The Toronto Raptors were able to withstand a furious comeback in Washington last night to emerge with their third straight victory. Here’s what we saw most clearly.
Little guards make big plays
The Toronto Raptors would have been done and dusted in Washington last night if not for remarkable performances by Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet. KLo is already off to a superb start this season. He needed to be nearly magical against the Wizards for Toronto to squeak out a 117-113 win. In Q1, the Raptors offense minus the resting Kawhi Leonard was doing lots of things right, except for the small matter of actually getting the ball through the basket. Danny Green, 3-point specialist, was one of eight from deep.
Lowry isn’t a model leader. He’s moody, even cantankerous, and I was secretly worried he’d sulk his way to a trade once DeMar DeRozan was sent away. I underestimated him, and this win was further proof. When his team needed him to jump-start its sputtering offense, he was more than equal to the task. Making four of nine 3-pointers would be a happy night for most shooters, but that result actually lowered his percentage for the season to date. He’s now 12 of 20, or 60% from deep, an impossible level to maintain but a treat for however long it lasts.
He racked up a dozen assists, with everyone else totalling nine.
Kyle took a couple of Wizards charges, a skill which I wish he could impart to his mates.
VanVleet made a crazy off-balance jumper with 14 seconds to play and the Wiz within two points. He coolly buried a pair of free throws seven seconds later to once again bump the (final) margin to four. His five assists helped the bench mob, as three of them, plus Fred, scored in double figures.
Had Kyle and Fred merely provided ho-hum results, the Raptors would have been run over.
Don’t bury Jonas Valanciunas
While I’m happy to see Serge Ibaka hustling more, particularly on D, than he did last year, I don’t want JV to get forgotten. Yes, the argument for just one big man on the floor is compelling, and we aren’t likely to see those two together very often.
Happily, JV provides different capabilities than Serge. He’s more inclined to back down his defender for a close-in shot. Not every bucket can or should come from the perimeter.
As always, JV makes opponents pay when they hack him. He missed just one of seven free throws (Serge was 8 of 10 – well done, both of you!), on his way to 16 points in less than 19 minutes. And JV got his defensive rebounds. If our wingmen force tough outside shots, and both our centers are turning opponents’ possessions into one-and-done, the Raptors will win a bunch of games even when the offense isn’t performing well.
Norman Powell is doomed to disappoint us
We The North keep hoping. Powell’s form will return, someday. I’m breaking ranks – I don’t think it will, and the time has come to explore moving him. His propensity for trying too hard was never clearer than late in Q2. Toronto looked set to take a comfortable margin into the dressing room, when Norman’s misguided outlet pass was intercepted. Forty seconds later, he fouled Otto Porter into a four-point play. Norman, Norman; you’re not a rookie.
Powell did enjoy a competent second half, which means he’ll stay in the rotation. I hope I’m wrong, and that he settles into a useful role off the bench. But he’s got to stifle his inner Wild Child, and play within himself. If not…you heard it here first.