TORONTO – Whatever the ceiling of this edition of the Toronto Raptors turns out to be, we probably won’t find out for a few more weeks yet.
The season is still so young, as are so many key members of a rotation that is never ending in terms of its length – literally – and how far down his bench Nick Nurse can reach down for a different option or a new look.
But on Sunday afternoon at Scotiabank Arena, the Raptors got one more big piece back in action when Pascal Siakam was cleared to play after missing all of training camp and the first 10 games with off-season shoulder surgery.
He made his debut against the Brooklyn Nets, everyone’s version of a championship contender.
Those hoping for a scripted return by Siakam – who was playing his first game at Scotiabank Arena since Feb. 28, 2020 – were likely left disappointed as the Nets pulled away in the second half for the 116-103 win. The Raptors dropped to 6-5 – and 2-5 at home – while the veteran Nets improved to 7-3.
The Nets grabbed the game in the third quarter with Durant in particular refusing to let go. He finished with 31 points and seven assists – thought the Raptors did harass him into seven turnovers. When Durant wasn’t doing damage, it was his running mate James Harden bringing it as the burly point guard finished with 28 points and eight assists. Together they combined for 33 points in the second half.
But there was plenty from Siakam to be encouraged about as he works to play himself into game shape. He chipped in 15 points, four rebounds, two blocks and a steal in his budgeted 25 minutes.
The Raptors were led by Fred VanVleet, who had 21 points and eight assists. The Raptors shot just 7-of-24 from three compared to the Nets, who shot 17-of-44 from deep, negating the Raptors’ 17-8 edge in forced turnovers
As for Siakam, he looked like his old self in spurts, such as in the fourth quarter when he cut to the rim and got fouled – making both shots – and then muscled through the Nets Blake Griffin for an old-school three-point play.
But by then, Siakam’s minutes restriction was near its limit. The Raptors trailed by 10 at that point but couldn’t quite close the gap.
Still, the former all-star looked fit and strong and it was obvious quickly how adding another long, talented, two-way player can mean to a roster that could use the kind of scoring punch Siakam provides at full strength.
It didn’t take long for the potential of a lineup with so many long, talented defenders poses to an opponent.
Early in the first quarter, Siakam picked up Durant at the top of the circle and slid left with the world’s most lethal scorer, keep his chest nearly attached to the Nets star. Durant had nowhere to go and flipped to James Harden, who might the world’s second-most lethal scorer. At that point OG Anunoby got out to the corner, in a stance and under control and – with rookie Scottie Barnes lurking – flipped the ball out to Joe Harris.
In the end Harris made the three, but the picture was painted: the Raptors have more than one way to solve a problem like Durant and don’t have to panic when the ball gets to Harden.
Siakam was limited to five-minute stints at the beginning of each quarter, with Raptors director of sports science Alex McKechnie making sure Nurse abided by the rules.
“Sometimes I lose track,” said Nurse.
But Siakam looked sharp in the opportunities he had. He hit a three from the top of the circle during his first stint but more importantly helped the Raptors in transition as he looked more comfortable handling the ball full court and pushing than any of the bigs the Raptors have. A play just like that got Scottie Barnes an early score in transition.
Siakam’s best moment in the second quarter came when he snatched a steal in the lane, made a tidy outlet, ran the floor and scored on the break on a clever pass from rookie Dalano Banton, another 6-foot-8 open-floor threat to tie the score at 34-34. A minute later, Siakam blew past the Nets’ Paul Millsap for a lay-up in the half-court, an element the Raptors have been missing in his absence.
But some of Raptors most exciting sequences came when Siakam was on the bench, taking is mandatory rest – each of them prominently featuring Scottie Barnes.
On one play, Barnes doubled Durant from the weak side on the baseline and simply snatched the ball away from the two-time Finals MVP. The Raptors were off like a rocket and Chris Boucher finished at the rim. A possession later, Barnes stole the ball from Durant again, but this time took it himself before coasting into a reverse dunk that got the Scotiabank Arena even more stirred up.
When VanVleet split the defense for lay-up with the clocking winding down, the crowd got louder still as the Raptors led 60-63 at the half.
Reality set in during the third quarter as Durant got rolling. He put 13 in the period as Brooklyn swept aside the Raptors early advantage, outscored them 35-17 and took an 88-77 lead into the fourth.
At that point Harden took over.
The Raptors couldn’t respond – not with Siakam on the bench.
But when he was on the floor you could see the outline of a team that could – and likely will – sooner than anyone might have expected.
