Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Raptors Get Positive Returns From Fully-Healthy Rotation in Blowout Victory Over Knicks
The Toronto Raptors had no idea if their unorthodox roster would actually work this season. They had their hunches, of course. They'd run the numbers. But would this group work? Could Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, and Scottie Barnes play together? Could this group of 6-foot-7 to 6-foot-9 wings actually win at the highest level? That question had yet to be answered. Heck, it couldn't be.
Thirty-two games through the season, Toronto had yet to play one game with its rotation fully healthy. Their top group of Fred VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr., Barnes, Anunoby, and Siakam had played a total of 50 minutes together all season.
That changed Sunday afternoon against the New York Knicks. Finally, the Raptors had options.
"I hope I can handle it," Raptors coach Nick Nurse joked pre-game.
"I think my main concern: can we make sure we get spaced properly?" he added. "Can we get organized? Can these passes continue to be good?"
Well, in Game 1 of this adventure, albeit against a severely undermanned Knicks team, Toronto certainly passed the test, cruising past New York 120-105 to open the new year on the right note.
"I think we felt good about our group all year, to be honest with you. I just like our spirit and our chemistry and kind of the enthusiasm that we have for the game," said VanVleet. "It’s going to take time to get it to be where we need it to be, but you would hope if we keep climbing by April and May we’ll be at our best, and that’s kind of the goal. To start the year off with everybody back, and hopefully we can run off a couple here playing good basketball, this is kinda where you want to be."
Nurse started small, going without Khem Birch and Precious Achiuwa in the starting lineup because he wanted to give what he called his "best defensive team" a chance to grow together. It won't happen every night, he said. But with Mitchell Robinson and Nerlens Noel both in COVID protocols, Toronto didn't have an opposing big to worry about.
The lineup's versatility immediately began causing problems for New York. Siakam got up into Miles McBride trying to navigate a pick-and-roll and stripped the rookie guard, sending Anunoby flying for a transition dunk. When R.J. Barrett tried to work a double drag screen to free himself from Anunoby, he merely found Barnes and Siakam awaiting his attack.
Barnes was the first to check out with Birch coming off the bench to replace him. Achiuwa checked in to open the second and never played alongside Birch.
The starters were +9 in six minutes together as a group unfortunately truncated by Trent's foul trouble. But even when four of the five played together, it was clear Toronto was trying to do things a little more unconventional. They shared the ball without a clear No. 1 option offensively.
"Between [Pascal], Scottie and OG, all three guys who can create and create mismatches and advantages," VanVleet said. "The defense is showing those guys a lot of attention. And then you’ve got me and Gary spotting up on the outside, I think that’s a good way for us to play."
Anunoby and VanVleet started the game aggressively while Siakam played facilitator. Then in the second half, VanVleet exploded for 19 in the third quarter before Siakam turned it on, attacking downhill with ease.
"It makes us tough to guard when [VanVleet's] coming down, hitting in transition, coming off screens," Nurse said. "I think a big factor is Pascal’s paint touches. He’s really being decisive. He had a couple where he didn’t quite get ‘em out tonight but they were really sending a lot of bodies.
VanVleet, Siakam, Anunoby, and Barnes all finished in double figures with 35, 20, 14, and 13 points, respectively.
Point Barnes
With Dalano Banton and Malachi Flynn struggling of late, the Raptors decided to go without a bench point guard, allowing Barnes to run the show alongside Svi Mykhailiuk in the backcourt in the first half. Barnes made a few silly mistakes, throwing an errant pass in transition and coughing up the ball on an inbound pass, but if Banton and Flynn have lost Nurse's trust, then letting Barnes develop as a guard is certainly an intriguing proposition.
Tough to Win Without Stars
Sometimes NBA basketball can just be boiled down to superstars and talent. Sure, scheming and coaching are important, but it's tough to win in this league without your best players (duh!). Toronto beat the Golden State Warriors who were missing Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Andrew Wiggins, then the Raptors lost two straight while they were missing all their best players. Now Toronto has topped the L.A. Clippers and Knicks who have been battling their own COVID-19 outbreaks. Tough to read too much into games when half the roster is in Health & Safety protocols.
Photo of the Night
With capacity limits still in place and no fans allowed in the stadium, Raptors president and vice-chairman Masai Ujiri found some new office space to watch the game.
Up Next: San Antonio Spurs
The Raptors will be back at it Tuesday night when they host the San Antonio Spurs at 7 p.m. ET.
