Raptors share the load against Kings
With Leonard out for third straight game, balanced attack produces convincing victory
TORONTO — It was an night when load management ruled, paying customers be damned.
For the third consecutive night, Toronto Raptors star Kawhi Leonard was out of the lineup, and will be for one more tonight in Indianapolis, before returning to action on Friday in Houston.
The Kings took the opportunity to follow suit and rested three starters — point guard De’Aaron Fox, forward Nemanja Bjelica and guard Iman Shumpert.
But a game that was light in star power held its own on the effort put forth by those who did play, as the Kings stayed with Toronto, keeping things close until late into the third frame, when the Raps began to pull away for a 120-105 win.
It was Toronto’s eighth win in the past nine games and was one of those outings where they got contributions from everyone on the floor.
Fred VanVleet and Kyle Lowry led the way with 19 points each, with Lowry’s nine assists besting VanVleet by two in that department.
But Toronto got double-digit point production out of four others, as well, including CJ Miles, who put up 15 points in 16 minutes off the bench, and 11 points from Norm Powell, also coming off the bench.
Pascal Siakam chipped in with 18 points and Serge Ibaka had 15 and a double-double with 10 rebounds as the Raptors proved just too deep for the Kings, who joined the load management parade that seems to be all the rage these days in the NBA.
Without Fox, the engine that makes the Kings go, Sacramento just wasn’t the threat they have been for much of the season. But the decision to rest Fox was made primarily because he had played so much already this season. Neither he nor Bjelica had missed a game before last night’s contest.
The game wasn’t without its benefits for the home side.
Lowry seemed back to the do-itall buy we have come to expect.
“I think the 50-minute conditioning thing in DC (double OT win in Washington) and that third quarter in Boston, I think he looked a little bit more like himself here tonight,” head coach Nick Nurse said.
Lowry hit four 3-pointers, the first time he’s done so since a win over the Clippers in L.A. on Dec. 11. It was just the fifth time all year he’s hit four or more in a game.
Also looking more like himself was VanVleet, who had a rough night Sunday, leading to some speculation that the nagging injuries were starting to become a real factor.
Meanwhile, Miles posted his third consecutive double-digit points night and now has a total of nine 3-pointers in his last three games.
This one won’t be a win that takes up much time on the season highlight reel, but it just might be more important in the sense of allowing a handful of guys to find their rhythm.