Raptors still upbeat as streak ends at eight wins
‘Got to start another one,’ Vanvleet says
YOU CAN’T HAVE A FIRST QUARTER WITH A PLAYER LIKE THAT. I FELT
LIKE IT WAS EASY. JUST THE STUFF HE WAS GETTING. HE’S PROBABLY
GOT 50 POUNDS ON ALL OF US SO IT’S KIND OF TOUGH, BUT YEAH,
YOU’VE GOT TO BOTHER HIM. — PASCAL SIAKAM
The Toronto Raptors’ winning streak is over at eight, but there was no fall-off in terms of effort or desire or togetherness.
That’s the good news from a tough 110-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets, a game that was there for the taking even with the whistle favouring the biggest man on the court.
Denver’s Nikola Jokic has earned some benefit of the whistle with his consistent and crafty play of late. But Jokic was getting probably more than his fair share of calls on the night, going to the line 10 times himself while being allowed all kinds of leniency at the other end as he threw his considerable weight around.
It’s a star’s game in the NBA — that’s not a secret to anyone — but if there was a beef locally, and Raptors’ head coach Nick Nurse’s mood during the walkoff suggested there certainly was, it was that Toronto’s own star didn’t get the same favourable treatment.
Pascal Siakam does not have an MVP award on his resume yet, but he’s been playing the MVP role for the better part of six consecutive weeks now.
But while Jokic went to the charity stripe for 10 attempts, Siakam didn’t get there once despite taking 22 shots and absorbing all kinds of contact.
In fact, the entire Raptors team was awarded just seven more free throws combined than the number Jokic was given.
OG Anunoby, a guy the Raptors lean on heavily to offset their lack of a true NBA big man, picked up two early fouls against Jokic, forcing the Raptors to a little early Precious Achiuwa run. Achiuwa, Scottie Barnes and even Siakam himself took their turns on the Denver big man but none have Anunoby’s combination of strength, size and experience against a player as unique as Jokic and it showed.
Outside of Anunoby, probably the next most successful Raptor against Jokic in a primary defender role was Khem Birch, but his success against the Nuggets star came in the second quarter after he had already poured in 18 in the first.
“We felt like we definitely could have won the game,” said Siakam, who still looked great with a season-high 35 points despite the lack of even a single free throw attempt. “We felt like we put ourselves in a position to do that. Obviously, you can’t have a first quarter with a player like that. I felt like it was easy (for him). Just the stuff he was getting. He’s probably got 50 pounds on all of us so it’s kind of tough, but yeah, you’ve got to bother him.”
As Fred Vanvleet said when asked about the streak after the game, “Got to start another one.”
SUPPORT IN SPADES
Vanvleet’s first trek to the all-star game is not going to happen solo.
First his fiancé and two young children made it very clear on the night he learned he was going that he would have their company. Vanvleet made it very clear he wasn’t given a choice in the matter.
Then there was the added bonus of young teammates Precious Achiuwa and Scottie Barnes being there as part of the Rising Stars games.
But perhaps the most unexpected but certainly valued support will come in the form of Nurse, who announced his intentions to be there in Cleveland to ensure Vanvleet and the two younger Raps had the support of the organization as a whole.
“I’m really proud of those guys, all of them, for making it and representing us,” Nurse said. “I just felt like I wanted to be there and support them. That’s it, really. I just think it’s a special moment for them, and I want to be there to see it.”
Vanvleet certainly knows this isn’t the norm around the league.
“It means the world,” he said. “For him to be travelling to Cleveland to support us, I think it says a lot about where we are as a franchise and just the relationship that we all have together. Definitely helps to have that support, have your head coach go out of his way to come show you some support and some love and be there in the flesh. He’s one of the best coaches in the league for a reason, and I think things like that go a long way.”
WELCOMING THAD
A 15-year vet being brought in to shore up leadership could be construed as a bit of a slap in the face to the young vets already handling those duties, but not in the Raptors’ locker-room.
Vanvleet, Siakam and Anunoby (in his own quiet way) have handled those duties among themselves since training camp. Thaddeus Young has played that role on teams he has been with since his earliest days in Philadelphia, when then head coach Doug Collins encouraged him to speak up.
Vanvleet and Siakam are thrilled to have another strong voice in the room, even if there is going to be a feeling out period for all.