10 things: Raptors dominate Magic to snap 3-game losing streak – Yahoo!
Two — Determined: Pascal Siakam is making a “conscious effort” to establish his presence at the basket, head coach Nick Nurse said. This is the first time all season where Siakam has notched back-to-back 30-point performances, and it largely comes down to his insistence on getting to the rim. It helps that the Magic and Kings lack credible rim protection, but it also reflects a dramatic shift in Siakam’s approach. Siakam only took three triples over the last two games, which isn’t sustainable on the season, but it’s always refreshing to see him prioritize the paint. As Leo Rautins said on the broadcast, nobody comes to the game to see Siakam launch 10 threes. His ability to dominate the paint is the reason Siakam signed a max contract, and sometimes his approach to the game doesn’t always reflect that.
Raptors’ win over Magic first step in moving back up NBA food chain – Sportsnet
The most interesting moment of the game might have come midway through the second quarter when the Magic’s Aaron Gordon blindsided Lowry with bodycheck away from the play as the Raptors were transitioning from defence to offence.
It wasn’t an accident. When the Raptors and Magic met on Aug. 5 in the bubble, Lowry took a hard foul on Gordon as the Magic forward was launching for a dunk. Lowry never came close to the ball and instead seemed to grab Gordon’s arm and send him awkwardly to the floor. Gordon strained his hamstring on the play and the two exchanged words as he left the floor. Never one to shy away, Lowry had possibly gotten under Gordon’s skin again Sunday with a hard box out the play immediately before.
Regardless, Gordon was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul for his hit on Lowry but maybe deserved some credit for injecting some life into a game between a pair of sub-.500 teams on a Sunday night without any fans in the building.
The Raptors got on a roll early as they jumped out to a 27-15 lead mostly on the strength of their defence as they held the visiting Magic to 28 per cent shooting in the first quarter and forced four turnovers. It was a group approach, which is how it has to be for a short-handed team that is still figuring out how to defend without the luxury of their big-man tandem of the past two years — Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka — directing traffic behind the defence.
Nurse’s rotation had gone nine deep before the game was 10 minutes old as he made sure to get the likes of Yuta Watanabe, Stanley Johnson and DeAndre’ Bembry on the floor early. Those three were part of the crew that put the clamps on the Kings as the Raptors’ fourth-quarter comeback fell short.
The Raptors’ defensive effort carried on into the second quarter and they got some offensive punch from their bench, too. Bembry had seven points in 10 first-half minutes and Watanabe — who is making a strong argument to have his two-way deal converted to a full NBA contract — hit a corner three. Paul Watson also hit a pair of threes in his six-minute stint — including one just before the half that allowed Toronto to take a 58-44 lead into the locker room.
On a team that is deep in quality players but that lacks a clear hierarchy past the top-seven in the rotation, making the best use of minutes that become available is critical and Bembry and Watanabe — who followed up his career-best 12-point night Friday with 11 points on four shots as well as an out-of-nowhere block of a Vucevic dunk attempt — have shown they need to be at the forefront of Nurse’s mind when he’s looking down the bench, even after Powell and Anunoby return.
Game Recap: Raptors cruise to 115-102 win over Magic – Raptors HQ
Down OG Anunoby and Norman Powell once again, the Raptors were left with the thin complement of dudes that got embarrassed by the Kings on Friday. Against a better team, their wonky in-between lineups featuring heavy doses of Terence Davis, Paul Watson Jr. and a defensively confused Chris Boucher might have cost them. But with Nikola Vucevic (15 points on 5-of-18) performing as though the Raptors still had Marc Gasol stone-walling his ass, and with Aaron Gordon owning himself at every turn before leaving with an unfortunate ankle injury, Toronto’s margin for error was wide.
It certainly helped that Pascal Siakam looked like his best self. Without Jonathan Isaac available to Orlando, there was less than zero resistance whenever Siakam took it to the cup, which was often. Putting to good use a beefed up number of possessions as the screener or ball-handler in the pick-and-roll, Siakam finished with 30 points, 10 boards, three assists, three steals and a block on on 12-of-23 from the field. After being kept on the sidelines for more than 8 minutes in the fourth quarter on Friday, Nick Nurse swapped Siakam in with over 10 minutes to play in the fourth on Sunday to curb a slow offensive start and burgeoning Magic run. The slide stopped more or less in an instant, and Siakam padded his +27 mark on the night — second on the team only to Kyle Lowry and his hilarious +30.
