“Where are we, Brian?”
The NBA is frequently a funhouse-mirror place, where things are not at all what they seem. This strange state is never more obvious than in the late stages of a team’s failed season. Let’s consider the Toronto Raptors. They started the year under a considerable handicap, namely, being unable to play home games due to the Canadian government’s border restrictions. Then they managed to win just 2 of their first 10 games. A lengthy period of success saw them claw back to a 17-17 mark. At that moment, the pandemic said “Fun’s over, guys”. A combination of players barred from dressing due to COVID protocols, and injuries to those who could, created a perfect storm in March. That month saw the team win 1 game and lose 13. And just at the time fans were comfortable with the idea of a trip to the draft lottery, the Raps turned things around, again. Are you dizzy yet?
Toronto Raptors 112 – Cleveland Cavaliers 96
Toronto’s fifth win in six outings came last night against a sad collection of Cleveland Cavaliers. The Raptors needed this one, as their last 11 games are against a crowd of opponents so tough, Tankathon ranks their schedule as the second-most difficult; only San Antonio faces better teams. The goal is to somehow find a way into the play-in tournament, win those games, and enter the post-season. At that’s the theory; there are a large contingent of Raptors fans who would be perfectly happy seeing their team in the draft lottery. They are likely to get their wish, sez I: the Raptors tonight face the Eastern Conference’s first-place team, the Brooklyn Nets, then hit the road for four games against some nasty Western opposition.
Beating Cleveland wasn’t so tough…
The Raptors’ dreadful shooting from beyond the arc, particularly in the first half, kept last night’s game closer than it should have been. Fortunately, Malachi Flynn and others found the range when needed, and the outcome was never in doubt. Khem Birch was able to make a bunch of easy baskets against a Cavaliers defense which was either confused or lazy. Jarrett Allen’s defensive effort is sure to get roasted in the film room today. Toronto’s D, by contrast, improved as the game wore on, and the youthful Cavaliers couldn’t get untracked. Kevin Love needs to retire or leave Cleveland; he’s a shadow of his former self. OG Anunoby had a woeful night shooting from deep, but didn’t let that effect the rest of his well-rounded game. Pascal Siakam picked his spots, worked hard despite foul trouble, and led all scorers with 25 points. Off the bench, Yuta Watanabe was fine, while DeAndre’ Bembry wasn’t. His game has fallen off a cliff recently. Freddie Gillespie may already be a poor man’s folk hero in Toronto, but he won’t be a Raptor much longer unless he crashes the boards more effectively, and refrains from the bad fouls. Two rebounds, and five fouls? That won’t do.
…but Brooklyn is a different story
It’s true the Raptors were able to defeat the Nets last week, but Brooklyn was without the services of Kevin Durant. The Slim Reaper will be in black-&-white tonight (although James Harden won’t). Meantime, Chris Boucher is out for several weeks. Their plus, and our minus, changes the equation in Brooklyn’s favour. Kyrie Irving, the brilliant point guard with the inscrutable personality, is rolling. Even when his shot isn’t falling, the man is a huge problem with his penetration and passing skills. Many of those passes are directed to Joe Harris, whose 48.2% success rate from beyond the arc ranks second in the NBA. Landry Shamet had a bad outing in their loss, but if he’s back to normal, the Nets are going to be making long balls with tiresome consistency. Perhaps with a complete roster, the Raptors could give this team a scare, but not now.
Brooklyn Nets 119 – Toronto Raptors 106
