Spurs outlast Raptors in battle of depleted squads
• A hot ticket already cooling off considerably with the home side struggling got decidedly colder Tuesday night as the active rosters were announced.
A matchup featuring technically still the No. 2 team in the East in the Toronto Raptors facing the No. 2 team in the West in San Antonio lost star power quicker than the inauguration of the most recently empowered President of the United States.
Ruled out for the night right before tipoff was the Spurs’ Mr. Everything, Kawhi Leonard. He joined an unavailable list for the visitors that already included Tony Parker and Pau Gasol. Also out was underrated Jonathon Simmons.
The Raptors actually began the night a little stronger than expected with the return of Patrick Patterson somewhat offsetting the loss of DeMar DeRozan, who is out with an ankle injury.
What it left was a San Antonio lineup dotted with names even the most knowledgeable NBA fan would be hard pressed to place.
Bryn Forbes and Davis Bertans may be well known in San Antonio, but not so much beyond those city limits.
Typical of a Spurs team, though even the so- called no- names were pretty decent.
Bertans in particular had an impact on this game with 12 points as he showed no hesitation any time a shot presented itself, hitting on four of his six attempts as the Spurs hung on for a gutsy 108-106 win.
Leonard hurt his hand earlier on the Spurs’ current road trip and sat out his second consecutive game. Parker was sent home to San Antonio two games ago with pain in his foot and Gasol has a hand fracture that will keep him sidelined indefinitely.
For most of three quarters, it appeared the remaining familiar faces would be sufficient to get the Spurs yet another road win.
And eventually they did with LaMarcus Aldridge’s 21 points carrying the day as the depleted Spurs extended Toronto’s losing streak, the first time since March 4-10 of 2015 that the Raptors have lost four in a row.
Toronto came all the way back from a 13- point deficit to take a lead in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t complete the comeback.
Kyle Lowry, who would end up with 30 points, had that look in his eye with DeRozan out and having to carry a heavier load and he was doing just that until a drive with about two minutes remaining ended with him getting up slowly after turning his ankle.
That pretty much ended his driving for the night, and with it the Raptors’ chances.
A three- ball from Terrence Ross that would have given the home side a lead with 11 seconds remaining rimmed out.
As much as Lowry put his team on his back, continually drawing contact as he continually drove the lane and got to the free- throw line, it was the Raptors’ bench that deserved a ton of credit for keeping this one within reach.
Not surprisingly, the bench resurgence came on the same night that Patterson returned to the fold after sitting out 10 of the past 12 games with a knee injury.
“It helps our rhythm, our rotation,” head coach Dwane Casey said of Patterson’s presence. “Guys are back in their normal spots now, getting that band back together. I don’t know how many practices we’re going to have to get it back, but it’s good to have him back and give us a boost, especially the second unit. They have a good rhythm, a good feel for each other offensively and defensively. Hopefully, it gives us a jolt on the defensive end and get our offence back in rhythm.”
Well, the jury is still out on the defensive impact, but Patterson seemed to have the second unit rolling like those good ‘ ol days when the Raptors were piling up the wins.
Between them Patterson, Ross, Lucas Nogueira, and Cory Joseph were a combined 19- for- 28 from the field for 49 points, led by 21 from Ross.
The Spurs bench wasn’t quite as accurate, but were even a little more productive, finishing the night with 55 points led by 18 from Patty Mills.
Toronto flew out immediately after the game on its way to Memphis, where the Raptors will take on the Grizzlies in a tough back-to-back.