Fun game.
 | Raptors | 117 | Final Box Score | 111 | Bucks |  |
 A+ | P. Siakam42 MIN, 33 PTS, 5 REB, 6 AST, 3 STL, 13-23 FG, 2-4 3FG, 5-7 FT, 1 BLK, 4 TO, +11 +/- A truly dominant performance. When he had the size or speed advantage, he turned it downhill. When the Bucks loaded up in the paint and the Raptors were struggling, he hit from mid-range an spotted up from downtown. The passes were crisp, the decision making was there. A bit choppy late, but the team was as a whole. Defensively, he was as poor as the team overall in the first half, but as strong as anyone in the 2nd. Tremendous game. | ||||||||
 A- | O. Anunoby35 MIN, 22 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST, 0 STL, 6-10 FG, 4-7 3FG, 6-8 FT, 0 BLK, 3 TO, -3 +/- Piece of cake sliding in as a shooter in this one, and attacked some closeouts with conviction, getting to the free throw line and the cup. Terrific job crowding the paint in the second half and gang rebounding. | ||||||||
 C+ | S. Barnes38 MIN, 6 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST, 1 STL, 2-6 FG, 0-2 3FG, 2-4 FT, 0 BLK, 4 TO, +4 +/- Had trouble creating out of any situation in this one. Passed out of empty-side post-ups and isolations. Luckily, he’s such a positive as a connective passer and a really intuitive cutter. Flashed into space to support dead dribbles and kept the ball moving in what was a tough night for him. Got in trouble with some tough calls on both ends. Tough night, but thems the breaks. He’s still on his way to the top. | ||||||||
 B+ | F. VanVleet39 MIN, 19 PTS, 3 REB, 5 AST, 2 STL, 7-18 FG, 5-10 3FG, 0-0 FT, 1 BLK, 1 TO, 0 +/- Came out on fire, and cooled down a lot after that. The Raptors really missed his initiation during their slumps, but the team made a huge run with him off the floor. Great dig downs and scrams in the 2nd half, and a HUGE block. The All-Star push continues. | ||||||||
 B+ | G. Trent Jr.31 MIN, 22 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST, 0 STL, 8-17 FG, 3-10 3FG, 3-4 FT, 1 BLK, 1 TO, +14 +/- Had a few great “break in case of emergency” shots late in the game, wiggling to space for jumpers. His gambling in the first half was as big a culprit of the Bucks 3’s as anyone, but he was crisp on the x-outs and the dig downs in the second half as well. Really nice to see him quietly climb to 22 points. | ||||||||
 C | C. Boucher15 MIN, 3 PTS, 2 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 1-4 FG, 1-2 3FG, 0-0 FT, 1 BLK, 0 TO, -11 +/- A month straight of good basketball, and a bit underwhelming in this one. The defense is better, overall but he struggled in the paint a bit in this one. No sweat, he’ll bounce back. | ||||||||
 B- | P. Achiuwa16 MIN, 6 PTS, 8 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, 2-6 FG, 1-1 3FG, 1-2 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, +3 +/- An unbelievably mixed bag. The first half was almost all negative. Crowded his teammates on offense, and looked a little bit lost on defense. The second half saw him making great contests as the low man, finishing up defensive possessions, diming just a little bit, and cashing a three. Turned it around, and good for him. | ||||||||
 B | J. Champagnie11 MIN, 6 PTS, 2 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 3-4 FG, 0-0 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 0 TO, +16 +/- Plays his role to perfection. A prescient dunker spot mover, and a terrifically ambidextrous finisher at the rim. Didn’t solve the defense, but didn’t cost them possessions either. Good minutes. | ||||||||
 B | K. Birch14 MIN, 0 PTS, 6 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 0-1 FG, 0-0 3FG, 0-0 FT, 0 BLK, 1 TO, -4 +/- Monstrous defensive stretch in the 2nd half of the game as the Raptors climbed back into it. Negotiated the middle of the floor really well as a guy who could put physical pressure on the opposing bigs and move to contest stuff around the rim. The rest of the game was forgettable, though. They need more offensive pop from him. | ||||||||
 A | Nick Nurse Took a chance on Siakam as the hub tonight, giving Fred a rest where he otherwise might not have. Great decision. Playing big paid off in a big way in the 2nd half. | ||||||||
Things We Saw
- Fun wrinkle for tonight:Darvin Ham is coaching the Bucks tonight, and he’s the namesake (and was the trigger man) of the famous Hammer Play that has been a staple of the Raptors offense.
- This game is as good a pitch for a different starting lineup as any with the continued woes for the bench’s offense, and the lack of size in the starting lineup. There are no perfect answers here, though. Need more minutes to tell.
- The 3-point is the only thing really missing from Siakam’s game right now. If that even comes back to league average? Watch out.
