Sioux Falls Skyforce 102, Raptors 905 98
Coming out of a lengthy review with just under a minute to play, Raptors 905 trailed the Sioux Falls Skyforce by two points. The 905 had led by as many as 23 in the first half, easily their best two-way half of the season, but the supremely talented Skyforce had slowly chipped away at the lead before taking it over with about four minutes to play. It was a disappointing and familiar tragedy playing out for the 905, who had lost to Sioux Falls three times already since Dec. 22.
But they were right there, and a great defensive possession led to a rushed Tre Kelley 3-point attempt. It missed, and the 905 had great defensive rebounding position, plenty of time on the clock, and timeouts remaining.
And the rebound went long. Right into the hands of Skyforce guard Josh Richardson, who killed some clock before hitting a difficult spinning pull-up to extend the lead to four. Even those not present in Santa Cruz, Calif., for the D-League Showcase this week could feel the wind sucked out of at least one corner of the arena.
Here the 905 were, having turned in some terrific stretches of ball, hanging tough with the league’s best team, an outfit loaded with NBA-caliber talent. They had lost to the Skyforce by nine, six, and 16 recently, but this was their best performance and their best shot at a win. And this, despite any NBA assignees to help match the likes of Jarnell Stokes and Josh Ricahrdson. And they defended the pivotal possession well.
And the rebound went long.
It’s tough not to feel for the 905 after this one, blowing such a big lead on such a big stage. This was the franchise’s first ever game in The Showcase, a five-day scouting mega-event that means a great deal to individuals and that was being promoted as a sort of vacation or refresh point for the 905 after a difficult, often trying start to the season for the expansion team. That may still wind up being the case, and there were plenty of positives to draw from the loss to help continue slowly building momentum, but there’s also a Sisyphean feel to the 905 season so far. They’re now 5-15, dead last in the D-League, and they just squandered their best chance yet at a major upset and a potentially galvanizing win.
Most around the team understand that these losses would come and maybe even pile up. It’s life as an expansion team and the cost of putting development ahead of victories. At The Showcase, where the Toronto Raptors opted to let the spotlight shine on their D-League charges and eschew sending any players on assignment, the focus could shift some toward winning. it’s still a largely inexperienced squad that’s “learning how to win,” as it’s so often been put, and it’s a squad that had a sense about them leading up the tournament that this opportunity could represent a shifting of their tides.
While a lack of assignees also ostensibly means less talent, the D-League-only roster came out a house afire. Perhaps freed from a lack of familiarity and the constant up-and-down, they broke out to a 14-4 lead that edged to 29-17 at the end of the first quarter. Greg Smith looked terrific at the pivot in his debut, 26-year-old de facto leader Scott Suggs was setting a terrific tone with inspired, composed play on offense, and Jay Harris provided a nice spark getting into the teeth of the Skyforce defense off the bench.
The 905 then held serve in the second, pushing their lead to 13 thanks to some solid minutes from the bench grouping of Harris, Melvin Johnson III, and defensive shapeshifter Michale Kyser. They bent in the third, with Richardson heating up and Rodney McGruder threatening to take over like he did on the weekend. Consistent problems began to pop up, with the 905 committing eight turnovers in the frame. Their transition defense was active enough to help keep them in it, and they leaned on their athleticism to keep possessions alive. The third put a big dent in the lead, and the Skyforce had found a way to neutralize Ronald Roberts some by, no joke, pulling him away from the rim and putting the ball in the hands of Byron Mullens.
The fourth quarter was all too familiar. The 905 often defended well but sent Sioux Falls to the line too often and surrendered four offensive rebounds. They also coughed the ball up seven times, giving them 23 on the game, many of them sloppy post-entry passes or overzealous outlet looks, entirely preventable and frustrating miscues. Their offense sputtered, and while their team defense came out looking alright, Stokes and Richardson proved too much at that end. That seems reductive, but they’re two of the best three or four players on the floor, and the 905 couldn’t cope. The lead got edged out early in the fourth, then transferred to Sioux Falls, and the 905 just don’t have a way to close out games yet.
That’s something they’ll have to find a way to do, because talent isn’t necessarily incoming. Players will be assigned again, of course, but if anything, this team might lose talent to NBA call ups.
These stumbles are expected and entirely acceptable, by the way. Hanging this tight with the league’s best team without the benefit of NBA talent is a testament to this team’s upside when they figure things out. They’re a fun, active bunch with a great deal of defensive potential, and it does feel like they’ll eventually reach a tipping point, putting each of these frustrating and disheartening lessons to work for them. Mermuys’ tallest task is keeping spirits and buy-in high until that time comes.
Maybe it will come as soon as Saturday against Rio Grande Valley.
Showcase call-up watch
Suggs: Was the best player on the floor for the 905. Looked incredibly composed, even late, and finished with 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting and 5-of-7 on threes. Probably could have shown a bit more playmaking but the team desperately needs him to shoulder the scoring load, and so he did.
Roberts: Not his greatest showing, even if a 13-and-14 with four blocks will jump off the page. He had some trouble with Stokes on the block, got charged with five turnovers (some of these probably weren’t his fault due to poor decisions by the guards trying to slip too-difficult passes into tight spaces), and shot 5-of-13, well below his normal rate of production. Still, he out-jumped everyone for several key rebounds, did a nice job preventing Mullens from getting clean shots off, and continued to show he can man the four or five. He’s NBA-ready, and a solid-but-not-great night doesn’t change that
Harris: He’s probably a bit off the NBA radar still, but he showed off his Lou Williams impression with 12 points and four dimes off the bench, including the Williams “sprint to the short corner, pump-fake, and draw a foul” move.
Smith: Looked great for his first game at any level all season. He had 15-and-12 in 31 minutes and dished six assists, though his post defense wasn’t enough to help contain Stokes beyond turning layups into free throws.
DeAndre Liggins: This guy should be in the NBA. He can man the point-forward spot, he’s a great on-ball defender, he can shoot from outside…whatever it is NBA thinks he’s missing, I’m not seeing it. He finished with 19 points, three rebounds, nine assists, five steals, and two blocks in 40 minutes and really impressed me (again).
Mullens: Was held scoreless from the floor but showed improved shot selection and was incredibly active elsewhere, grabbing 10 rebounds with five assists, three steals, and two blocks. I’m not sure why an NBA team would give him another look over a less-proven, higher-upside commodity, but here he is.
(Stokes [24-and-10, 8-of-12 shooting] and Richardson [26-5-3, 11-of-21 shooting)] are on assignment from the Heat so don’t really fit for the “showcase call-up watch.” Stokes, for certain, is an NBA player, and RIchardson looked really good in this environment.)
