Yes, it was a game that will not actually mean anything at the end of the season for the Toronto Raptors. It was against an undermanned Chicago Bulls team that was playing on the second night of a back-to-back. It started slow and wasn’t always pretty. Still, the Raptors felt good about their 97-88 victory over the Bulls.
Perhaps it was the way they won — playing together and grinding out a win while being undermanned themselves — but of all of the games the Raptors have played since being eliminated from the post-season race, this one was up there in terms of feeling important.
In a season with more gloom than glory, not giving up as the season winds down does mean something. It might not mean something in terms of standings or draft picks — the team will be without a draft pick unless they manage to land in the top three. Still, a win without Jonas Valanciunas (whiplash), Terrence Ross (sprained left ankle) and Landry Fields (strep throat) was one to be pleased with.
After building a 15-point lead midway through the third quarter, the Raptors didn’t allow Chicago to get any closer than three points in the final quarter. Where they have normally been folding all season long, Toronto managed to hang on to get their second straight victory against the Bulls this week.
Another reason to be pleased: Rudy Gay and Kyle Lowry both had strong games for the Raptors. While neither player has played up to the lofty expectations placed upon them since coming to the Raptors, each showed their capabilities against the Bulls. Lowry finished one rebound shy of a triple-double with 13 points, nine rebounds and 11 assists. Gay had 23 points and tied a career-high with five steals. They weren’t the only Raptors to have strong performances, though.
Amir Johnson scored 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds and drew some of the loudest cheers of the night when he drilled his third three-pointer of the season midway through the fourth quarter. Rookie Quincy Acy just missed out on a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds, both career-highs. He also had three blocked shots in the game.
DeMar DeRozan finished with 19 points on an efficient 6-for-10 field goals, but one of his biggest assists of the game came when he frustrated Richard Hamilton into an early exit. With 5:33 left in the third quarter, Hamilton, guarded closely by DeRozan, threw an elbow in DeRozan’s direction, catching him in the face. He was called for a Flagrant-2 and immediately tossed from the game.
Raptors coach Dwane Casey appreciated the fire his team showed when challenged by Hamilton.
“I liked it of our guys,” Casey said. “There were no back downs. That is what we are trying to develop, and that is where we want to be. DeMar was doing a good job of making their guys uncomfortable. We want to make guys uncomfortable and play with that kind of edge. We want to frustrate players instead of being frustrated.”
DeRozan downplayed the incident after the game, but acknowledged that the elbow connected. “I don’t know…he just hit me,” DeRozan said. “There isn’t much I can say about it. He just threw an elbow. He caught me with a good one, but it’s part of the game.”
Controlling the tempo and pace was a big key for the Raptors on Friday night. Toronto outscored the Bulls 23-6 in fast-break points and were able to keep Chicago on its heels.
“The whole game we just had trouble stopping them, they beat us on the boards, shot 50 per cent,” Kirk Hinrich said. “We just seemed to be a step slow.”
After an overtime game in Chicago on Thursday night, the Bulls were a step slow. The difference for the Raptors is that they finally took advantage after a season filled with missed opportunities. Even if the final outcome no longer holds the same meaning.
