GO SMALL OR GO HOME
That’s what Raptors do for big win over Pistons
Dwane Casey went small and the Raptors came up big, a move that gave Toronto a better defensive presence on the perimeter and some added ball handling on offence.
On a night when the margin for error was slim, the move to have DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry, Delon Wright and C.J. Miles on the floor with Jonas Valanciunas paid off.
For the most part, the perimeter was defended better, the floor spread with Miles and even though the Raptors would turn the ball over 21 times, Toronto managed to prevail, 96-91, over a very tough-minded Detroit Pistons.
But it wasn’t easy as the Pistons refused to go gently into the night, Avery Bradley drilling a three-ball to make the outcome somewhat in doubt before Wright stepped to the line to make both of his free throws.
It wasn’t pretty, but the lineup change worked and the Raptors, having entered the night losers of three of four, now have some mojo with San Antonio coming to town Friday.
The Raptors were sloppy, the Pistons parlaying those Toronto turnovers into 19 points. Still, they did just enough to win.
Miles led Toronto with 21 points. Detroit’s Andre Drummond led all scorers with 25 points.
Without getting into the smallest of the game’s details, Casey explained how the Pis- tons came with a different way of trapping, which led to most of the turnovers. There were times, though, when bad decision-making led to turnovers, careless ball handling.
Just like Saturday’s wild comeback bid against Golden State, which fell short, cannot simply be remembered as a moral victory, winning ugly falls in the same category.
A win, after all, is still a win, whether it’s ugly, decisive, aesthetically pleasing or on a buzzer-beater.
“It was an ugly win,’’ began Casey. “That team (Pistons) is a very aggressive team. We kind of made things difficult for us instead of making the easy play. When we had that big lead (15 points) there was a stretch where we moved the ball, the ball was humming, zipping, before the traps got there.
“As the game went on, we allowed the traps to get to us before we got rid of it. Again, we made it more complicated for ourselves, but you have to give Detroit credit. They really got into us, really getting after it. Hats off to them because they made things hard for us.”
Miles isn’t known for his defence, but he did keep his man in front. His skill is the three-ball and his presences forces teams to extend their defence.
Lowry, who missed his first five shots for the second game in a row, and DeRozan went a combined 12-of-29 from the field.
Each had five assists and combined to turn the ball over eight times.
They did bury some clutch three-pointers late as it appeared the Raptors were on their way to what seemed a fairly routine win.
That’s when the turnovers began to cost the Raptors.
When Detroit came with help, the ball swung and Miles became the beneficiary of some good looks.
Of his 16 attempts, 12 came from distance.
“We did a good job of finding him and he did a good job of knocking them down,’’ said Casey of Miles, who made five three-balls.
In the fourth quarter, fourpoint lead by Detroit would get matched by a 5-0 Raptors run, the game finally having life with both teams battling and playing hard, despite the occasional moment when poor decision making with the ball led to turnovers.
With 6:43 left, the Raptors were leading 82-81.
Toronto then went small with Miles at power forward.
He made a timely swing pass to an open DeRozan, who buried a straight-away three.
Lowry then buried a three while coming off a screen.
Toronto’s ability to make three-pointers helped it build a seven-point lead with 4:47 remaining.
With Wright on the floor, it helped both Lowry and DeRozan when it comes handling the ball.
When the unit got into trouble, it was the result of Detroit’s press.
“I liked how C.J. defended with that group at the four,’’ added Casey. “J.V. rebounded the ball (he ended with 16 boards). That group did a good job, it did what it was supposed to do. Some of the 21 turnovers was us shooting ourselves in the foot.”
The momentum Detroit established in the latter stages of the second quarter carried over into the third quarter, the Pistons more determined than the Raptors as the game was deadlocked, 63-63.
In a rare move to the basket, rookie OG Anunoby, who is normally positioned outside the three-point line, took his man off the dribble and served as facilitator.
There was no flow to the period as neither team established any offensive rhythm.
With five minutes left in the quarter, Tobias Harris picked up his fourth foul.
Harris was struggling, going 4-of-12 from the field.
He wasn’t alone as the game was devoid of offensive creativity and shot making.
Everything was summed up best when Pascal Siakam had the ball at the top of the key and made like Bob Cousy, only Siakam was over-dribbling, head down, but somehow he got his shot off and scored an unlikely basket.
Fittingly, the game was tied, 73-73, heading into the final quarter.