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Raptors Highlight of the Night: Ross gives Korver a taste of his own medicine

John E. Sokolowski / USA Today Sports

The Toronto Raptors opened their 2014-15 season with an exciting 109-102 victory over the visiting Atlanta Hawks in front of a raucous Air Canada Centre crowd Wednesday.

A season ago, the Raptors were one of only four teams to finish in the top 10 on both ends of the floor. As they look to repeat as Atlantic Division champions, it's their defense that stands out as potentially elite. Their offense succeeds largely on the talent of its individual pieces, and while they do share the ball well, the team's offensive sets were at times pedestrian and predictable a year ago.

On Wednesday, the Raptors flashed a few creative sets that provide encouraging signs of growth on that end. A few more dual pick-and-rolls, a more dangerous key dive man in Jonas Valanciunas, and some misdirection all stand to make the team's base sets more dangerous.

One interesting wrinkle was on display early in the third quarter, with the Raptors freeing Terrence Ross from Kyle Korver with some confusing action. It was strangely reminiscent of some of the creative ways Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer works to free Korver, actually.

It started off with a pretty standard look, with the Raptors appearing to get set into a horns formation with point guard Kyle Lowry up top.

Instead, Valanciunas ditched his role as screener to flash into the post, and Amir Johnson played middleman in getting the rock to DeMar DeRozan, who isolated up top.

Look at how the Raptors are lined up there: DeRozan is alone up top, and his four teammates have all assembled in something close to a straight line. Looking at that, all that can be surmised is that someone is going to pop out or cut baseline, but who is unclear.

Ross then begins a motion to use Lowry and Valanciunas as screens for a baseline cut. At the same time, DeRozan drives into the teeth of the defense to draw additional attention. Ross then stops his cut, freezing Korver in the paint.

The quick stop makes Korver lose his momentum, and the confusion of Ross cutting, DeRozan driving, Lowry popping out, and Johnson and Valanciunas cluttering the paint leaves the Hawks with little idea of what check belongs to who.

Once Korver notices Ross has stopped, Ross continues his earlier baseline cut, catching Korver on a Johnson screen as he does so. DeRozan, who has pulled the chute on his drive to reset up top, finds him in stride.

With Korver out of sorts, Ross adds one little wrinkle of misdirection, showing a cut up top and then darting toward the corner, where he has plenty of room for a long two.

Watched fluidly (GIF below), it's a great play to illustrate how subtle changes to basic sets can drive a defense mad. The only complaint here may be that Ross didn't pop all the way to the 3-point line, but a wide open jumper is a wide open jumper.

(GIF Courtesy: TSN4, via Raptors Republic)

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