Raptors fans know all too well just how hard it is to maintain the same level of play from your starters to your bench. There’s nothing to be ashamed of –even for the best teams in the league– when it comes to losing your minutes against Nikola Jokic. He is one of the best playmakers in the league today, and ever. He averages 26 points, 14 rebounds, and 8 assists per game – doing it on nearly 58-percent shooting. His defense has gotten progressively better as his career comes along (as we saw, he can make a game saving block). He is incredible, and the Nuggets play like a contender when he’s on the floor.
The problem? The Nuggets are a mind numbing -25.6 points per possession (per 100) worse when Jokic hits the bench, and the Raptors gave up a 12-1 run in the fourth quarter to a Jokic-less lineup. That lineup coming into last nights game, had played a grand total of zero minutes together. You can excuse getting outclassed by Jokic, but the Raptors found a loss in one of the least likely ways that they come against the Nuggets.
Granted, you can’t really game plan against a Boogie Cousins 9-foot finger roll with 2 seconds left on the clock, but the Raptors over pursued ball handlers for several possessions in a row –maybe because they were having trouble scoring against the zone on the other end– and gave up driving lanes to players who shouldn’t be able to get downhill with regularity. Barnes and Birch both called their own number early in the shot clock for shots that they never take, and as is the case with every bad Raptors stretch, they split free throws. It’s understandable that they were a bit vexed about how to dismantle a zone without either of Fred VanVleet or Gary Trent Jr. out there, but to make sure you don’t get absolutely walloped in basketball you have to play with discipline on both ends, and the Raptors didn’t do it on either side.
The play they ran late was overwhelmingly successful, twice. It’s something they’ve been running for a couple years – a 4-1 pick n’ roll with a ‘ghost’ screen – and it’s a staple of their normal offense and their late game offense. It grows all the more dangerous when Siakam is having a great game (which has been every game for like, a month) and when VanVleet is shooting well. Sometimes it comes with an empty-side, sometimes it doesn’t. Since I’ve seen some conversation around this, this is a play call for Siakam. This was an attempt to get a switch, or get him going downhill. The counter is the pass to VanVleet.
As it turns out, the Nuggets were more worried about stopping Siakam with a double than they were about helping off of VanVleet. This is a huge compliment to Siakam, because VanVleet is the best clutch time 3-point shooter in the NBA this year, and they left him open. All this to say, this play was run for Siakam, but if the Nuggets help off of VanVleet? They’ll help off of anyone, and there is no set play that Nurse could have drawn up to get Siakam a look in single coverage. But, what they did do was guarantee VanVleet a great look if Siakam was doubled. No qualms with this.
Remember the screens of spectators? Weird. We’ve all really been living through this pandemic huh? Strange times.
“I wasn’t really expecting Gordon to leave (double), I don’t think Pascal was either.” VanVleet said after the game, referring to the last shot. “He made a great pass, but I just didn’t catch it as well as I wanted to, but that’s the game. A game of inches. It went back rim a little bit. If it’s a little bit shorter, it’s probably all net like the one before. So, I’ll take it. It was a good shot, good look, great pass. OG got the position for the rebound, Jokic made a good play. It’s the NBA.”
Prior to this switch, a 4-1 ‘pnr’ with a ghost screen. Sorry I can’t pull the full play, Leaguepass is being weird about letting me clip things.
Not to mention this game had some incredibly fun aspects to it. OG Anunoby and Khem Birch both made great passing decisions on the short-roll. The Raptors got high quality looks out of side-top-side passing possessions. They had 4 players with 4+ assists, and it’s because they moved intelligently and passed to match. They played a hell of a game! But, they were undone by a stretch with very little focus. The margins are razor thin in the NBA.
Have a blessed day.
