Despite Raptors’ loss to 76ers, Quickley’s play bodes well

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Has Immanuel Quickley finally turned the corner?

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Based on his last two games, the answer is a clear yes.

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Keep in mind, it was only two games, but he looked faster, playing with more urgency and confidence, with the same bounce he showed when he first joined the Raptors after being traded to the New York Knicks in late December two years ago.

To get a full answer to that question, he'll have to put games like Friday's in Atlanta and Saturday's in Philadelphia together on a regular basis.

For now, Quickley has at least addressed some of the issues.

The Raptors trailed by double digits against the Hawks and played as well as they have this season in the fourth quarter to claim Toronto's fourth straight victory.

In Philadelphia, the scenario was a little similar, only on this night the Raptors exploded for 43 points in the first quarter and then exploded for 20 points in the second.

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Say what you will about this group, but the Raptors were fun to watch as games were decided late, allowing for competitive tips decided on multiple possessions.

Quickley's first 20-point game of the season was very encouraging, as was his ability to orchestrate the offense.

The Raptors even used a two-point guard mentality with Jamal Sheed on the floor.

The Raptors don't have a dominant player on their roster, while the Sixers have Joel Embiid, whose minutes were orchestrated flawlessly as Philadelphia snapped Toronto's four-game winning streak with a 130-120 win.

Below are three takeaways from the newly christened Xfinity Mobile Arena in the City of Brotherly Love, where the home team wore jerseys reminiscent of the days when Allen Iverson ruled the roost, the time Vince Carter missed the would-be winner in Game 7 of the 2001 Eastern Conference semifinals.

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1. Fine print

It was an interesting decision by the Raptors to go with a small starting group after center Jakob Poeltl was ruled out, to say the least.

The decision to start the big man shouldn't come as a surprise because he was suffering from lower back tightness and the Raptors were coming off a win the night before in Atlanta.

Officially, injury management was mentioned as a precaution, which turned out to be correct.

With Poeltl unavailable until his final non-playing status, rookie Collin Murray-Boyles replaced him at center.

On Saturday, Ochai Agbaji was moved into the starting five as the Raptors were clearly outclassed.

Agbaji did not play against the Hawks.

Agbaji was a complete non-factor.

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In fact, Scotty Barnes served as the de facto center. He fouled out late in the fourth quarter.

Fans of a certain generation will remember a rookie named Magic Johnson, who played center for the Lakers in the 1980 NBA Finals against the 76ers for the injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Barnes isn't Magic, but his body type is similar and he has some magical touch when passing.

Barnes won the opening kick and scored the first basket of the game from mid-range.

With so many athletic players on the court, it was easy to see why the game became an athletics competition.

2. Beginner class leader

The Raptors now face their top three picks in June's draft, with Vijay Edgecomb being the third to separate himself from his fellow rookies.

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The kid was in the best situation to fully exploit his athleticism and ability to play on the open floor.

He is very active.

With no Paul George, no one knows what impact Embiid will have on games as he continues to play under a minutes restriction.

On the court, Embiid was a man among boys.

His presence was felt below.

Tyrese Maxey is the team's best player and he entered the night as the NBA's leading scorer on a Sixers team that could be interesting with a rookie on board.

High draft slots don't guarantee a high quality player, but a high draft slot does help.

Barnes was the fourth overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.

CMB was ranked ninth overall this year and its defense continues to be its strength.

When he stands directly at the basket and his feet are pointed out, CMB can score a triple.

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3. BI reaches a new level

Saturday marked the Raptors' 10th game of the season and the 10th time Brandon Ingram made his presence felt and provided insight into his capabilities as long as he can stay healthy.

He became a mainstay on the second unit when Ingram was the only starter on the court.

When he was in the starting lineup, Ingram allowed every starter except Poeltl to give him open looks.

When a cart is required, Notorious BI3. is the top earner in Toronto.

Toronto's reserves outscored Philadelphia's bench 19-0 in the first quarter on Saturday.

Toronto's offense was flawless, scoring 43 points in the first 12 minutes.

Next

The Raptors' next game is Tuesday against the truly miserable Brooklyn Nets; Brooklyn is 1-8 and will likely fall to 1-9 after being tipped for Sunday's game at Madison Square Garden against their city rival the Knicks.

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