As with the rest of the city, Darko Rajakovic has baseball fever. Before the game, he says the Toronto Raptors will put the Blue Jays game on the jumbotron at halftime, perhaps even during the game if the Jays are ahead late. He welcomes a few baseball questions during the scrum a few minutes later. One reporter even frames his basketball question through the lens of baseball ones.
Before the Raptors’ final preseason game against the Brooklyn Nets, treated much like a full dress rehearsal after making its cuts to trim the roster to regular-season size, Rajakovic told media that he actually liked the offensive process from his starters against the Boston Celtics. Though it looked clunky at times, Rajakovic said the expected points per possession from that group was 1.28, which if actually converted at that rate would have been the best offence (by far) of any team last season.
And during its first shift together against Brooklyn, the starters perform up to that standard.
The Blue Jays get zero runs with the bases loaded and zero outs. Pain. The next inning, George Springer hits an RBI double off the fence that is a few inches from a home run. Ties the game 1-1.
The Raptors’ full-court pressure is preposterous. Jamal Shead strips a ballhandler clean under Brooklyn’s rim. Everyone is engaged. The half-court defence is another story, with Brooklyn hitting everything from deep as digs engage too deep in the paint and give up open catch-and-shoot jumpers. Eventually, this Achilles’ Heel would catalyze a Brooklyn comeback. But for now, the steals make the Raptors look like the Harlem Globetrotters.
Nobody on press row is watching. Almost every tabletop television, meant for easy viewing of helpful stats, is turned to Sportsnet and the Jays game. Immanuel Quickley draws an offensive foul chasing around a screen. Shead draws two when he enters the game.
Barnes is much more engaged and involved than at any other point this preseason. He cuts with purpose, attacks the rim off drives, finishes a swooping righty layup over help, then a hook shot after a bully drive. Shead blocks a corner 3-pointer screaming on a rotation. Shead drives, finds Barnes cutting from the corner, who up fakes then dunks like Shaq. Vlad strikes out, stranding two, out as the Mariners finally pitch to him for the first time in innings.
Even Sandro Mamukelashvili gets in on the action, tipping away a pass for a pick-six layup, then running on an RJ Barrett steal for another transition layup. Toronto is desperately forcing, ramming, pushing the ball ahead in transition. The bench unit buoyed by Barnes and Barrett build a big lead in the second. The Raptors clearly outclass the woeful Nets. (For now.)
Gausman remains filthy. He gave up one early, but he settles in. Something is stuck in the throat of the game, choking it so slow it doesn’t realize it can’t breathe.
The starters are back in, with Ja’Kobe Walter in place of Barnes and Ochai Agbaji in place of Barrett. Walter grabs a board and finds a cutting Ingram for an easy dunk. No-No-Notorious plays, his new basket celebration unveiled in his first game (exhibition or otherwise) at Scotiabank.
The Jays keep finding the bases from the leadoff spot. Kirk, this time. Surely, surely, this will eventually put points on the board. Varsho flies out. Scotiabank is empty. Competing with a playoff Jays game will do that. But Clement hits an RBI single for the lead as Kirk runs like he’s getting chased by a pack of bullies. Herbie announces it to the crowd for the loudest cheer of the night. Quickley hits a triple off a monster Jakob Poeltl offensive rebound. Then Poeltl steals a lob pass, and Walter hits the transition corner triple. After the timeout, Poeltl dunks in transition after another steal. The Nets have 14 turnovers with five minutes left in the second quarter. The Raptors very much outclass the woeful Nets. (For Now.)
Gausman gets yanked midway through the sixth. Ingram gets another steal, Barnes another dunk. Bullying. Varland walks a batter but then finishes the inning. Quickley keeps scampering around, hitting triples. He’s finishes the half with 12 points and 9 assists. A perfect dress rehearsal, even if just for one half and against the absolute dregs of the league. And Rajakovic told the truth. The Jays game is on the jumbotron at half, no longer confined to the spoiled media row with our nifty (new!) touchscreens. The crowd groans as the replay shows the ball practically shattering the kneecap of Springer. Another replay, another groan. Another. Then cheers as he stays in the game. The Jays don’t score.
The third quarter is unsettled. Fouls everywhere, no flow, missed layups. The game jitters and spiders through the motions. Varland is inches from giving up a home run, strikes him out on a would-be checked swing moments later. Barnes keeps driving, hits a middy pull-up from eight feet rather than 12. Clement is inches from a home run of his own, flying catch at the wall. Herbie announces the score to mild applause. Still 2-1? No air left in that arena, while Scotiabank breathes free and easy. The Raptors run a picturesque fastbreak ending in a lob dunk for Barrett.
Little enters the game, hangs it in the middle of the zone and gives up a homer on his third pitch. 2-2. Quickley hangs in the air in transition, cradles the ball, finishes an Irvingesque layup, then he dimes up Agbaji seconds later. Little walks the next batter. Herbie announces 2-2 to Scotiabank. A smatter of boos. The Raptors empty the bench and Gradey Dick drives for a strong floater along the baseline. Later he pumps and drives, T-Rex dunks in traffic. Easy work. Stress free. At least one game is. (For. Now.)
Mariners grand slam. The Raptors almost hang 100 in three quarters. But then they proceed to throw the game in honour of the Jays. Solidarity.
The Nets have come back? When? How? In just a few minutes of Toronto’s dry offence in the fourth, Brooklyn hits triple after triple, pick six dunk. 99-96. It appears no Toronto sports team will escape the creep of ennui. Herbie announces the final score, 6-2. The feeling of dread heavies the air of the arena.
Agbaji misses an open triple and Brooklyn finds an uncontested lob dunk in the half court. Another dunk, a layup, and Brooklyn leads. The crowd mills. Ingram is stripped on a drive, then Barnes. The anxious energy erupts into frenetic release as Barnes finishes an and-1 in transition. He finishes another through a foul with a fading hook from the post. With 90 seconds left he drives through the whole Brooklyn squad, drawing a foul, making both. It’s a statement game, if a preseason game against the worst team in the NBA can be called such, 31 points on 15 shots.
“I thought that he was himself today,” says Rajakovic after the game.
Ingram ices the game with a pull-up triple. Closer.
The Jays will play again on Sunday. If any team can survive this, it’s them. And the Raptors are about to start their season. It was a strangely stressful mood for a preseason game. All in the name of preparation. But finally, after a win — convincing, then fumbled, then convincing again — the Raptors are ready.
