Once the Raptors rebounded from a poor start, they would emerge as the superior team against an Orlando Magic team beset by injury.
A win, as they say, is a win and the Raptors were full marks for only their 11th win of the season with 10 recorded at home.
Here are three takeaways from Tuesday night’s 109-93 as the Raptors now take their act to Atlanta for a two-game away set to be staged Thursday and Saturday.
1. DARKO SIDE OF A SWOON
Pity head coach Darko Rajakovic, who knew what he was getting into when he accepted the job with the Raptors, but not even the affable native of Serbia would have envisioned this much misery.
Amid all the losing, he’s kept his chin up, kept trying to lift the spirits of his team and he has never taken a possession off.
Witness Tuesday’s visit by the Magic, once again depleted as the team was earlier in the month when Orlando made it first appearance.
On Toronto’s opening possession came a turnover.
On the second, a contested shot late in the clock had no shot of dropping.
Then came another turnover, prompting Rajakovic to call a timeout with the night barely two minutes old.
Following the timeout, the Raptors ran a two-man game featuring Jakob Poeltl and Scottie Barnes from the high post.
Barnes was able to use his dribble, but his pull-up from the right elbow hit iron.
There was nothing wrong with the play call, which only highlighted how good Rajakovic has been when drawing up a play in the huddle.
He went to his bench freely in a desperate search to find some workable five-man unit.
Much like its previous visit, the Magic could not miss in draining nine of its first eight shots in jumping out to a 22-6 lead.
Friday night in Milwaukee, the Bucks torched the Raptors in the opening quarter and basically played the entire night with a double-digit lead.
Way back in September on media day, Rajakovic was insistent on how this year would be much different because defence will be the focus.
Now in his second season, Rajakovic is still looking to establish any semblance of defensive integrity.
With 4:12 remaining in the opening period, the Magic had already scored 32 points.
At least Toronto’s bench, much like it did in Milwaukee, provided a much-needed boost.
There were concerns over Chris Boucher (illness), but he persevered.
The Raptors played without Immanuel Quickley (hip/groin) and Ochai Agbaji (finger).
Rajakovic had no choice but to put the ball in Barnes’ hands.
The Raptors did hold Orlando to five points to end the quarter, but the Raptors were fortunate after so many open looks wouldn’t drop.
Orlando, which led 37-24 heading into the second quarter, went into an extended drought, which was to be expected given the roster.
Defensively, the Raptors didn’t do anything out of the ordinary other than watch the Magic miss shot after shot and converting those misses into baskets.
In fairness, Toronto’s intensity did improve, but it was more an indictment of how lifeless the Raptors began the game.
Going on a 26-7 run certainly promotes improved engagement.
Orlando, whose roster became even more depleted, could muster only 13 points in the second quarter.
The Magic needed to resort to playing with a zone defence.
Rajakovic liked what he saw in watching his team adjust and attack the zone.
Once the Raptors discovered their game, the night turned one-sided.
Allowing a wounded foe to jump out to a 32-11 lead is never good, but Rajakovic has seen worse.
2. BRUCE ALMIGHTY
The way he’s been playing, especially on the offensive end, Bruce Brown’s days in Toronto seem numbered.
The number that stood out Tuesday was 10 in the amount of points he scored in eight first-quarter minutes, which included a corner three at the buzzer following a sublime cross-court pass from Barnes.
Brown did emerge as the first player off Rajakovic’s bench.
A former champion with the Denver Nuggets, Brown signed a lucrative deal with the Indiana Pacers before he moved to Toronto as part of the Pascal Siakam deal.
His first season with the Raptors was a complete write off.
His second season was aborted following a knee procedure, but he is certainly making up for all the lost time.
As the Feb. 6 trade deadline approaches, Brown would supplement a contending team looking to bolster its bench.
Toronto, in more ideal times, wouldn’t want to part ways with Brown, but the more he plays, the more Boucher plays, the more Kelly Olynyk plays, the less minutes get allotted to the team’s young pieces.
Brown is a pending free agent.
He can play on the ball, which he hasn’t fully been able to do with the Raptors, and off the ball.
Jonathan Isaac, the first player off Orlando’s bench, was able to play five minutes before he was ruled out because of an illness.
Toronto had a decided edge when it came to the second unit.
On a few possessions, Brown would have the ball at the top of the circle and made the right read and subsequent pass to open shooters.
When he didn’t have the ball, one could often find Brown spotting up in either corner.
Brown took three shots in the second quarter and missed all three, each heave taken inside the three-point line.
He could not sustain his second-quarter outburst, but no one realistically expected he would.
Brown did net 15 points, hauled down six boards and dished off five assists.
Add it up and Brown had himself a very solid night as he auditions for a potential suitor.
3. SCOTTIE’S THREE AND D
A positive development featured Barnes and his refusal to settle for three-point shots.
In Milwaukee, he launched six and went 0-for-6.
Simply put, he isn’t a good shooter, especially from beyond the arc.
His biggest skill is his passing and ability to see the floor.
He can also defend multiple positions.
What he did against the Magic was showcase his overall game, overcoming a tough start to bounce back in the second quarter.
Barnes is the kind of player who doesn’t need to take shots to have an impact.
When he scores, it’s a bonus.
In the opening half, he kept his turnover total to one.
He was a presence on the boards, found teammates and was very efficient in scoring 14 points on nine attempts.
Among Toronto’s starters, Barnes’ minus-1 rating at halftime was the best, for a lack of a better description.
Poeltl checked in with a minus-30.
The lone Toronto reserve with a minus rating was Brown.
Barnes, a former rookie of the year recipient, and Paolo Banchero, a former first overall pick who also took home top rookie honors, were matched up in an interesting sequence in the third quarter.
It began with Banchero closing out to block Barnes’ three-point attempt.
Then came a dagger over Barnes on the ensuing trip up the court.
The two are different players, but each can dominate.
Banchero’s offensive game is much more refined and diverse.
Barnes flirted with a triple-double.
He emerged with a plus-17 rating.
— Zicarelli