Rent-a-blowout.
Oren and Zarar:
 | Raptors | 99 | Final Box Score | 144 | Cavaliers |  |
 D | C. Boucher28 MIN, 21 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 6-19 FG, 2-10 3FG, 7-9 FT, 0 BLK, 5 TO, -30 +/- The hope used to be that people would see a small Boucher sample size and then project him out to be better than what he actually is. Now the sample size is too large to fool anyone. I guess this is what a Raptors team headlined by Chris Boucher looks like. He took the responsibility of being the #1 guy real seriously and hoisted it up until he became the butt of some jokes from the Cavs commentators. I dig the confidence of thinking he can finish in transition like a guard, but as the distance between himself and the rim diminishes, so does his recognition of where exactly he is relative to the basket. | |
 B | D.J. Wilson34 MIN, 15 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AST, 4 STL, 6-8 FG, 0-1 3FG, 3-4 FT, 0 BLK, 2 TO, -25 +/- Opportunistic from mid-range and looked smooth when he had the ball. Didn’t try to do too much and kept a keen eye on his shot-selection, probably knowing this was going to be a blowout. Pressued well when the Raptors trapped (which was a lot) and generated some turnovers. | |
 B- | Y. Watanabe37 MIN, 26 PTS, 13 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 11-19 FG, 2-5 3FG, 2-3 FT, 1 BLK, 5 TO, -33 +/- Very aggressive with this shot and hit a nice looking three in transition early, but when the Cavs were making their game-changing run in the second quarter, wasn’t anywhere to be found to quell the run. His dribble has tightened which is opening up opportunities on a drive, so what used to be a straight up pass last year can now be a drive. | |
 F | D. Banton24 MIN, 7 PTS, 3 REB, 6 AST, 0 STL, 3-12 FG, 1-5 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 3 TO, -34 +/- Was OK defensively early, but abysmal with the ball trying to create or score in transition, which is supposed to be his wheelhouse. The Raptors looked to push the ball a lot early and Banton was leading the break on several occasions, but the end product when he has the ball remains suspect. He can’t shoot, he’s a below-average finisher. Really, the main thing that he’s sort of good at is being lanky. | |
 D | S. Mykhailiuk36 MIN, 10 PTS, 5 REB, 4 AST, 2 STL, 4-12 FG, 1-4 3FG, 1-2 FT, 1 BLK, 2 TO, -39 +/- Nurse kept him out there for some reason. Maybe get his conditioning going? The Cavs guards were a too anticipatory and quick for his aggressive defense, so he spent a lot of the time with the guard behind as he was recovering from a harsh closeout. | |
 D | J. Morgan27 MIN, 5 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 2-4 FG, 1-2 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, -25 +/- Hit a three in the first quarter and a layup in the second. I’m not even sure his teammates knew he was on the floor. | |
 D | D. Oturu20 MIN, 7 PTS, 2 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 2-4 FG, 0-1 3FG, 3-5 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, -16 +/- Was excited to see him but this game didn’t provide the context to evaluate him. The Cavs were running it down our throats and I don’t think it’s fair to expect Oturu to provide any sort of defensive cover when you’re constantly staring down 3 on1 situations. Offensively the Raptors didn’t look for him and he didn’t bother asking for it. Got eaten by Tacko on the boards. | |
 B | T. Waters35 MIN, 8 PTS, 3 REB, 6 AST, 3 STL, 3-11 FG, 2-8 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 4 TO, -23 +/- He’s getting a B because he actually tried to do something rather than just fit in as rent-a-player. Handled the ball a lot and tried to create in a game where lot of people were trying to get theirs, so his six assists are something to be commended. The turnover count is high but that’s he was at least trying to play a semblance of team basketball. | |
 D | Nick Nurse His zone defense failed him everywhere: on the boards, from three, stopping dribble penetration. Whatever. It’s not like he had many options. The best he could’ve hoped for was some production from his remaining “real” guys and that didn’t happen, so he was facing a double-barrell loss from the get-go. As expected. | |
