I thought I would do a Toronto Raptors recap of the last two wins they had. On Monday, the Toronto Raptors defeated the Atlanta Hawks at home 139 to 109. Last night in San Antonio, the Raptors defeated the Spurs 143 to 100. Both wins were a complete demolition of an opponent. And both wins really highlighted some very positive trends. Here are my pros and cons from the two games.
Toronto Raptors Recap of Last Two Wins – Pros
Pascal Siakam is in the MVP Conversation – He was dominate once again. Against Atlanta he scored 31 points, had 12 rebounds and was 13 for 16 from the free throw line. Last night against the Spurs, recorded his second triple double with 22 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. He is upped his game to new heights and is doing it all. If he keeps this up, he just might be this year’s MVP. He has been that good!
Scottie Barnes has to be the Point Guard – With Fred nursing an injury, Scottie Barnes took over the main point guard duties and he has looked good in that role. He has played with more energy. He also pushes the pace for the Raptors. I really love how both him and Siakam immediately push the ball in transition. Both of them are sending 3/4 of the court outlet passes which is crazy but boy it looks good! As a result, the Raptors have become a relentless team that is always in attack mode. Scottie Barnes is the catalyst of this as he is looking to push the basketball all the time. Also, he has made some awesome passes. His size, court vision and feel for the game make him the perfect fit for a point guard. On defense, his size makes it hard for opposing point guards to set up their offense. For example, he played great defense on Trae Young on Monday. Point guard Scottie is nice!
OG Anunoby Defensive Player of the Year – If the award was based on the last two games, he would win it hands down! His defensive is stifling. In the last two games, he has had 11 steals. Yes that’s right 11 steals! That’s insane. He is creating havoc for anyone he is guarding, forcing turnovers and deflecting passes. It is a thing of beauty to watch.
Gary Trent Jr., the Quiet Assassin – He just has a way of getting timely baskets to help change the momentum of the game. He also is getting better at picking his spots on when to look for his offense. You might not notice him at times but then you look at his stat line and wow! In the game against Atlanta he had 21 points. And in the game against San Antonio, he scored 24 points! In the words of Matt Devlin, “He’s a bucket getter.” Indeed he is.
Boucher is the Raptors Best Bench Player – The eye test says he is playing awesome. He plays with high energy on both ends of the court. He is also providing a scoring punch. In last night’s game, I really noticed how well he defended on the perimeter. He stayed in front of man most of the time as his lateral quickness seems to have improved. I liked when he was on the court with Koloko to provide rim protection. It really made it hard for the Spurs to attack the rim. I am loving what Chris Boucher is providing!
Toronto Raptors Recap of Last Two Wins – Cons
Hoping This Doesn’t Change When Fred Van Fleet Comes Back – This is my only worry as Fred Van Fleet is a more deliberate player and tends to be more comfortable in the half court setting. I am hoping when he comes back that he plays more of a scoring guard role as his shooting is valuable. But I do worry that the pace will slow down a bit. Also, on defense, he cannot be assigned to guard quick guards. As we seen with Maxey, it is a recipe for disaster. Instead put him on someone slower, even if the person is bigger then him. Fred is strong and pesky enough to give anyone trouble. As we have seen from last two games, put size on the quicker guards as it affects their vision and it makes them work harder to get by them. We will see how this looks when he is back.
Conclusion
The last two games were the most dominate two game stretch of wins that the Raptors have ever played. First they win by 30 points and then they come back and win again by 43 which is unheard of. It was awesome to watch. However, Friday they will get a good test to see if their dominance is for real as they play Dallas Mavericks at home on Friday. Also, if Fred Van Fleet is back, it will be interesting see how the Raptors look with him back in the line up. Hopefully, just as good or better.
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