Toronto Raptors: Three keys to series win vs Brooklyn Nets
By Jason Mills
Roster Depth
The roster depth or bench mob of the Toronto Raptors will be another key factor in winning this series. Unfortunately, the Brooklyn Nets are a depleted roster with off-season star signings in Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant combining to play just 20 games-all by Kyrie Irving.
Brooklyn Nets players excluded from the season restart due to COVID-19 also include DeAndre Jordan, Taurean Waller-Prince, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Michael Beasley. There are currently 13 players listed as either day to day or out for the season in total for the Nets.
At the moment, both OG Anunoby and Serge Ibaka are day-to-day for the Toronto Raptors with knee issues. Patrick McCaw is the only Raptors’ player out indefinitely. The 2019-20 season has been trying if not revealing for the Toronto Raptors in that head coach Nick Nurse has had to go deep into his bench all season long thanks to injury problems to Serge Ibaka, Marc Gasol, Norman Powell, and Kyle Lowry.
In one instance, 6 foot 8-inch small forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was forced to play center against DeAndre Ayton in a 118-101 victory scoring 10 points back on February 21st, 2020 against the Phoenix Suns. In addition to Hollis-Jefferson’s efforts, an undrafted rookie Terence Davis has had a positive impact on Toronto’s success this season. Davis scored a season and career-high of 31 points in 28 minutes on 12/15 shooting against the Chicago Bulls in a 129-102 victory on February 2nd, 2020.
Davis has played in every game for the Raptors this season averaging 16.5 minutes per game. It’s also hard to overlook Matt Thomas’ 46.9 percent shooting on three-pointers and Chris Boucher’s energy and hustle plays. Norman Powell’s re-emergence as a consistent rotational player in the lineup averaging 16 points a game has also been impressive.
Head coach Nick Nurse is going to want to tighten his rotation against the Nets. If the Raptors play up to their elite level, this series against the Nets will provide opportunities to give minutes to the bench keeping the reserve players sharp and the starters rested. As the Raptors look for a return to championship basketball in 2020, their roster depth will help lighten the burden.