National Post (National Edition)
Raptors undermanned against NBA elite
And then there was just DeMar DeRozan. There was no Kyle Lowry or Serge Ibaka in the Toronto Raptors lineup for their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the ACC.
And Lowry again figures to be among the missing for the Raptors other marquee game of the week, a Saturday against the defending champion Golden State Warriors.
Were it not for Ibaka’s suspension thanks to a little set-to with James Johnson in Tuesday’s 90-89 loss to the Miami Heat and Lowry’s bruised tailbone courtesy of a fall in Brooklyn on Monday, the term ‘statement game’ wouldn’t be as hard to fathom as it is heading into two of the biggest home games of the year.
Without two-thirds of the big three, the Raptors didn’t want any part of labelling the game against the Cavaliers as being any kind of a measuring stick for the team.
At least that was the mindset of Raptors head coach Dwane Casey said. “You’ve never heard me say it was a measuring stick game. I said two weeks ago, whatever games happen this week are not going to define who we are, win or lose. It’s an important game, I’m not going to take that away, but it’s not going to define who they are and who we are, win, lose or draw.”
DeMar DeRozan, who seems to save his biggest moments of angst for Goran Dragic, was equally disagreeable when it came to putting any more emphasis on this game than any other.
“I mean, you can look at it like it’s a measuring stick game,” DeRozan said. “I look at it like it’s another game, against a great team, to go out there and play. We’re down two of our starters and we can’t look at it like that. We’ve got to look at it like next guy’s gotta step up. We’ve been great in those moments, where guys come up and are resilient and it’s fun. It’s fun to see other people getting an opportunity to go out there and try to help us win.”
Really, the biggest stakes on the line against Cleveland might just very well be who ends up coaching the Eastern Conference in the all-star game.
With Boston’s Brad Stevens having coached the team a year ago, it’s going to be either Casey and his group or Cleveland’s Tyronne Lue and his staff. Heading into Thursday’s game, the Raptors were three up in the loss column and two up in the win column on Cleveland for the honour. The team with the better record on Feb. 4 will get the all-star coaching nod.
It’s unlikely either staff approached Thursday’s game with that at the forefront of their thinking.
Casey says for him it’s just another opportunity to see his young guys step into a situation they haven’t faced before.
“The old saying ‘next man up’ is very relevant with two starters out but they’re not going to change the game, they’re not going to cancel the game so guys who have been wanting playing time and needing playing time are going to get the opportunity,” Casey said.
High on that list is Norm Powell who has been champing at the bit but unable to get the minutes he needs to find any sense of game rhythm. C.J. Miles also figured to get extended minutes with Lowry out.
Just don’t use the phrase “statement game.” It’s a bit of a dirty word right now.