 | LA Clippers | 112 | Final Box Score | 92 | TOR Raptors |  |
 B- | P. Siakam35 MIN, 24 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL, 9-20 FG, 1-4 3FG, 5-5 FT, 3 BLK, 3 TO, -16 +/- Pascal did a really good job guarding Paul George tonight, and kept a guy who has been one of the best scorers in the league this season relatively quiet for most of the game. However, he needs to be an offensive nexus for the Raptors, even against good defenses, and he’s struggled with that lately, and did again in this one. He scored well when he was aggressive, attacking the defense, but when he settles and lets the defense lure him into taking jumpers instead, he fades as a threat. The pull-up game is an important development, but shouldn’t be the first option. | |
 B+ | O. Anunoby35 MIN, 13 PTS, 7 REB, 0 AST, 1 STL, 4-14 FG, 1-7 3FG, 4-4 FT, 2 BLK, 2 TO, -24 +/- Don’t let the impressive line from Kawhi fool you, OG made him work for those points tonight, and did a great job on ball denial. I thought the Raptors probably brought the double too eagerly at times, and got burnt by Kawhi’s passing, but that’s not really on OG. | |
 A | M. Gasol31 MIN, 9 PTS, 11 REB, 6 AST, 2 STL, 4-8 FG, 1-2 3FG, 0-2 FT, 1 BLK, 2 TO, 0 +/- Marc was probably the best Raptor on the floor tonight. He ran the show well offensively when other guys played off him, and had a strong defensive effort. He’s just not a dominant player anymore and needed help. | |
 C+ | K. Lowry35 MIN, 6 PTS, 4 REB, 6 AST, 2 STL, 1-8 FG, 0-7 3FG, 4-4 FT, 0 BLK, 2 TO, -7 +/- Feels to me like Kyle is playing relatively well and shooting horribly, but also, the Raptors need some of those shots to fall, and they aren’t going down since his return. Whatever is bothering him right now, he needs to figure it out because the team needs him to be a scorer, especially with Fred out. | |
 C- | N. Powell34 MIN, 22 PTS, 3 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 7-11 FG, 2-5 3FG, 6-6 FT, 0 BLK, 5 TO, -20 +/- The 22 points are nice, but they really masked a pretty bad game from Norm, and the 5 turnovers were more indicative of his play. Often out of control, when the offense was running through him, which it was too often. He needs to let other guys be the initiators and play off of them, where he was good in this game, and not force his own game. When he tries to take over the offense, it generally ends badly. | |
 D | S. Ibaka20 MIN, 0 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST, 0 STL, 0-8 FG, 0-3 3FG, 0-0 FT, 3 BLK, 0 TO, -12 +/- Awful game from Ibaka. He wasn’t strong enough on the boards, wasn’t a factor offensively, and had some horrible defensive rotations that gave up open shots to the Clippers. Struggled in basically every phase of the game, and looked like he wasn’t moving well enough as well. Might still be having some issues with the ankle. | |
 B+ | T. Davis15 MIN, 10 PTS, 2 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 3-8 FG, 2-5 3FG, 2-2 FT, 0 BLK, 2 TO, -1 +/- Terry had a lot of really good moments in this game, and I thought he was one of the team’s better players. Nurse needs to find more good minutes for him, in lineups that compliment him, because right now he’s not getting enough minutes, and also getting too many of them in lineups that feel doomed. | |
 B | R. Hollis-Jefferson13 MIN, 3 PTS, 8 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 1-4 FG, 0-0 3FG, 1-2 FT, 0 BLK, 1 TO, -9 +/- Rondae continues to bring the energy, and got a few rough breaks from the referees in this one for some soft fouls, but he was otherwise the player the Raptors expect him to be. As with Davis, needs to get more minutes in good lineups. | |
 C | P. McCaw10 MIN, 0 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0-2 FG, 0-0 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 1 TO, -14 +/- Rough game for McCaw’s return, and the line tells the story. Didn’t look like he belonged, and didn’t bring much to the table. | |
 B | C. Boucher9 MIN, 5 PTS, 3 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 2-5 FG, 1-3 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 2 +/- As with Davis and Rondae, the team needs to help him by putting him in positions where he can succeed, something they did well before Lowry and Ibaka’s returns, and have struggled with recently. | |
 Inc | M. Miller3 MIN, 0 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 1 +/- Garbage time minutes. | |
 C | Nick Nurse The aggressive doubles aren’t working anymore, teams are reading them and ready to make the next pass to punish the defense, and the Raptors haven’t made the next adjustment. As well, right now Nurse isn’t getting his bench guys often enough in positions that allow them to thrive. There is work to be done with the rotations and schemes, going forward. | |
Things We Saw
- Kawhi’s tribute video was awesome, and it was a really emotional start to the night. Great to see him show some emotion, and just a cool moment all around.
- Raptors are 1-4 in their last 5, but I don’t think it’s time to panic yet. It’s a tough stretch of schedule where they’re shooting poorly, and that is going to happen to a lot of teams during the season. It’s how they adjust and respond now that will dictate whether or not we should be worried.
- That said, there is some panic setting in in the fanbase, and the team might want to course correct sooner, rather than later. The trade market will be heating up soon, and if the Raptors feel like they can’t compete, there will definitely be temptation in the front office to make an adjustment or two.
