Shooting Woes Continue for Raptors in Preseason Loss to Rockets

The Toronto Raptors have gone ice cold from three-point range lately, unable to muster anything in a preseason loss to the Houston Rockets

Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

Adding a little extra shooting this offseason might not have been such a bad idea for the Toronto Raptors.

Take Friday's 116-100 loss to the Houston Rockets with a grain of salt, of course. Not only was it a preseason game but the Raptors were without Fred VanVleet, Otto Porter Jr., and Malachi Flynn, three of the team's best shooters, at least theoretically. But last season's shooting woes seem to have carried over into the preseason this year.

Not only was Toronto's 6-for-34 shooting from behind the arc alarming, but the bigger concern was the Raptors' inability to convert from the free-throw line. Despite 38 trips to the line, well above last season's average of 34.2 free throw attempts per game, the Raptors converted just 22.

The addition of Porter this summer should help improve Toronto's shooting a little. The 29-year-old forward is a career 40% three-point shooter and a reliable from the free-throw line. The problem for the Raptors is the shooting depth on this team gets thin in a hurry. Instead of addressing it this summer, Toronto decided to double down on development. It's a decision that may pay off eventually. The question is how long will it take?

Koloko Continues to Impress

With VanVleet resting, Toronto handed the vacant starting spot to the rookie Christian Koloko who didn't look out of place in his 17 minutes against the Rockets. The 7-foot-1 center showed that kind of defensive presence the Raptors lacked last season, tallying four blocks in the first five minutes. Even on the perimeter, Koloko held his own, walling off a drive from Kevin Porter Jr. and forcing a kick-out pass to Jalen Green in the first quarter. In the third quarter, he opened the scoring for Toronto with an easy jump hook, the kind of shot he couldn't seem to make in Summer League.

Koloko does, however, need to put on some weight. In the first quarter, for example, the 6-foot-5, 215-pound Garrison Mathews plowed right through his screen, squandering Scottie Barnes' advantage out of the dribble handoff.

Banton Takes Charge of 2nd Unit

Banton has been a difference-maker for the Raptors over the past two games, coming in and turning up the tempo the moment he checks in. Against the Rockets, the Canadian guard racked up 11 of his 14 points in his first 10 minutes, often on smooth cuts to the rim or transition buckets in the paint.

It seemed like Banton began the preseason behind Malachi Flynn on the depth chart, but the Canadian has impressed lately and with Flynn sidelined due to a fractured cheekbone, a reshuffling of the backup guard spot may be underway. 

Scottie Struggles at Point

Barnes hasn't quite looked himself in the last two outings, struggling to control the offense and playing a little too chaotically at times. He got downhill and to the line three times, but otherwise, Friday night was pretty disappointing for the second-year forward who turned it over six times and mustered only two points in 23 minutes.

Up Next: Chicago Bulls

DeMar DeRozan and the Chicago Bulls will come to town for a Sunday night tilt against the Raptors at 6 p.m. ET in Toronto.