For the first time in a long time, the Toronto Raptors are closing in on a fully healthy roster. Whose stock rose and who fell this week?
On a short week against favourable opposition, you would be forgiven for expecting that the Toronto Raptors could walk to a 2-0 week, thus improving their chances in the arms race for a top spot in the Eastern Conference. Instead, the week was split with a loss against the former son of the city DeMar DeRozan and his San Antonio Spurs and a narrow win against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Put whatever spin on it you want, but it feels as if the Raptors dropped a ‘give me’ win against the Spurs before rebounding with a win against the Thunder; a game that they could have potentially dropped. After leading by 21 in the fourth quarter, a near-collapse looked to be on the cards as the Thunder cut the deficit to just three points with a little over two minutes to play.
Now, had this game been three or four days ago, the Raptors might have let it slip. That’s been a common occurrence while the Raptors have been nursing a beleaguered and fragile roster; one that has had to deal with a myriad of injuries from top to bottom.
That’s all beginning to change over the next couple of games; Pascal Siakam and Norman Powell both returned to the lineup against the Spurs on Sunday night, while Marc Gasol’s reinsertion into the lineup against the Thunder will likely strengthen the Raptors interior defense and playmaking down the stretch.
Just two remain on the sidelines now. Fred VanVleet looks to be returning any day now, and he might have done so once you, the cherished reader, are feasting your eyes upon this. If the previous statement applies to you: congratulations, but my apologies for I have left him out of the lineup this week. If he’s dropped 60 points in a dub, that’s my bad.
For the time being, he hasn’t done so which means we’re in the clear. The other player on the sidelines is Dewan Hernandez, and there haven’t been many words on his return, and he’s been out for over a month now.
If Hernandez nor VanVleet feature this week, you’re probably starting to wonder who does. The game remains the same, two up and two down. As always, we’ll kick off with the bad news.
Why not?