Those two combined for the play of the night, which could be deemed a coordinated assault against Gordon, who was begging for someone to yam on his dome all night after picking up a flagrant for a cheap shot on Lowry, five months after Lowry dared Gordon to visit his room in Disney.
On top of holding the upper hand in the Gordon beef, Lowry had himself a wonderful night on the floor. While his 4-of-13 shooting line doesn’t pop, the 15 assists he tossed most certainly did. In addition to his work with Siakam in those pick-and-rolls they used to carve up the Magic all night, he was tasked with being the lone star in bench lineups that got by with a blend of high-intensity defense and timely shot-making from the likes of Yuta Watanabe and DeAndre’ Bembry — usually off of a Lowry dish.
For the second straight game, the trio of Watanabe, Bembry and Stanley Johnson infused a welcome note of maturity into the Raptors reserve and transitional lineups. Those guys are connectors who exclusively play within themselves. Any glimpses of the Raptors’ former defensive glory that have poked through the clouds over the last week or so have come with one, two or all three of them on the floor. Contrasted next to the erratic play of Chris Boucher, and the downright foolish decision-making of Terence Davis, it’s becoming ever-clearer who should be comprising the back portion of the Raptors rotation right now.
After Gordon hit a step-back jumper with 3.7 seconds left in the half, the Magic inexplicably allowed Lowry to go the length of the court to hit a layup at the buzzer, sending the Raptors into the break with a 58-44 advantage.
The Magic shot just 35 percent in the half, oddly enough shooting better from deep than they did from inside as they converted on 8 of 19 threes and just 7 of 23 twos. Gordon led the way with 11 points and Fournier had 9 (7 in the first). Nikola Vucevic played as if he was being haunted by the ghost of Marc Gasol, scoring just 3 points on 1-for-9 shooting. The Magic were limited to just 10 points in the paint and 2 second-chance points.
Siakam had 13 to lead the Raptors, who shot 46% at the half.
The two teams mostly traded baskets for a bulk of the third quarter. The Magic cut the lead to 11 after Anthony converted a layup and then hit a high-arching step-back jumper with 5.4 seconds left in the third to make it 84-73.
Earlier in the quarter, Gordon rolled his ankle and exited the game, this time for good after limping back to the locker room.
The Magic got within single digits when Vucevic hit a three early in the fourth to make it 84-76. The Raptors, as they did all night, responded with another run, this one a 14-5 stretch en route to building their largest lead of the night.
The Raptors, who despite their defensive drop-off this season remain one of the best at protecting the paint, limited the Magic to just 40.2% shooting and 32 paint points, many of which game during garbage time. Vucevic came to life in the second half, but finished with just 15 points on 5-for-18 shooting. Anthony led the Magic with 16 points and 6 assists. Fournier, after scoring 7 in the first, finished with just 11 points on 2-for-12 shooting (1-for-6 from deep).
Siakam had 30 points, and Lowry added 12 points and 15 assists for Toronto, which snapped a three-game losing streak.
The Magic lost their third straight game, suffering their 11th loss in their last 13 games. Things certainly won’t get any easier if they are without their point-forward Gordon for an extended period.
Orlando Magic Grades: Toronto Raptors 115, Orlando Magic 102 – Orlando Magic Daily
Things seemingly could not get worse for the Orlando Magic. And then it did.
Aaron Gordon nearly hyperextended his knee on a questionable box out attempt from Kyle Lowry in the second quarter. Incensed with the seemingly dirty play and perhaps lingering frustration from Kyle Lowry’s late hit in the bubble, Aaron Gordon lowered his shoulder and dropped Lowry to the ground, earning him a flagrant foul called.
Frustration had boiled over. The physical defensive style from the Toronto Raptors had gotten to the Magic again, stifling their offense and giving them no room to breathe.
They jumped on the Magic for a double-digit lead in the first quarter yet again. Orlando had some fight, but more frustration. Things are boiling over for a team that is quickly seeing its season go up in smoke.
Then it got worse.
Midway through the third quarter, Gordon was bringing the ball up when the Raptors’ physical defense got to him. A quick swipe as he brought the ball up the court as the team’s de facto point guard and suddenly he took a bad step.
Gordon rolled his ankle and left the game. The Magic already down two starters and several other rotation players may be without Gordon for a while. The team will have to find a way down another player and still seeking their way.
Orlando never really challenged Toronto in a 115-102 loss at Amalie Arena in Tampa on Sunday.
