The Toronto Raptors had a rough last week after a three-game winning streak. They lost three out of four of their next games, with all three losses coming against seeds six through eight in the Western Conference Standings: the Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, and Los Angeles Clippers. A fourth-quarter collapse was the downfall against the Nuggets, but the Raptors suffered blowout losses against the Suns and Clippers, further pointing out the significant problems they have faced all season. 

Against the Nuggets, the Raptors did all they could through three quarters. Defensive intensity was at its highest, shots were falling, and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and Canadian National Team member Jamal Murray were being contained to a certain extent. Ultimately, the fourth quarter has been the least effective for Toronto all season, and against the 2023 NBA Championship core, it was no different. 

In the final period of this game, and really the entirety of the other two games, the problem has remained the same: half-court offense. The Raptors rely heavily on transition points, whether that is from a fastbreak created by a block or steal, or pushing the pace after a defensive rebound. At the end of games, teams are going to be more careful with the basketball and get back on defense after a missed shot, preventing easy baskets in crunch time. 

With this in mind, there is no direction in the half-court. The game plan for the majority of the season has been to give Toronto’s leading scorer, Brandon Ingam, the ball and try to figure it out from there. He tries to beat his man in isolation and is effective sometimes, but often times is met by help defense or a double team. This leads to him passing the ball to someone else on the perimeter, usually RJ Barrett, who does the exact same thing. 

There is no effective off-ball movement or actions that take place to get people open for the ball-handler. It also doesn’t help that the Raptors are one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the NBA, so even if someone does find themself open for a shot from distance, it rarely falls. This leads to spacing issues because the defense simply doesn’t respect the Raptors from the perimeter, so they can load up the paint and force contested shots from within 15 feet. 

Adding onto the lack of offense is the lack of bench contribution. The top four players on the Raptors' bench all supply their own special skill that adds to the team’s overall success. But the problem is that there is nobody from the bench who is able to consistently and effectively get their own shot.

Jamal Shead supplies hard-nose defense with secondary playmaking, but has shot the ball worse than almost anyone in the NBA throughout the month of March, averaging around 29% shooting and 21% from three. Collin Murray-Boyles missed 11 straight games with a left thumb sprain before returning after the Nuggets game, but offense covers the least of his abilities. He has proven to be not only Toronto’s second-best defender, both from the perimeter and the interior, but one of the most versatile in the league. With that being said, his offensive capabilities seem to be limited to rim-running out of flare/backdoor cuts and as the screener in the pick-and-roll. 

Ja’Kobe Walter has seen improvements in both his perimeter defense and outside shooting, but has struggled to score off the dribble or get himself open with the ball in his hands. However, his outside shooting has been very advantageous when paired with primary scorers like Ingram and Barrett. In March, he has averaged around 49% from three with two makes per game. Sandro Mamukelashvili has been the unsung hero for the bench, averaging just under 11 points per game on around 52% shooting and 37% from three. His ability to get open looks comes more from playing inside out rather than on the perimeter. The alternative problem for him is that he is primarily playing center minutes, and his rebounding and interior defense lack in that position.