Another game versus a weak opponent, another decisive victory for the Toronto Raptors, who extend their latest win streak to seven games with a 122-98 road victory over the Chicago Bulls Wednesday.
After a complete team effort — the new calling card for Dwane Casey’s club — the Raptors head into the all-star break with the best record in the East. And they’re sure playing like it.
Here are takeaways from Toronto’s latest blowout win:
Raptors establish paint presence early
The Raptors’ big men put in work early on Wednesday, with Serge Ibaka, Jonas Valanciunas, and Pascal Siakam each chipping in 12 points in the first half.
The Raptors exploited the Bulls’ frontcourt throughout the game — a big reason why they shot 52 per cent from the field — and Ibaka tied Kyle Lowry for the team-high in points with 20, along with seven boards and a pair of blocks.
Valanciunas registered two blocks as well, along with nine boards.
Rising Snubs
The young core and second unit brought their usual energy on Wednesday, opening up a comfortable lead for the Raps in second quarter when the starters couldn’t shake the Bulls off early.
By the time the starting five returned midway through the quarter — with Norman Powell in briefly in OG Anunoby‘s place — they sustained the tone the bench had set, along with their double-digit lead.
Not enough can be said of the contributions of the likes of Delon Wright, Fred VanVleet, Jakob Poeltl, Pascal Siakam, and Anunoby. What was supposed to be Toronto’s greatest weakness heading into the season — its lack of experienced depth — has become arguably its greatest advantage over opponents in virtually every contest.
Anunoby remains a huge boost for the team and is a legitimate building block at small forward, although he has struggled of late and his surprising three-point prowess has crashed back to Earth ‑ just 23.6 per cent since the start of the New Year heading into Wednesday’s game (needless to say, his 0-of-4 three-point clip versus the Bulls didn’t help that number).
But he remains one of the Raps’ best defenders and is aggressive around the basket on the other end of the floor.
Wright and VanVleet have given the Raptors an embarrassment of riches in the backcourt, and both complement each other and starter Kyle Lowry well — the three are also effective sharing the court. The team will have a tough decision to face this summer regarding VanVleet, a free agent to be, but for now “Steady Freddie” continues to establish himself as a catalyst as we slowly head toward the stretch run. He had another strong game in front of a hometown Chicago crowd, scoring 11 points and dropping four dimes to go along with 3-of-6 shooting from deep.
Wright disrupted the defence all night and registered six assists in 20 minutes of action while leading the team in plus/minus at +16.
Poeltl was his typical effective self, posting 10 points on a perfect 4-of-4 from the floor, along with seven boards and four blocks — one off his season-high.
And then there was Siakam, who deserves a ton of credit for his ability to pounce on opponents’ mistakes and use his size and speed to wreak havoc all over the court. The second-year big man dropped 12 points in 10 first-half minutes and even went 2-of-2 from beyond the arc. Siakam missed just two field goals and finished with 17 points and six boards in the win.
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The Raptors are still a team that will ride Lowry and DeMar DeRozan’s shoulders to however far they may ultimately go this season, but the way that young core is helping to balance the attack, punish other second units, and provide Dwane Casey with a dynamic set of chess pieces is unlike anything we’ve seen on a Raptors team.
And the group seems to be carving a reputation collectively more so than individually.
Earlier on Wednesday, the NBA announced that Sacramento Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox will be replacing injured Lakers prospect Lonzo Ball at Friday night’s Rising Stars game featuring some of the top young talent in the NBA.
The Rising Stars — formerly the rookie-sophomore game — features first- and second-year players divided into an American squad and one comprised of international players.
Despite mammoth contributions from eligble Raptors Siakam, VanVleet, Poeltl, and Anunoby so far this season, no Raptor will be represented in the annual showcase.
The Rising Stars game is, like most all-star weekend events, a star-making opportunity for the NBA and its next generation of potential franchise players. The current crop of Raptor youngsters may not quite fit that criteria of NBA darlings. Instead they are integral components to a first-place team.
I think if given the choice, both the players and the organization would choose the latter.
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Passing fancy
With a season-high 38 assists on the night, the Raptors fell one assist short of the franchise record.
Lowry led the way with 10 dimes, while DeRozan followed up with eight of his own. It’s no coincidence that the Raps are now 7-1 when Lowry has double-digit assists and 19-5 when DeRozan registers six or more.
There’s a tangible air of confidence that accompanies a team moving the ball with the kind of purpose the Raps were on Wednesday. It’s a total lack of urgency, facing a far-lesser opponent and showing the calm that comes with knowing you aren’t playing down to their level. It’s been a notorious trait of Raptors teams of old, and a trap this year’s club, the best in franchise history, isn’t falling into.
By the time the second half rolled around, Toronto played with the kind of calm that almost never exists when the stakes are raised, so it’s worth monitoring how deliberate the team can be with its offence against contending teams and once the post-season rolls around.
But for now, the surgical precision with which the Raps operated on Wednesday perfectly encapsulates where this team is heading into the break. The Raptors are in first place in the conference, extending their lead over the Boston Celtics to two games, and getting consistent production all throughout the roster.
Per SN Stats, they beat opponents by an average of 8.2 points per game, which is more than any other team in the East.
At 41-16, this is the best and most successful start to a season for any Raptors team ever. And man, does it feel that way.
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