Raptors work a little Magic with Pascal Siakam and Yuta Watanabe | The Star
While Siakam’s play hearkened back to his all-star days of this time last season, the contribution of Yuta Watanabe continue to be new and unexpected and most welcome for a team that’s been scuffling.
Watanabe, proving to be a consistent and valuable backup while playing on a two-way contract, had 11 points and three blocked shots.
“The last three years I was with Memphis and didn’t get much opportunity; I was sitting on the bench cheering for my teammates,” Watanabe said. “But now I’ve got the opportunity. I’m doing my job to help the team, so I’m feeling good.”
The Raptors avoided all the disheartening, mind-numbing stretches of play that had plagued them so often in the recent past. They didn’t have any mental letdowns defensively like they did in a Friday loss to Sacramento and came up with an all-around solid performance.
Aron Baynes hauled in a season-high 16 rebounds, while Kyle Lowry had a season-best 15 assists to go along with 12 points. Toronto took control in the first quarter and didn’t have any extended lapses.
“You could see it right from the defensive stand at the start, really good execution offensively, and just kind of played pretty solidly throughout,” Nurse said. “There was really no dips in effort or energy or any of that kind of stuff, just a solid, workmanlike performance tonight.”
The same teams play again Tuesday night in Orlando, the start of a six-game road trip for the Raptors.
Defence stellar as Raptors cruise past Magic, halt losing skid | Toronto Sun
From the jump the Raptors were the aggressors in this one and kept that up through four quarters.
“We just came out ready to go,” Raptors’ head coach Nick Nurse said. “You could see it right from the defensive stand at the start, really good execution offensively, and just kind of played pretty solidly throughout. There was really no dips in effort or energy or any of that kind of stuff, just a solid workman like performance tonight.”
Pascal Siakam led the way in that regard as he is back playing that driving, bucket-getting power forward we have become so accustomed to with a 30-point night in which he looked like the Pascal of old for the second consecutive game.
Afterwards, Siakam mentioned being hampered by a number of smaller injuries he had been playing through, but with a newfound focus on maintaining his body and finally feeling mostly fully healthy again, it was just the kind of night where playing that way was possible.
“Over the past weeks, I haven’t been feeling well, little injuries here and there,” Siakam said. “Continue to just get with Alex (McKechnie), Scott (McCullough), all those guys, everyday, taking care of my body, and lifting and doing those things that are going to help my body continue to feel good. I think that’s what I’ve been focusing on over the past week. I think it makes me feel good that my body feels good. For me, that’s the main thing. If I feel good, I have the ability to go out there and bring the energy and live with the results.”
Defensively that energy was obvious up and down the Raptors lineup.
The Raptors as a team blanketed Orlando’s three biggest threats holding Nikola Vucevic, Evan Fournier and ex-Raptor Terrence Ross to a combined 8-for-35 shooting and a total of 30 points between them.
The Raptors’ other issue, closing out games, was not an issue on this night either as they took an 11-point lead into the fourth quarter and just built on it.
Vucevic was thought to be a key in this one as he has struggled in the past against this Raptors’ team with Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka.
With both those guys now playing in L.A., the thought was Vucevic might finally unleash his game on this new version of the Raptors. Credit Aron Baynes and a defensive scheme that saw the Raptors sending a second man at Vucevic on the catch to maintain the Raptors’ mastery over the Magic centre.
Yuta Watanabe Making His Mark as the Raptors’ New Glue Guy | Complex CA
Of late, the 26-year-old’s contributions have become more important due to Pascal Siakam’s absence with a swollen left knee. Just as Nurse has tasked Siakam with defending smaller guards out on the perimeter, he has been able to do the same with Watanabe. Recently against the Pacers, he managed to do that but also spent his share of time going up against the size of Myles Turner—currently the NBA’s leading shot blocker—and did an admirable job.
“He is a little slender and he does give up some weight to his opponents that he ends up guarding, but he is stronger than he looks and he battles and he gives you maximum effort and fight out there,” Nurse said. “I’m just kind of getting to know him and I like what I see so far.”
For all intents and purposes, Watanabe is the prototypical glue guy. Think the PJ Tuckers, Andre Igoudalas, and Shane Battiers of the world. They’re obviously on the high end of what Watanabe would hope to achieve with his career, but perhaps a former Raptor in Jorge Garbajosa better fits the bill. The Spaniard maximized the skills he had at his disposal and always seemed to be in the right place at the right time.
