I once watched a tug-of-war (not for life-or-death stakes) at summer camp. It was a random drawing for our section to decide the teams, but fate had a sense of humour. The strongest campers, one after another, joined forces on one side of the rope. Very shortly after the game started, one team was dragged across the ground, flailing and grasping.
The Toronto Raptors and Cairns Taipains offered a committed recreation of that moment on Sunday evening. It wasn’t fair, and it wasn’t fate that put all the best players together on the same team, but a much more complex history of capitalism that ended up in this contest. And indeed, the Raptors built a very, very rapid 11-0 lead before relaxing into first gear and cruising to an easy victory. The talent was simply overwhelming.
So what can we take away from such an unfair contest?
For one, Scottie Barnes’ jumper was smooth and easy. He showed off a quick release and easy stroke in hitting 2-of-3 from deep. Don’t expect this to mean he’ll all of a sudden have solved one of the biggest holes in his game. (Although he made headway in the other major hole in Toronto’s first preseason game.) But everything else aside — turnovers, sloppiness, whatever — Barnes has shown improvement in the only areas that mattered this preseason. That’s fun.
Look, virtually all NBA players shoot an outrageous percentage on uncontested triples in practice. And this was somewhere in between practice and an NBA game. But it’s still nice to see Barnes drilling jumpers with confidence and ease.
At the same time, Gradey Dick may have missed his jumpers, but he looked like much more than a shooter. His passing was slick, and he showed the IQ and willingness to use his shooting to create for others. He had a dump-off to Barnes out of a baseline drive that really showed his understanding of what his shooting means to the shape of the court. He also cut well and kept the chains moving with his feet. He turned a pindown into a layup with nifty footwork. He rebounded and ran in transition. The numbers don’t pop, but he’s really going to be a contributor at times when he gets on the court. Again, of course: We already knew all this.
It may not matter at the NBA level, but the 905 guys played well together. They ran the offense with activity and had purposeful, productive cuts on virtually every half-court possession. Javon Freeman-Liberty has a nose for the rim and is a smooth finisher. Mouhamadou Gueye was fantastic, cutting and passing well. Jeff Dowtin jr. was far too good for end-of-bench minutes. After being one of the best G-League programs in the league for its first several years, the 905 have had a disappointing few seasons. There could be an influx of talent and connectivity this year to help change that.
“It’s human nature when you get a big lead to put your guard a little bit off,” said Rajakovic after the game. “But that was our conversation in timeouts, as well, that we need to pick up our energy level and focus on what we’re doing, and I thought we were able in the fourth quarter with those guys on the court to get back to that.”
Toronto’s players obviously should look dominant against Cairns — even the 905 guys. The talent gap between guys like Malachi Flynn and the Taipans is a large one. But it’s significant that the 905 crew played hard, even with a 30-point lead offering them the tantalizing comfort of not needing to do so.
Internally, though, the team seems to be finally coming to terms with the fact that this is likely the roster going forward. It’s no secret that the Raptors have been trying to trade Pascal Siakam, yet he remains on the roster. That made for some awkward moments on media day. But ultimately, the two sides seem to be coming together. Siakam was brilliant against Cairns, clearly the best player on the court, and after the game for the first time in this young season, someone from the organizational side had effusive praise for Siakam.
“He’s doing a great job [in his new role],” said Rajakovic. “You cannot hide the talent. And he is one of the best players in the league. He is going to find his spots on the court. He is going to find his opportunities. I think he’s going to be as efficient, numbers-wise, I think he’s just going to be able to do it with a little bit less dribble and more aggressively.”
Toronto hasn’t faced any serious tests yet this year, but it has passed all it has faced. That’s clearly a low bar, but at least it has cleared it rather than running into it tooth-first. (That’s why I have six fake teeth, by the way.)
There are more questions this team has yet to face, and it’s unknown how the bonds between Siakam and the team will last when the team loses games, and shots don’t fall, and even more trade rumours pop up.
But for now, so far so good. And that’s far more important than a 41-point victory over an outclassed Australian team.
