The Toronto Raptors are not very skilled in the way of tanking due to their success over the last few years, but they’ve learned that it’s hard to lose games on purpose in the NBA. The time-tested method of tanking, playing inferior young players over veterans, didn’t even work, as Paul Watson and Yuta Watanabe led the Raptors to a win over also-tanking Orlando Magic.
Watson, making his first start in his NBA career, is making a strong case to stick around in 2021-22, as he recorded 30 points by making eight of his 11 3-point attempts. 20 of his points came in the third quarter. Watanabe was also red-hot tonight, as he once again set a career-high in points with 21.
Stanley Johnson, widely decried for his lack of offensive skill, managed to put up 13 points on a night where Fred VanVleet couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a boat and the dynamic frontcourt duo of Chris Boucher and Khem Birch didn’t contribute much.
With those three and newcomer Freddie Gillespie combining for 74 points, Toronto learned that their tanking strategy won’t help them, as they populated their roster with a bunch of young guns on non-guaranteed deals looking to prove that they belong with the Raptors.
Of the 10 players that have seen the court, only 2 have guaranteed contracts for next year. These guys are playing for their next job, whether it's in Toronto or some place else. I can promise you Paul Watson and Yuta Watanabe don't care where the Raptors draft, nor should they.
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) April 17, 2021
Paul Watson and Yuta Watanabe led the Toronto Raptors to a win
Over the second half of the season, Nick Nurse tasked Watson with finding more consistency and Watanabe with improving his efficiency on offense. In addition to the third quarter that saw Watson turn into prime Michael Jordan, Watanabe has been averaging 8.6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game on 61% shooting from the field and 45.5% from 3-point range.
I’d say that counts as quality development.
Due to the NBA allowing the No. 9 and 10 seeds into the postseason via the play-in tournament, the Raptors have officially secured a playoff spot after last night. The Chicago Bulls are just 3-9 since the Nikola Vucevic trade, but the Russell Westbrook-Bradley Beal combination has the Washington Wizards right up there with Toronto.
Nick Nurse on Paul Watson, who shot 8-for-11 from 3 on his career night: "I asked him if he wanted to go to the track tomorrow."
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) April 17, 2021
The fact that the Raptors are even anywhere close to the playoffs considering how much time their star players have missed is amazing, and it’s been a ragtag group of guys like Watson, Johnson, and Watanabe that have helped get this team over the hump.
The Raptors can’t even lose when they try to lose! Their best tanking strategy is to play hungry, motivated players like Watson and Watanabe and pray that they don’t have insane scoring nights. Last night proved that even though a high lottery pick might sound good, the Raptors are just inches away from the postseason, and they’re not giving up on the playoffs just yet,