Brandon Ingram has expressed his frustration with his role in a recent game, stating his limited shot attempts are not conducive to winning. This followed a game where the Toronto Raptors struggled, particularly in the third quarter.
Ingram’s Limited Second-Half Opportunities
Ingram headed into halftime with 13 points. After a strong start from Jamal Shead and Scottie Barnes from beyond the arc, the offence began to rely on Ingram. Something changed at halftime, though.
Ingram only took one shot in the second half. He scored four points in the second half, going 0-1 from the field and 0-0 from three-point range.
According to Ingram, the adjustments were related to his role. “Well, coach wanted to use me as a screener. Also, he noticed that my man wasn’t coming off me, so he wanted me outside of the action and being a receiver,” said Brandon Ingram regarding the halftime adjustments.
Ingram’s Displeasure
Ingram made it clear he wasn’t happy with the adjustments. “At the end of the day, me shooting 9 shots is not going to win basketball games,” he said.
Ingram led Toronto to 46 wins during the regular season. He also led the team in scoring, averaging 21.5 points per game across 77 appearances.
Third Quarter Struggles
The Toronto Raptors were battling the Cleveland Cavaliers in the opening game of a best-of-seven series. They headed into halftime trailing by just seven points.
However, the third quarter proved to be a turning point. Toronto was outscored 36 to 22.
The Raptors won the fourth quarter 37-29. But it was too little, too late, as the Cavaliers dominated most of the second half and held a lead of 20+ points at multiple stages of the game.
The Raptors fell to 5-18 all-time in Game 1s.
Ingram’s frustration highlights the impact of strategic adjustments on a team’s offensive output.