Toronto Raptors looking for more three-pointers - BERITAJA

TORONTO – The Toronto Raptors are fleshing their offence retired this season, and that originates pinch taking much three-pointers.

Nearly half of Toronto’s field-goal attempts successful a lopsided 148-98 pre-season triumph complete the New York Knicks connected Tuesday were from beyond the arc. The Raptors went 51 for 89 connected section goals successful the victory, including going 17 for 44 connected threes.

“We were moving to the corner, sprinting to the corner, we sewage immoderate area threes and immoderate were disconnected the catch,” said all-star guardant Scottie Barnes aft believe connected Wednesday. “I deliberation each changeable that we took was a really bully look.

“I deliberation erstwhile we tie the defence successful and get bully kickouts, that’s the champion changeable we could take.”

Recently acquired prima guardant Kawhi Leonard went 4 for 8 from beyond the line, sophomore Collin Murray-Boyles was 2 for 2 and G League subordinate Tyreke Key was 3 for 4. Starting constituent defender Immanuel Quickley is simply a profession 37.5 per cent three-point shooter but missed each 5 of his attempts against the Knicks.

“Just getting downhill, moreover successful immoderate of the ISO situations, conscionable being capable to get downhill, moving transition, seeing him wide open, conscionable giving him the ball,” Barnes said of Leonard, who averaged 6.8 three-point attempts for the Los Angeles Clippers past season, making 38.7 per cent of them.

“Every clip he shoots the ball, it conscionable looks for illustration it’s going successful each azygous time, and it feels that way. He’s going to tie truthful overmuch attention.”

Murray-Boyles is the cleanable illustration of really each the Raptors are expected to return much threes this season. He averaged 0.9 three-point attempts per crippled successful his rookie run and worked each summertime connected taking much successful 2026-27.

“Just building that assurance to sprout it more, I deliberation that was my biggest focus,” said Murray-Boyles. “Not really for illustration trying to hole my jumper aliases thing for illustration that. Just getting assured pinch getting shots up. Obviously, maine reference the defence is the biggest part. If they’re sagging disconnected me, past I person to sprout it.

“We want to sprout much threes. We want to get to that 35-ish per crippled number. So I’m conscionable helping the squad retired pinch that arsenic overmuch arsenic possible.”

Head coach Darko Rajakovic said it’s captious for teams to found themselves arsenic a three-point threat successful the modern NBA.

“If you’re making those three-point shots, it conscionable relieves a batch of pressure. It makes the defence much honest, little help, opens up the overgarment more,” said Rajakovic. “I deliberation those things are very, very connected. The amended shooting you have, successful theory, should unfastened up much abstraction and get much overgarment touches.

“Once we touch the paint, we’ve sewage to person those, and we’ve sewage to beryllium making the correct decisions to find that unfastened man if the defence collapses.”

Although the Raptors looked for illustration world-beaters against the NBA champion Knicks connected Tuesday, Barnes doesn’t expect it to beryllium truthful easy erstwhile they meet again successful New York connected Thursday.

“Obviously, they didn’t really person their guys retired location connected the floor,” said Barnes, referring to the truth that the Knicks didn’t play immoderate of their starters. “It felt coagulated to triumph the game, but we’ve sewage a crippled tomorrow.

“It should beryllium better.”

The Raptors (2-1) will play their last pre-season crippled successful Detroit connected Friday. Their location opener will beryllium connected Oct. 21 against the Chicago Bulls.

This study by BERITAJA was first published Oct. 14, 2026.