From undrafted to underrated, Davis beats long odds
Terence Davis II is still adjusting to the dizzying effects of the NBA schedule, but the Raptors’ rookie shooting guard might also be the next undrafted player success story for an organization with a history of unearthing overlooked talent.
The 22-year-old Davis scored a careerhigh 19 points in Wednesday’s win over the Orlando Magic, the fourth time he has reached double digits in the past six games. He’s eager to keep it rolling the next chance he gets — whenever that is.
“We don’t have another game until Saturday (in Atlanta)? Wow. I’ve been gone, man. Road trip. It’s long,” Davis joked with reporters following his 27-minute night against the Magic at Scotiabank Arena, the Raptors’ second game after a nine-day road swing.
While the sample size is small — 198 minutes of court time over 14 NBA games to date — coach Nick Nurse asked his young players to make a name for themselves out of the gate, and the University of Mississippi product has stepped up.
“I think we might be seeing a little more than we were expecting to see,” Nurse said of Davis on Wednesday. “It’s two games in a row that the guy’s checked in, just started nailing threes, just right off the bench and gave our offence a boost. And they’ve been momentum changes, I think, in both games.
“I’m not sure I expected him to do that. I’m not sure I expected him to do that at all.”
The Raptors have been short-handed since Nov. 8, when Kyle Lowry suffered a fractured left thumb and Serge Ibaka sprained his right ankle in a game in New Orleans. Ibaka could return Saturday night in Atlanta, Nurse said, but there was no update on Lowry. The original word was that the point guard would be re-evaluated after two weeks.
Davis has seen an uptick in playing time since those injuries — 7.7 minutes per game before, 21.3 minutes a night since — and made it count. He has averaged 11.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists during that time while shooting 53.8 per cent from three-point range. Along with Chris Boucher and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, the emergence of the second unit has given the 10-4 Raptors a needed boost.
“Getting the time with those guys — getting reps in at practice and just knowledge from them and just trust — gaining their trust as a rookie, it takes time, and I think we’re starting to get there,” Davis said. Improved shooting was a priority for Davis over the summer as he prepared for the NBA draft, and then after he went unselected. Since inking a two-year deal with the Raptors in July, he has worked closely with assistant coach Jim Sann to improve his balance, complementing his strengths: The upper half of his shot and the rotation he puts on the ball.
To Pascal Siakam, Davis has become a shot-maker. Sometimes they go in and sometimes they don’t, but the Raptors forward says a lot of the rookie’s success comes down to confidence.
“He’s ready. He’s ready,” Siakam said. “Open shots, he’s going to shoot them. He’s going to make plays. They put him on the ball a little bit to make plays and he does that. And then on defence, he’s active. So I think that’s anything you can ask for, for a rookie, just coming in and understanding his role and doing it well.”
The Raptors say Davis’s performances won’t go unnoticed for long.
“I think he’s catching teams off guard a little bit, probably going to start hitting the scouting reports a little harder,” Nurse said.
The added attention will require an adjustment from Davis, as he works to get comfortable with opponents targeting him more and more.
Nurse says he hopes to keep getting Davis a “bunch of minutes” so that he can continue to learn and make that adjustment.
For a guy whose shot at the NBA appeared lost just a few months ago, the chance to produce under pressure is most welcome.
“I would say it’s a good thing,” Davis said. “It’s just next game. You’ve got to be prepared for it now. (General manager Bobby Webster) just came and said the same thing, so I’ll be ready for it.”