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The Toronto Raptors may have a bona fide starter on their hands with first-round draft pick Allen Graves.
The 19-year-old forward shined once again in the Raptors' 99-90 win over the Miami Heat on Thursday, scoring a team-best 23 points while going 8-for-16 from the field and 4-for-6 from beyond the arc.
Furthermore, Graves contributed all-around, logging six defensive rebounds, four assists, two blocks and one steal. He also delivered at the free throw line, converting on both attempts.
For Graves, the key to yet another electrifying performance on the court was his improved ball handling.
"This game I just tried to be more aggressive with the ball in my hands and it worked out tonight," Graves told ESPN in a post-game interview.
One of his best plays of the night came during the second quarter when he made a 26-foot 3-pointer, putting the Raptors within one of their Eastern Conference rivals who were up 23-22.
Graves made a similar shot that same quarter shortly after Toronto reclaimed the lead, putting them up 37-29 with 6:37 remaining.
Assistant coach Ivo Simović, who took the reins for Summer League play, has touted Graves' outstanding court awareness and relentless hustle.
"He's a high-IQ guy. I don't have to tell him twice to do something," said Simović, according to Sportsnet. "We talk about offensive rebounding. The guy goes out and rebounds. He wants to win. That's the main thing. I think he has an amazing feel for a game. When that ball goes up, he really has a great feel for where the ball gonna bounce after the shot. Certain players they have really good nose for that type of stuff."
These characteristics were especially evident even in Toronto's narrow 83-80 loss to the Boston Celtics last Friday when Graves scored 22 points while collecting 13 rebounds and three steals. He also made two blocks and went 9-for-16 from the field.
Moreover, Graves came through in the team's 94-93 comeback victory over the Indiana Pacers on Monday, scoring 13 points while tallying five rebounds, six assists and four steals.
Although Toronto will watch the Summer League playoffs from the sidelines, Graves will look to have one more spectacular showing in the team's finale against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.
"I feel like for me, I know I don’t know at all," he told The Athletic. "I know I need to work. I know I need to learn… With my teammates, I look forward to that. It’s never like I know it all. But I want to learn from those guys that are ahead of me."
Continue reading...
The 19-year-old forward shined once again in the Raptors' 99-90 win over the Miami Heat on Thursday, scoring a team-best 23 points while going 8-for-16 from the field and 4-for-6 from beyond the arc.
Furthermore, Graves contributed all-around, logging six defensive rebounds, four assists, two blocks and one steal. He also delivered at the free throw line, converting on both attempts.
For Graves, the key to yet another electrifying performance on the court was his improved ball handling.
"This game I just tried to be more aggressive with the ball in my hands and it worked out tonight," Graves told ESPN in a post-game interview.
One of his best plays of the night came during the second quarter when he made a 26-foot 3-pointer, putting the Raptors within one of their Eastern Conference rivals who were up 23-22.
Graves made a similar shot that same quarter shortly after Toronto reclaimed the lead, putting them up 37-29 with 6:37 remaining.
Assistant coach Ivo Simović, who took the reins for Summer League play, has touted Graves' outstanding court awareness and relentless hustle.
"He's a high-IQ guy. I don't have to tell him twice to do something," said Simović, according to Sportsnet. "We talk about offensive rebounding. The guy goes out and rebounds. He wants to win. That's the main thing. I think he has an amazing feel for a game. When that ball goes up, he really has a great feel for where the ball gonna bounce after the shot. Certain players they have really good nose for that type of stuff."
These characteristics were especially evident even in Toronto's narrow 83-80 loss to the Boston Celtics last Friday when Graves scored 22 points while collecting 13 rebounds and three steals. He also made two blocks and went 9-for-16 from the field.
Moreover, Graves came through in the team's 94-93 comeback victory over the Indiana Pacers on Monday, scoring 13 points while tallying five rebounds, six assists and four steals.
Although Toronto will watch the Summer League playoffs from the sidelines, Graves will look to have one more spectacular showing in the team's finale against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.
"I feel like for me, I know I don’t know at all," he told The Athletic. "I know I need to work. I know I need to learn… With my teammates, I look forward to that. It’s never like I know it all. But I want to learn from those guys that are ahead of me."
Continue reading...
