Raps dominate, start to finish
Yes, it’s only Cleveland. But on Wednesday night, the Raptors provided new coach Dwane Casey with a tantalizing vision of what is possible here by putting in a comprehensive, season-best effort on both ends of the court.
On defence in particular, they were collectively monstrous.
Every time a Cleveland shooter squared up, he found a white-shirt or a hand extended from one up in his face. The Cavs shot just south of 30 per cent as a team, only three percentage points better than the worst shooting night by any Raptors opponent in team history.
“We did a decent job of closing out, tagging (cutting down open space),” Casey said afterward, in that blasé way he sometimes favours. “It was a solid defensive effort.”
This is Casey’s pattern — under praise the group; over praise the individual.
He had a lot of candidates after drubbing the Cavs 92-77 in a game the Raptors controlled from start to finish.
First and foremost, Andrea Bargnani, who has finally become ‘big’ figuratively as well as literally.
Bargnani scored 31, his best statistical night in more than a calendar year, snagged seven rebounds and was generally surly in the paint on both ends.
After one scrappy basket underneath to push the Raptors lead to 12 in the fourth quarter, a few in the crowd launched into M-V-P chants.
That’s happened before. This time it wasn’t sarcastic.
A few days ago, Casey compared Bargnani to his old charge, Dirk Nowitzki. He’s brought several plays designed for Nowitzki to Toronto and placed Bargnani in the German’s spot. Some figured that was the basis for the comparison.
Wednesday night, Casey expanded the analogy so that there wouldn’t be any confusion.
“I’ve been around some great players – Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton, Kevin Garnett, Dirk. (Bargnani’s) playing at that level offensively and defensively. He’s playing at a big-time level,” Casey said.
That isn’t heady praise. It’s praise that encompasses the whole body.
It’s also probably an exaggeration, but we must now adjust ourselves to the idea that after six lost years in Toronto, maybe Bargnani has been found by Casey.
After Bargnani, there was Demar Derozan. Last year, he sank five three pointers. Last night, he sank five three pointers. That’s a … let me get my calculator … times the 82 … oh forget it, that’s just a ridiculous improvement.
“He opens up the floor for everybody else because now you have to honour him with spacing,” Casey said.
Derozan, growing tired of being asked about filling in the black hole in his resume, just shrugged when asked about the sudden blossoming. The main beneficiary of that increased space was the guy he wanted to call out.
“(Jose Calderon) definitely carried us. He’s definitely one of the great underrated point guards. He’s definitely stepping up his defence this year,” Derozan said. “I love seeing him when he’s playing like this.” Yes. Definitely. “We needed a change,” said Calderon, after a team-high 37 minutes and a double-double. “I think that’s why everybody is more concentrated, more (pause) everything.”
Everybody’s suddenly more everything.
James Johnson led the defensive effort amongst the scrambling bigs, though Ed Davis and Amir Johnson were also worthy of a call-out.
When Cleveland made the requisite mini-run — 9-3 at the start of the fourth — Bargnani stuck a three in them, Davis got a block at the other end and Derozan finished on the fast break. Cleveland’s back was broken then. The last 10 minutes of game time were a formality, and how often can you say that in a Raptors win? No one in Cavs red looked more dejected than the rookie from Brampton, Tristan Thompson. Pity. The affable kid seemed so excited beforehand. “It’s amazing to come back home — to the homeland — to play in the ACC. It’s a dream come true,” Thompson told one of the waves of media that were staggered to protect him from suffocation. “Dream come true.” Good news, Toronto. If Jamaal Magloire wants to top that, he’s going to have to build a new wing on Sick Kids.
Aside from a strong contingent of family and friends, Thompson’s welcome was perfectly Toronto. Perfunctory applause upon introduction, turning to boos once he had the cheek to sink his one and only point on a free throw.
Probably not much fun for Thompson. If that was the case, he was the only Torontonian in the arena who didn’t enjoy themselves.