On one side of the court resides Gradey Dick, a second-year wing who has exceeded all expectations and whose ceiling, especially on offence, seems high.
On the other side, one can find RJ Barrett, whose game all but disappeared in the misery that was the Raptors 0-5 trip that wrapped up Tuesday night in Milwaukee.
As trite as it might sound, somewhere between Dick’s brilliance and Barrett’s regression one can find the truth.
In the moment, it’s hard to fully grasp what is real, what is sustainable and what is doable knowing the Raptors remain flawed minus the team’s best two players in Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley.
The way Dick has played — his first-half performance against the Bucks was by far his finest stretch — he has moved into the conversation of joining the team’s Big 3 of Barnes, Quickley and Barrett.
For 24 minutes against an equally inept Bucks team, Dick played like an all-star — aggressive in attacking the basket, creative when the ball was in his hands.
In the second half, which would feature the Raptors trailing by as many as 21 points in an eventual 99-85 loss, Dick forced his game. Whether it was Milwaukee’s defence preventing him from finding his rhythm or how the game began to slip away, Dick’s level of frustration mounted.
Barrett’s first half arguably was his worst as a Raptor. And to think he was playing at a decent level when the team’s trip began in Denver.
Prior to Quickley’s latest injury, Barrett became the go-to guy who wanted the ball, demanded it and was willing to take the last shot on nights when the Raptors actually had a chance to post a win.
In 31 minutes against the Bucks, Barrett did not attempt a single free throw. In contrast, Dick lived at the line in the first half.
During Toronto’s winless trip, Barrett recorded 22 assists, but he also turned the ball over 21 times.
In five games, a stretch that saw the Raptors realistically competitive in two games, Barrett attempted 84 shots from the field, including 34 from distance. He made only six of his three-point heaves, while missing 28 of his overall attempts.
Barrett has been better and figures to be better, but clearly better balance must be achieved. Simply put, he has to be a presence in other areas when his shot isn’t dropping or when trips to the line aren’t being generated.
Barrett ended Tuesday night with a game-high minus-23 rating, the kind of number no player wants to see on his stat line.
The Raptors reside in the NBA’s basement as they return home to play the Detroit Pistons before heading back on the road for a Saturday night date in Boston.
The Raptors have lost nine of their past 10 games, have yet to win on the road and have an overall record of 2-10. Had it not been for Dick’s emergence, this team would be completely irrelevant.
For now, Dick’s ascension is the only reason why fans and observers of the club should even care.
Barrett, who hurt his shoulder in the team’s pre-season opener, has shown flashes and was seemingly on the cusp of embracing a more extended role.
There’s no reason to suggest he can’t reach that level, but going into Friday night, the key for Barrett is to bounce back and return to his aggressive ways.
Defensively, the Raptors weren’t as porous against the Bucks, for what it’s worth given Milwaukee’s issues.
The biggest issue surrounding this Raptors team remains turnovers. A total of 22 were committed Tuesday night, turnovers that led to the Bucks scoring 28 points.
Dick scored 32 points, a career high, and would drain four of the team’s nine combined makes from beyond the three-point arc.
Without Quickley, Davion Mitchell has been asked to run the point. One can never question his competitive spirit and defence, but one can question Mitchell’s shooting.
Ochai Agbaji had some good moments on the road, while Bruno Fernando provided a glimpse into the presence he might emerge to be.
The big man had his finest outing against the Bucks when Fernando hauled down a game-high 13 rebounds in just under 18 minutes.
As currently constituted, the bench lacks depth. Even when fully healthy, questions of the team’s second unit were justified.
While Chris Boucher is in the final year of his contract, it’s hard to envision just how bad Toronto’s bench would be without him, a confounding player who is not shy in getting off his shot. He was the only reserve to reach double digits in scoring for the Raptors.
Take away Dick’s 16 trips to the line and the Raptors managed to attempt a combined four free throws, two apiece from Jakob Poeltl and Mitchell against the Bucks, who entered the night with a 2-8 record.
Predictably, second-year head coach Darko Rajakovic spoke proudly of the way his unit has stayed together amid the misery, how the team continues to put up a fight.
No one can tell if Dick’s ascension will eventually taper off or how he’ll fit in when the likes of Barnes and Quickley return. In the meantime, Dick has given fans a reason to remain engaged with the Raptors.
It’s now Barrett’s time to step up.
Players go through the inevitable stretches when their play takes a dip. The beauty of the NBA is that there’s always a game to be played.
For the Raptors, it arrives Friday night, providing Barrett an opportunity to elevate his game.