The importance of Watanabe’s contributions and cracking this Raptors rotation is hard to understate when factoring in the impact on his native Japan. Although it feels like eons ago, Toronto played in Tokyo about a year-and-a-half ago and the fan base has continued to expand. Media scrums featuring Watanabe have drawn a significant Japanese media presence and Nurse has admirably even stuck around longer to ensure he can answer as many questions about his newest bench contributor as possible.
For Watanabe, he knows his focus and determination to this point is what’s got him here and he hopes that’s what continues to help maintain this sudden rise.
“I know my friends and family are really happy,” Watanabe said. “I feel like a lot of people in Japan are happy too. I just feel like I gotta keep playing hard and keep believing in myself and I hope more people watch my games.”
What is Nick Nurse looking for in a Raptors role player? – The Athletic
By now, the Raptors should know what Watanabe brings. In the fourth quarter, with the Raptors going through what is now their nightly scoring drought, scoring just two points over the first seven possessions of the fourth quarter, Watanabe rushed back to block a shot that led to a Pascal Siakam layup going the other way. On the next possession, he drained an open 3, upping his percentage from deep to 45.8 percent on an admittedly small sample of 24 attempts.
Nurse clearly admired Bembry in training camp but was pretty much allotted minutes in garbage time only after the first two games of the year, not playing by Nurse’s decision nine times already. In comparison, Watanabe has now played in nine of the Raptors’ past 10 games, and Johnson hasn’t sat out since Jan. 6, making him the one out of the bunch who is closest to establishing a permanent spot.
Bembry has now topped 17 minutes in three of the past five games and is a nice bailout option at the end of the clock for a team that struggles offensively in the halfcourt. He smartly attacked a lazy closeout from Aaron Gordon in the second quarter, and got on the end of Kyle Lowry alley-oop passes twice. The Raptors have won Bembry’s 40 minutes over the past two games by 26 points.
Nurse said Powell might be back for the rematch between these teams Tuesday, and Anunoby is likely looking at another week off with his calf strain. Once that happens, there will be fewer minutes to go around. When that happens, Nurse is going to have to make a nightly decision between offensive potential and defensive stability, a higher ceiling versus a steadier floor.
“You can do that if you want to,” Nurse said of trying to figure out who should play before every game. “You could kind of sit here and think, ‘Hey, this would be a good night for this guy and that guy,’ but those things always go out the window about four minutes into the game and you’ve got to start figuring out what you need depending on how the game starts rolling.”
The Raptors’ solution isn’t rocket science. Fewer brain cramps equals more wins | The Star
Some of the mistakes can be chalked up to unfamiliarity and different groups being on the floor at different times. Injury absences, poor play that forces Nurse to turn to second or third options, and some players being asked to do more — to think more — than they ever have before are parts of the problem, no doubt. But that just means there’s a need for more concentration, more attention to detail from players out of position or in new roles with new responsibilities.
“There are just too many of those where we’re playing well enough to win the game and then we start doing dumb stuff,” VanVleet said. ”That’s the part we’ve got to clean up. We’ve seen some improvement, so we’ve just got to stay positive and continue to get better at that.”
It’s not just one or two players or a specific group who momentarily black out for a handful of possessions. Newcomers, veterans, players in their regular roles and ones in new positions are equally guilty. It’s the frequency that takes Raptors out of some games.
“It’s just like too many — half a dozen, eight of these unforced errors,” Nurse said. “It’s not like these guys are trying to make the mistakes, but they’re just happening and hopefully we can clean those up … (and settle) down a little bit.”
When they settle down, the Raptors are certainly not a bad team. They may not be legitimate championship contenders at this point, but they’ve shown the ability to be better than the 12th-place team they were going into Sunday night’s game against Orlando.
“Not one time this year have we been in a game where it feels like it’s unfathomable that we could win the game,” VanVleet said. “We have a chance and it’s just the little things that we have to do a higher level.”
Toronto Raptors HQ Podcast — That’s A Rap #126: Yuta Watan-All-Star – Raptors HQ
The Raptors continue playing down (and up) to their competition. According to Basketball-Reference.com, Toronto has played one of the easier schedules in the league. With close games against teams on both ends of the contender spectrum — Milwaukee and Sacramento alone this week — the Raptors continue playing with fire and have, more often than not, been burned.
Despite the frustration, there have been positive signs, none of which has been more surprising than Yuta Watanabe. His relentless energy, coupled with Kyle Lowry’s recent milestone of 10,000 career points as a Raptor, made this week’s episode less calamitous to record.
Send me any Raptors related stuff. Anything. Or just drop a line to say hi: rapsfan@raptorsrepublic.com
