If you like looking at highly-played star players wearing street clothes and fouls, Friday’s NBA game in Toronto was for you.
Former league MVP Joel Embiid is easing his way into the season, marquee free agency add Paul George was a no-go, last year’s Raptors scoring leader RJ Barrett remained sidelined, as did starting point guard Immanuel Quickley and sixth man Kelly Olynyk. It was not all an ode to Kawhi Leonard and load management, but rather the way things can be in the NBA, even two games into a season.
Still, that doesn’t mean the game has to be a dud and Raptors vs. Sixers was actually an entertaining affair, with plenty of non-household names stealing the show, along with a star coming off a tough opener. Even an overwhelming number of foul calls (the most in 30 years of Raptors basketball, including 99 free throw attempts) couldn’t ruin the game, which finished 115-107 in Toronto’s favour.
Scottie Barnes rebounded from a rough opening night by overpowering whoever Philadelphia threw at him on the way to 27 points on only 11 shot attempts. That wasn’t a surprise.
But Jonathan Mogbo, the 31st pick of June’s draft and undrafted Jamison Battle providing 12 points apiece and 15 rebounds between them? That was unexpected. Mogbo turned a close game in Toronto’s favour with a great third quarter and Battle made the most of his 15 minutes before fouling out in making sure the Raptors kept a comfortable lead. Mogbo added five assists and three blocked shots in a strong all-around effort.
Rajakovic had expected a good Barnes game.
“Scottie Barnes is one of the biggest competitors I’ve been around. Trust me, when Scottie doesn’t perform to his standard — which is a high standard — he’s really motivated,” Rajakovic had predicted pre-game.
Barnes had also promised after a 30-point loss against Cleveland that Toronto would “not get down on ourselves” and would “get better from this.”
To their credit, they did. While turnovers were still a problem (Toronto had more turnovers than assists through three quarters), it wasn’t as bad as in the Cleveland game.
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The major difference between the two games, besides the aggressiveness of Barnes, was Toronto’s defence. Cleveland had done whatever it wanted, but a weaker Sixers side had trouble dealing with the pressure the Raptors brought.
Maxey was tasked with most of the offence with Embiid and George out (Kelly Oubre Jr. helped him out with 28 points), but was hounded by Davion Mitchell and Jamal Shead into perhaps his worst game ever against a Raptors franchise he has tortured in the regular season and playoffs. Maxey shot 6-for-23 (including 2-for-12 on three-point attempts) and the Sixers shot below 40% as a team from the field. Shead’s speed also troubled Philadelphia at the other end.
Toronto plays again on Saturday night in Minnesota against one of the league’s best teams. Rajakovic said Quickley would not travel with the team, but there was a chance Barrett could make his season debut.