‘Bench mob’ getting it done
Raptors see success from backup boys
For the past few years, an argument could be made that a large part of the Toronto Raptors’ success has been what they’ve gotten from their non- starters when facing the opposition’s non-starters.
Ultimately, the starting duo of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan is what drives the team, but in the past, bench players such as Patrick Patterson, Cory Joseph, P. J. Tucker, Terrence Ross, and even going back as far as Greivis Vasquez to name a few, have been conspicuous.
Heading into this season, though, the veteran bench talent was depleted with Patterson, Tucker, Joseph and Ross no longer in the mix.
There were questions, in fact, about the Raptors’ depth.
As it’s played out, management clearly knew something most of us didn’ t. Turns out the kids who are now in backup roles were ready a lot sooner than most of us thought they would be.
Included in that group are the likes of point guards Delon Wright and Fred VanVleet, forward Pascal Siakam, and centre Jacob Poeltl.
At times the group has included rookie guard OG Anunoby and Lucas Nogueira, the veteran member of the backup brigade. Augmented by the play of 12-year veteran C. J. Miles, this year’s second unit is producing be- yond even management’s expectations. They’re a big reason why the Raptors are 11- 5 and in third place overall in the Eastern Conference heading into their game against the New York Knicks on Wednesday.
Lowry has also seen playing time with this group of late, but head coach Dwane Casey hasn’t had any qualms about giving his second unit plenty of floor time, evidenced by their 20.3 minutes per game, fifth most in the NBA among bench units.
Their collective net rating of 10.9 is the best in the NBA. And that is exactly the bar that Miles wants to establish for this group.
“It ’s not so much me scoring as it’s a confidence thing that I try to carry on the court and hopefully it rubs off ( on the others),” Miles said. “I want everyone to have that energy. Every game I’m slapping everybody’s hand and telling them we’ve got the best bench in the league and they have to believe that. I believe that. I think they are starting to understand it.”
Getting it done without the starters has become a point of pride for the bench group.
“We have a whole five that can come off that bench and really affect the game,” he said. “There’s really six of us because Pascal and OG are interchangeable. So we have six guys sitting over there that can change the game. We want people to have to come play us and understand t hat j ust because Kyle and DeMar and Serge and JV sit down, it doesn’t mean they can take over the game.’’
VanVleet, a young guy but with plenty of savvy given he comes in with four full years of college experience, knows exactly what Miles means to the group.
“He’s a special guy to come in here as a veteran with 12 or 13 years,” VanVleet said. “He’s not incredibly vocal but he’s definitely a leader. He’s helping me and Delon and that young group on the bench. He’s not the most athletic defender but he’s in the right spots and he’s telling guys where to go and talking through things. He’s got a ton of experience.’
VanVleet says the key is the confidence Miles gives the youngsters on the roster.
“I love that as a point guard,” VanVleet said. “The spacing he brings and when you see a guy shoot as high as he shoots and makes them, it kind of makes you feel a little guilty for how open you are sometimes because they have to focus on Miles. You wish you could share some of that with him.’’
Lately, the parts have been changing a bit within the second unit with Anunoby graduating to the first unit to fill in for the injured Norm Powell.
But the production remains high.
“It’s just the bench mob,” VanVleet said. “We’ve got the five starters (who wear black in practice) and the rest of us are in grey. We’ve been working all summer together and we can just plug guys in. Obviously OG was a big upgrade for our group. We’ve got a group of unselfish guys who have to play together. Our starting group is so talented they can rely on some of their one- on- one abilities and things like that but for us, we have to keep moving the ball and bring the energy off the bench.”