 | TOR Raptors | 103 | Final Box Score | 113 | OKC Thunder |  |
 F | A. Baynes21 MIN, 0 PTS, 2 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 0-3 FG, 0-1 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 6 +/- Sigh. Slow feet, All glass on open threes, like he is breaking a game of 21, tipping in defensive rebounds, losing potential offensive rebounds out of bounds, missing layups. To quote Sam Mitchell, this man had “zero, zero, zero, zero, zero” at halftime in 11 minutes. New drinking challenge: Take a shot everytime Jack Armstrong says “mmph!” after a Baynes play. | |
 B | F. VanVleet38 MIN, 18 PTS, 4 REB, 7 AST, 5 STL, 5-17 FG, 3-10 3FG, 5-6 FT, 4 BLK, 2 TO, -9 +/- Absolute defensive pest tonight. Even though Fred would rather have his “borderline” blocks recorded as steals, he had four of them in the first quarter. OKC kept going under screen roll plays with Fred too for some bizarre reason, which he did a good job of exploiting in the first half. His FG% has been suffering since his return from Covid-19. | |
 A+ | G. Trent36 MIN, 31 PTS, 2 REB, 0 AST, 2 STL, 12-22 FG, 6-11 3FG, 1-2 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 3 +/- Trent had his best game in his short Raptors career with shots both off the catch and off the dribble, floaters, and jumping passing lanes. He had 20 points in the first half. Even stopped Aron Baynes from possibly getting ejected in the third quarter, which probably saved a point, then had a steal and buzzer beater that added three more. Tried his best to get his first Raptors win in vain. Congrats on the new career high! | |
 B | O. Anunoby36 MIN, 20 PTS, 11 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL, 7-18 FG, 4-11 3FG, 2-2 FT, 1 BLK, 2 TO, -3 +/- Started and finished well on both ends, but tough second and third quaters. Forced a couple out of rhythm plays, but that’s to be expected from time to time as Anunoby grows into a more versatile offensive threat. Seemed to be the only one boxing out and positioning for rebounds. | |
 C | P. Siakam37 MIN, 14 PTS, 7 REB, 4 AST, 1 STL, 2-9 FG, 1-3 3FG, 9-10 FT, 0 BLK, 2 TO, -7 +/- Really did a good job driving downhill. Siakam went to the free throw line 10 times in the first half, which is double his season average. Didn’t have that same aggression in the second half, and couldn’t get shots to fall. | |
 C | C. Boucher19 MIN, 10 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST, 0 STL, 4-10 FG, 2-6 3FG, 0-0 FT, 2 BLK, 1 TO, -10 +/- Trying to get back to that consistent tear he was on a few weeks ago. Got knocked around quite a bit, including a dangerous collision in the the third where he did a full pirouette. Didn’t provide much help on the glass. | |
 C | M. Flynn19 MIN, 2 PTS, 0 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL, 1-4 FG, 0-2 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, -17 +/- Flynn’s shot looks good until the final result. He’s shooting 27 percent this season and thats about to go down even more. At some point you have to make shots. Learning from the Fred school of taking people’s cookies. | |
 B- | S. Johnson18 MIN, 8 PTS, 5 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 4-5 FG, 0-0 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, -3 +/- Most of his drives for layups were really smart and decisive. Had a senseless one in the fourth quarter. Rolled his ankle mid fourth. | |
 D | Y. Watanabe7 MIN, 0 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0-1 FG, 0-1 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, -4 +/- Quick hooks after three and four minute stints. Nurse didn’t see much and neither did I. | |
 Inc | R. Hood5 MIN, 0 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0-1 FG, 0-1 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, -6 +/- Suffered a right hip injury after six minutes of play. Didn’t return in second half. Missed his one open look from three, but hard to grade his performance. So far, he’s done what’s been expected of him as a Raptor. Decent reserve, capable of some hot shooting stretches. | |
 C+ | Nick Nurse Started Baynes with Lowry out to help out on 7-2 Moses Brown but what other option is there? Quick hook to Yuta, who hasn’t really provided anything since that Anthony Edwards poster. The smaller lineups didn’t solve anything, neither did a quick zone look in the second half. When it rains, it pours. | |
Things We Saw
- CLOSING / OPENING QUARTERS: This has been a problem all season. The Raptors were up 14 mid first quarter, but that lead was cut to two. Third quarters have generally been an eyesore too, as the Thunder took control and eventually took over.
- REBOUNDING: Some of these are so repetitive. It’s not just lack of size either, its also lack of fundamentals. For example, how do you allow players to walk in for offensive boards off missed three throws? The Raptors have now been outrebounded in 14 straight games. So basically the entire month of March. 64-35 ON THE GLASS. Brown had 7 offensive rebounds alone as multiple Raptors watched. It’s embarrassing at this point.
- MARCH: The Raptors close out this disastrous month with a 1-13 record. That’s their third worst in franchise history (1-14 in March 1998, 1-15 in Nov 2005). Toronto was 17-17 coming into this month and March alone has spiraled this season out of control. How you lose to a decimated Thunder lineup is beyond me.
