The start of training camp organized in Montreal by the Raptors was nothing like a tourist visit. In addition to developing its brand in another territory, the Canadian franchise had also planned this stage in Quebec for a very specific reason: to develop group cohesion.
The good state of mind of each member of the locker room is in fact an essential foundation for the success of a team, and Toronto has decided to solidify it through this mini training course. For veteran Garrett Temple, this bond is worked particularly in the locker room, where we should only find good vibes.
“There are guys who come into the locker room and talk to those who are there, but others don't necessarily do it. I told them: “Guys, now we're going to be a team where everyone talks to each other in the locker room. When you walk in, it's 'Hey everyone, how are you?'. Everyone gets to know each other but you have to have this intention of looking everyone in the eyes and talking. We don’t do it enough”, remarked the 38-year-old.
The confidence to be able to reframe a teammate
The physical and technical work sessions were enhanced by a rafting outing as well as several team dinners where smartphones were not welcome at the table. Again, the goal is to develop that camaraderie from the start.
“When we all have dinner together, I encourage the players not to have their phones with them. I told them I wanted them to talk.”underlined coach Darko Rajakovic. “I think them being comfortable around each other is really going to help them when they're on the field. Because there will be this level of confidence that means you can reframe a teammate, something that can be tricky initially. It’s about ensuring that he won’t be blamed for it.”
Even if it will also be necessary to score a few baskets to incidentally win games, Garrett Temple knows from experience the importance of group life, particularly in a team at the level of the Raptors. Without a true superstar to wear them, you have to find ways to compensate, and this is one of them.
“The guys must be happy to be together. It’s very important with the team we have. We don't have three or four All-Star players. We have guys who can play really well, stars some of whom could become All-Stars… But we also need cohesion”he concluded.
After playing the Wizards twice for their first two preseason games (a victory and a defeat), Scottie Barnes' teammates will now ramp up with a double opposition against Boston which begins next night at TD Garden.
| Shots | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Bp | Int | Ct | Party | Pts |
| Pascal Siakam | 39 | 34.7 | 52.2 | 31.7 | 75.8 | 1.4 | 4.9 | 6.3 | 4.9 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 2.2 | 22.2 |
| Rj Barrett | 32 | 33.5 | 55.3 | 39.2 | 62.9 | 1.1 | 5.3 | 6.4 | 4.1 | 2.5 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 2.6 | 21.8 |
| Scottie Barnes | 60 | 34.9 | 47.5 | 34.1 | 78.1 | 2.4 | 5.9 | 8.2 | 6.1 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 19.9 |
| Immanuel Quickley | 38 | 33.3 | 42.2 | 39.5 | 84.1 | 0.3 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 6.8 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 2.0 | 18.6 |
| Og Anunoby | 27 | 33.3 | 48.9 | 37.4 | 71.7 | 0.9 | 3.0 | 3.9 | 2.7 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 15.1 |
| Gary Trent, Jr. | 71 | 28.1 | 42.6 | 39.3 | 77.1 | 0.4 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 13.7 |
| Dennis Schroder | 51 | 30.6 | 44.2 | 35.0 | 85.2 | 0.4 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 6.1 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 2.1 | 13.7 |
| Kelly Olynyk | 28 | 26.4 | 54.8 | 33.8 | 82.4 | 1.6 | 4.0 | 5.6 | 4.6 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 3.5 | 12.7 |
| Jakob Poeltl | 50 | 26.4 | 65.6 | 0.0 | 55.1 | 2.9 | 5.7 | 8.6 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 3.0 | 11.1 |
| Bruce Brown, Jr. | 34 | 26.0 | 48.1 | 31.7 | 83.3 | 0.8 | 3.0 | 3.8 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 9.6 |
| Gradey Dick | 60 | 21.1 | 42.5 | 36.5 | 86.3 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 8.5 |
| Jordan Nwora | 34 | 15.6 | 46.5 | 34.7 | 83.3 | 0.6 | 2.8 | 3.4 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 7.9 |
| Precious Achiuwa | 25 | 17.5 | 45.9 | 27.7 | 57.1 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 5.4 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 7.7 |
| Javon Freeman-liberty | 22 | 18.3 | 44.4 | 23.8 | 91.7 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 7.0 |
| Jahmi'us Ramsey | 7 | 17.3 | 43.9 | 27.3 | 83.3 | 0.6 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 6.7 |
| Ochai Agbaji | 27 | 23.6 | 39.1 | 21.7 | 61.1 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 3.3 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 1.9 | 6.7 |
| Chris Boucher | 50 | 14.1 | 50.7 | 33.0 | 77.2 | 1.2 | 2.9 | 4.1 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 6.4 |
| Malachi Flynn | 31 | 15.3 | 40.9 | 35.0 | 77.3 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 5.1 |
| Kobi Simmons | 4 | 16.9 | 42.9 | 25.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 5.0 |
| Thaddeus Young | 23 | 15.2 | 62.1 | 16.7 | 41.7 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 3.3 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 1.7 | 5.0 |
| Jontay Porter | 26 | 13.8 | 38.5 | 33.3 | 83.3 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 3.2 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 4.4 |
| Jalen Mcdaniels | 50 | 10.8 | 34.4 | 16.9 | 73.0 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 3.4 |
| Garrett Temple | 27 | 10.7 | 37.2 | 30.0 | 81.8 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 3.3 |
| Dj Cardboard | 4 | 8.9 | 37.5 | 25.0 | 80.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 2.8 |
| Malik Williams | 7 | 15.2 | 26.5 | 20.0 | 0.0 | 2.1 | 3.3 | 5.4 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 2.1 | 2.7 |
| Otto Porter | 15 | 11.6 | 42.4 | 34.8 | 100.0 | 0.4 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 2.6 |
| Mouhamadou Gueye | 11 | 10.9 | 28.9 | 0.0 | 44.4 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 2.4 |
| Markquis Nowell | 1 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| Ron Harper | 1 | 3.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 |
| Kira Lewis, Jr. | 1 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
