Raptors 104, Suns 97 | Quick Reaction | Boxscore | Pre-Game
In regards to the win streak, alongside the thought process coming into Tuesday night’s trip to Phoenix, chances are you backed one of two mindsets. Ones that are seemingly dividing this fan base down the middle:
- The Theory of Evolution: You believe in the notion that this team has graduated to the next level. While at the same time, buying the thought that the Raps are on the cusp of joining the league’s elite. If you view the 11-game run as a stretch of games where basketball IQ finally met their physical capabilities on a consistent basis, then we have something in common.
- Trust Issues: We’re all still waking up in a cold sweat over how last season ended, but if your frustration is lingering to the point where your guard won’t come down until postseason advancement takes place, you’re surely reluctant to treat this squad’s recent accomplishment as anything more than taking advantage of a soft schedule.
The truth of the matter is:
This club’s reality isn’t as cut and dry as the two-sided argument makes it seem; the rub lies somewhere in between.
But hey, half the fun of the regular season is trying to figure out the chaos. So following Monday’s defeat in Denver, it was only natural for both sides to drop the gloves. Now, whether or not some of the punches thrown were valid enough to land is another discussion altogether.
Enter the Phoenix Suns, and the perfect opportunity for the Raptors to get back on track. Not to mention the chance to prove that their new-found killer instinct is here to stay. Facing off gainst a team that’s spiraling out of control didn’t hurt matters, either.
To put the Suns’ shambles into perspective, Gerald Bourguet of Hoops Habit summed it up nicely in a Tuesday afternoon tweet. A recap dating back to July:
A complete recap of the 2015-16 Phoenix #Suns dating back to July. No team has suffered more low-points this year: pic.twitter.com/SeiD2a34dA
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) February 2, 2016
At least on paper, the Suns were ripe to be put of their misery. With the added insult of T.J. Warren’s season-ending foot injury hitting the wire just hours before tipoff, Raptors fans were preparing for a feast. Though with one not knowing how a club will immediately react to their Head Coach being relieved of his duties, this matchup did have a wildcard feel.
On the flip side, the bottom line of the Raps’ win streak is the fact that they’ve now earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to potential letdown situations. And no longer should we expect them to play to the level of their competition.
The Raps didn’t help reinforce that thought early on, though.
It’s become a broken record but their slow-start syndrome reared its ugly head once again, as a lack of defensive intensity led to Phoenix attacking the paint without much resistance in the first quarter. And overall, it ultimately became Valanciunas’ second consecutive defensive effort that left us shaking our heads.
It’s no secret that Scola won’t exactly come to his rescue, so “the onus is on Jonas” to speed up his awareness. But as always, having to overcompensate for mistakes made on the perimeter have to be taken into account.
The backlash over JV’s -10 rating, while justified, should be tempered when he’s often times left hung out to dry. On the other hand, overcompensation is a two-way street. When the perimeter doesn’t have Bismack-type faith in what’s behind them, gambling does have its perks.
With Detroit dropping 35 fourth-quarter points fresh in our minds, giving up a 32-spot to open things up didn’t exactly jumpstart our enthusiasm. But as the storyline progressed, so did T.O.’s energy level. And look no further than Joseph and Biyombo, who at one point were fighting each other for loose balls, as the club’s saving graces. An effort that led to a 14-1 second-quarter run. Considering the second half saw both club’s notch 52 points apiece, it became the difference maker.
With Lowry reaping the benefits of playing with the second unit, yet again, it’s another example of why we might not get our collective wish to see Lowry’s minutes decrease with any regularity. Too many lineup variations excel when he’s on the floor, whether he’s leading the starters or able to freelance with the bench.
But with DeRozan commanding a new level of respect, his on-court burden is further lifted when combined with what Joseph already provides. For the most part, the level of last season’s wear and tear doesn’t have the makings of repeating itself. Let’s hope so, anyway. And on this night, like many others, DeMar’s improved passing ability helped negate Lowry’s low assist total of four. Which again, leads to less work for K-Low to take care of.
T-Ross’s production also plays a major role in that area, much like his clutch shooting and aggressive defense did last night. In a game where the Suns kept hanging around, Ross provided daggers at both ends of the floor. His tendency to disappear (see Detroit) still pops up at random times but that’s happening far less frequently these days. So much so that the early season noise of his controllable contract eventually being traded has certainly quieted down.
Speaking of the upcoming trade deadline, and what might have been the biggest overall storyline this game had to offer:
Markieff Morris and Devin Booker helped solidify their status, albeit at opposite ends of the spectrum. It’s widely known that Markieff wants out, and since that’s common knowledge it’s widely speculated that Phoenix will be forced to take a lowball offer.
Well, his near triple-double of 30 points, 11, boards and 6 dimes just may have salvaged what the Suns’ get in return. That lack of paint presence I spoke of earlier? You’re welcome, Phoenix.
Morris has long been a name discussed in this community. I wonder what the interest level among fans is now? Would his attitude come with him? What’s his Value Over Chemistry? What’s his Win Shares Per Hissy Fit?
Booker on the other hand, all but sealed his fate as a core building block when the trade deadline strikes. If he hadn’t already. His 27 points, 5 boards, and 6 threes has pumped his averages over his last five games up to 19 points, 2.6 threes, 3.8 boards while shooting at a 44 percent clip. He’s going nowhere.
Phoenix may have gone from a team about to burst on the Western Conference scene to a squad in disarray, but they sure know how to rock a draft pick.
Which reminds me, Norman Powell started this game! His jumpers which turned into floaters, need work. But just by the eye test, it’s easy to see a two-way player is brewing.
Still, his performance, albeit encouraging (especially on defense), did show the holes created by JJ being out. It was through no fault of his own, though, being slotted at the three is a tall order for any rookie. But on a larger scale, showed that the Raps can’t really afford anymore injuries. DMC, where you at?!
On to Portland…
