Raptors surge to tame Grizzlies
Toronto finally has mettle tested in tough first half against Memphis
MEMPHIS — Nick Nurse wanted his Toronto Raptors tested, and he got his wish.
The Memphis Grizzlies, even with rookie Jaren Jackson in foul trouble early and for most of the night after that, had the Raptors on the ropes for most of the night.
In the first half they had them dead to rights with a 71-point showing through 24 minutes.
But if testing a team’s mettle was what Nurse was looking for, he got it, and the man answering the bell in the biggest way in this one was Fred VanVleet as he led the charge in Toronto’s biggest comeback of the year in a 122-114 win.
It was the biggest comeback and arguably the most satisfying for all kinds of reasons.
Banged up for most of the season, VanVleet came down on a camera man following a first half score and was limping noticeably.
The limp disappeared in the second half and was a mere afterthought in the fourth quarter when he went off for 10 points, including all three of his three-point attempts on the night. The one that tied the game at 105105 was punctuated by a rare show of emotion from the point guard, who threw a knockout punch after it went down.
On the night, the only shot VanVleet missed was one from the free-throw line. He was 6-for-6 from the field including those three makes from behind the arc in the fourth quarter.
The Raptors had to find a way to slow down the Grizzlies and Nurse did that with a perfectly timed zone defence midway through the third.
Kyle Lowry led all Toronto scorers with 24 points and chipped in with six assists. All five starters were in double figures in scoring, but only Lowry had more than VanVleet’s 18 on the night.
NOT BROKE, DON’T FIX IT
It wasn’t supposed to work out this way, but no one, and that includes the men most affected, are complaining.
Jonas Valanciunas, in the seventh season of his NBA career, is for the first time being asked to come off the bench. A starter his whole career, Valanciunas is splitting starting and coming off the bench with Serge Ibaka, another guy who is not accustomed to coming off the bench.
That the split has both men playing some of the best basketball of their careers is the surprise. Ibaka has started 12 of the 21 games to date, with Valanciunas starting nine. Ibaka is less of a surprise that his game would be so positively affected because the move takes him from power forward to centre, and that has meant a world of difference to his production.
Like Valanciunas, Ibaka is playing fewer minutes than ever before in his NBA career. And like Valanciunas, Ibaka is scoring more than he ever has in his NBA career.
In 26.6 minutes a night, Ibaka is averaging a career best 16.7 points. Valanciunas, playing just 19.7 minutes a night, is averaging 13.0 points per game.
Valanciunas’ only explanation for scoring more in less playing time is the Raptors’ improved spacing, something Ibaka has also talked about.
“Give credit to Nick (Nurse),” Valanciunas said of his head coach. “We have great movement on offence. We all touch the ball. We all have opportunities. This is what gives us a couple of extra positions. You’re not just standing in the dunker. You are playing basketball. You get more chances.”
Valanciunas was asked if perhaps he’s a little fresher and therefore a little more able to do more when he’s on the floor. Not sure he was buying that theory.
“Maybe I was tired once this season, but that’s it,” he said smiling.
Nurse was asked about the position split and how it’s working out for the men involved. As good as the numbers have been for both players and even with the wins piling up, his answer suggested it hasn’t always been easy for either player.
“Listen, we are just trying to get both him and Serge to accept both roles as equal even though no one in the world will let them accept it that way because of the starting thing,” Nurse said. “But there are a lot of nights Serge doesn’t start, but plays 26 minutes and there are a lot of nights where JV gets rolling and he gets going.”
What Valanciunas will admit is he’s having fun and as long as he’s having fun, you won’t hear any complaints.