4 Heroes and 3 Zeroes from Raptors' Summer League finale loss to Spurs

The Abysmal bench was a colossal zero

We haven't mentioned any one single player in our "zero" column yet because we saved them all for this slot: the entire bench was a disaster against the Spurs.

Not a single player who came off the bench recorded a positive plus-minus, and only one shot above 50 percent from the field -- Jamison Battle, who shot 2-for-3 while getting roasted defensively and finishing -15 for the night. Joseph Girard III looked tiny on the court and the Spurs acted as if he weren't there defensively.

As a six-man bench unit the Raptors mustered just five assists with an offense stuck in the mud, and defensively they were not much better. The Raptors likely win the game if not for that 17-0 run the bench gave up. For a group of players trying desperately to show they belong in the league, their performance Sunday night was a disappointing one.

D.J. Carton was a hero

Speaking of players fighting for a spot, D.J. Carton was out to show that he was worth the final two-way spot that he is riding, and what's more, should be considered for a back-end rotation role next year -- not every game, but as the guy the Raptors call upon when there are backcourt injuries.

With his competition for that role held out of the game in Jacon Freeman-Liberty, Carton got the start and plenty of chances to prove himself. He got up a whopping 14 shots and made eight of them, scoring 17 points. He was extremely active on defense as wlel, with two steals and an impressive highlight block. His shot-blocking as a guard appears to be genuinely unique.

Whether he can parlay that strong game into a larger role next season is yet to be season. It's certainly not going to hurt his chances.