With a 119-108 win over the Detroit Pistons, the Raptors may have just delivered their most impressive performance of the season.
After an embarrassing loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on March 11th, Toronto has responded with back-to-back wins against playoff-caliber opponents. Detroit is more than just a playoff team. At 48-19, the Pistons own the best record in the Eastern Conference and are firmly in the championship conversation.
The Raptors matched Detroit’s physicality for four quarters and never looked intimidated by the top-tier opponent. After beating the Phoenix Suns in their previous game, Toronto suddenly looks like a team building real momentum.
Darko Rajakovic treated this matchup like a playoff game
My first takeaway from this contest was how tight the rotations were. Rajakovic essentially used an eight-man rotation, and even Ja’Kobe Walter and Sandro Mamukelashvili played well below their usual minutes.
By the end of the night, every Raptors starter logged more than 35 minutes, with the exception of Immanuel Quickley, who struggled from the field throughout the game.
Even when Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram were visibly in pain, they stayed on the court and continued to battle.
This was a physical game with playoff intensity. Raptors fans should feel encouraged by the result. Toronto showed it can compete with the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Now the challenge is sustaining that level moving forward.
Jakob Poeltl is going to be a difference-maker
One of the best performances of the night came from Toronto’s starting center. Poeltl finished with 21 points, 18 rebounds, and five assists while shooting 75% from the field.
Beyond the stat sheet, Poeltl looked rejuvenated. He moved well up and down the floor, matched Detroit’s physical interior presence, and controlled the matchup against Jalen Duren, particularly in the second half.
It has been a rough season for Poeltl, who has not looked fully healthy for much of the year. Recently, though, he appears to be returning to form. If he continues trending in this direction, Toronto could have another true difference maker in its lineup.
Scottie Barnes is everywhere
Scottie Barnes finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, one steal, and three blocks. While the stat line was impressive, his impact on the defensive end truly stood out.
Barnes spent much of the night guarding Detroit’s All-Star point guard Cade Cunningham. Cunningham still managed to make some difficult shots, but Barnes forced him to work for everything.
When he was not guarding Cunningham, Barnes wreaked havoc as a help defender. No shot felt safe when he was on the floor. He finished with three blocks and altered countless other attempts.
It will be difficult to take the Defensive Player of the Year award away from Victor Wembanyama, but Barnes should be a clear First-Team All-Defense selection.