Raptors manage another victory without Leonard
Load management ruled the night, paying customers be damned.
For the third consecutive game, Kawhi Leonard was out of the lineup. He will sit out one more game on Wednesday night in Indianapolis before returning Friday in Houston.
The Kings took the opportunity to follow suit and rested three starters in point guard De’Aaron Fox, forward Nemanja Bjelica and guard Iman Shumpert.
But a game light in star power held its own on the effort put forth by those who did play as the Kings stayed with Toronto, holding things close until the final half of the fourth quarter when the Raps pulled away for a 120-105 win.
It was Toronto’s eighth win in nine games and was one of those ones where they got contributions from everyone who took the floor.
Fred VanVleet and Kyle Lowry led the way with 19 points each, Lowry’s nine assists besting VanVleet’s total by two.
Toronto got double-digit point production out of four others, including C.J. Miles, who put up 15 points in 16 minutes off the bench. Norm Powell scored 11 points.
Pascal Siakam chipped in with 18 and Serge Ibaka had 15 as the Raptors proved just too deep for the Kings.
Without Fox, the engine that makes the Kings go, Sacramento just wasn’t the threat they have been for much of the season. Yet the decision to rest Fox was made primarily because he had played so much already this year. Neither he nor Bjelica had missed a game before Tuesday night’s contest.
LOAD MANAGEMENT NOW THE DIRTIEST OF WORDS
It’s foreign territory for all involved, this load-management thing.
The expectation heading into Tuesday night was Leonard, who on Monday had been ruled out for the Kings game, would rest a third game in a row, but return for the back end of the backto-back on Wednesday night in Indianapolis against the Pacers.
That expectation was wrong. Raptors head coach Nick Nurse announced that not only would Leonard sit out the Kings game but the Pacers game as well. He also announced Leonard would be back for the game on Friday in Houston.
Nurse said it’s strictly a load-management decision.
“Well, first of all, it’s a medical decision from our medical team,” Nurse said. “And it’s just a load-management thing still. I think he’s played what, 35, 36 games now after playing nine a year ago. It was just a chance to get him some extended rest. We’re sitting him out this backto-back and he’s definitely going to play Friday in Houston.”
The Indy game will mark the fourth in a row Leonard sits out. He last played in a loss to the Boston Celtics. In the previous game in Washington, Leonard left the game with what he called some tightness behind his knee, but returned to finish the game.
CONFIDENCE BOOST
Miles has his confidence back. For the third game in a row, Miles was on the mark from distance, going 4-for-5 from behind the arc.
It’s been a tough season for Miles, who wants nothing more than to produce for his teammates. Based on their response every time he comes out of a game, his teammates realize how important this is to him.
ALL THE KINGS MEN
The Sacramento Kings have long been an organization lacking in stability. Head coach Dave Joerger appears to have brought some of that to Sactown.
Earlier this year there were rumblings that Kings management might not be happy with their coach. But the team finally seems to have a plan, and the Kings would be best served to stick with Joerger. He has delivered something that looks like it can last.
QUICK HITS: The Raptors are still without Jonas Valanciunas, who remains sidelined with a dislocated thumb, and OG Anunoby, who has been away from the team for personal reasons and according to Nurse is not expected back until Friday ... Normally a back-to-back is something to be feared in the NBA. The Raptors, for whatever reason, have been extremely good on the back end of these back-to-backs. The Raps are an NBA-best 8-1 on the second night, with two more back-to-backs remaining after Wednesday’s game ... When the Raps have a rest advantage on their opponent they are even more dominant. In games in which they did not play the night before, and their opponent is playing on its second consecutive day, the Raps are 6-0. mganter@postmedia.com