led to Toronto's collapse.
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On Monday night in San Antonio, the Raptors gave up 41 points in the first quarter, their most in four games this season.
It's not hard to analyze what went wrong.
The problem is not scoring points, but preventing opponents from filling the box score remains the biggest challenge.
Toronto went through a gauntlet of experienced opponents, losing three games in a row.
Meanwhile, the team's current player Jakob Pöltl went missing.
To be fair, he had a back problem picked up in the preseason finale and left Monday's game in the fourth quarter with lower back tightness.
He hasn't been himself since the Atlanta premiere.
Your midday sun
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Toronto played much better defense early in the third quarter when the Spurs were prone to turnovers.
The Raptors' defensive focus continued into the fourth as the Spurs' penchant for turning the ball over continued.
Toronto never led and deserved its fate.
Below are three takeaways from the 121-103 loss at Frost Bank Center, where the Spurs won their fourth straight game.
WEMBY? WOW!
It's not every day that a 7'5″ man scores at the rim while doing a 360-degree spin while standing at least 7 feet tall.
Then again, Vembanyama is no ordinary bully.
Unusually suitable for a Frenchman.
The scary thing is that Wembanyama is just beginning to reveal its potential.
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Spurs have some quality players to back up Wembanyama, but they are not a competitive team.
His presence makes Spurs must-watch.
The Raptors came under scrutiny as Toronto ended its two-game series in Texas.
It is almost impossible to protect this miracle of nature.
After the stoppage, Wembanyama dribbled behind the back before his exit pass led to an uncontested basket as Spurs extended their first-quarter run to take a 17-point lead.
Defensively, his presence in the paint is very disruptive, even when he's not recording blocks.
He spent part of the offseason with Hakeem Olajuwon, whose influence was easy to see when Wembanyama made some of his ball fakes.
At the end of three quarters, Vembanyama made five field goals, but still scored 18 points, as he completed all 10 of his attempts flawlessly from the penalty line.
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Vembanyama finished with 24 points and 15 rebounds and had a plus-35.
When he wasn't on the court, the Raptors had many moments when they were the better team.
When he was on the floor, there was no doubt that he had identified the superior side.
CMB IS COMING BACK
Ninth overall pick Collin Murray-Boyles had a tough debut Sunday night in Dallas.
A night later, the guy was more active and much more comfortable on the NBA stage, which is a good sign as Murray-Boyles could be a key player off the Raptors bench.
His first NBA basket came on a series of pick-and-rolls, the first of four straight points he scored for the Raptors.
Murray-Boyles intercepted the ball in the passing lane to force a turnover and used a nice move to score.
He even knocked down a three-pointer, as the rookie scored nine points in five minutes.
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His confidence was evident as CMB used the dribble to get into the paint before missing a floater.
After being fouled on another possession, CMB made one of its two free throws to reach double-digit points.
He was able to see Vembanyama in possession of the ball in an open area during a cross match.
In the second quarter, CMB shared the floor with Ja'Kobe Walter, who the Raptors selected with their first pick (19th overall) last year.
This marked Walter's season debut.
CMB was Toronto's top reserve, scoring 16 points in 16 minutes. He finished the night with 19 points.
He made every effort to penetrate Vembanyama's body to limit his space, but no one can stop the Frenchman.
SHARP SHOOTING BARNES
No one would ever mistake Scottie Barnes for a three-point shooter, but he is more than capable of hiding looks behind the arc when his feet are planted and his lifts are in rhythm.
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Not a single 3-point shot was made in the season-opening win in Atlanta because it wasn't necessary.
In Dallas, Barnes made three of five attempts, with each shot coming with confidence and in the flow of the attack.
On Monday, he made his first two attempts, giving Barnes seven chances in 11 attempts.
What he can't do is fix a situation that Barnes has been guilty of in the past.
This is his fifth year in the NBA, and signs of maturity are reinforced by Barnes' shot selection.
At the same time, he was not aggressive when throwing a shot in the match against Spurs.
He scored just eight points in 30 minutes.
NEXT
The schedule isn't getting any easier. The Raptors will face Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night (kickoff 6:30 p.m.). Unfortunately, former Raptors guard and NBA champion Fred VanVleet (knee) is out for the season with a torn ACL suffered in the offseason.
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