TORONTO — A day after a confusing COVID scare in Brooklyn, it was “business as usual” for the Toronto Raptors in Atlanta.
Of course, on Friday, Nets star Kevin Durant wasn’t allowed to start the game with the Raptors due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols, but was then cleared to play entering off the bench, only to then be pulled in the third quarter causing lots of uncertainty as to the status of Toronto’s next contest with the Hawks on Saturday.
But as Raptors head coach Nick Nurse put it when the team arrived in Atlanta and went through all of its testing in advance of Saturday evening’s game, everything was normal — or as normal as things can be while trying to play a season in the midst of a deadly pandemic.
“Nope, business as usual in these times, I guess,” Nurse said before the Raptors and Hawks tipped off when asked if there were any changes to the club’s COVID-19 protocols and procedures.
So, as far as anyone knows, there were no tests from the Raptors that came back positive and it was all systems go for the Raptors Saturday night, although they didn’t play much like it falling 132-121, snapping their three-game win streak and dropping their record to 10-13 on the season.
Montreal native Chris Boucher scored a career-high 29 points on 10-of-13 shooting but would’ve much rather preferred to see his team come away with a victory rather than drop back down the standings after briefly climbing into tied for sixth in the Eastern Conference.
“I would rather have 10 points in a win than 29 in a loss,” said Boucher. “At this point, we’ve just got to figure out a way to get our wins in. It’s always better to celebrate a win than somebody having a career high.”
Playing on the second night of a back-to-back, the Raptors didn’t play a very good defensive game as they allowed the Hawks to shoot 56.8 per cent from the field, including a 19-for-36 mark from three-point range.
“I just didn’t think we were sharp enough,” said Fred VanVleet. “Especially defensively, we gave up three 30-point quarters and that’s not going to get it done, especially on the second night of a back-to-back. So, we had a chance and we had our chances to win the game but giving up 132 I don’t know if you can live and survive playing defence that way.”
Defensive woes aside, however, for the most part, the Raptors hung around and even though they allowed Atlanta to score 66 in that first half, they trailed by just three and were well within striking distance.
After a herky-jerky third quarter that saw both teams combine for 24 free-throw attempts and mess with the game’s flow, Atlanta managed to extend its lead to 101-94 entering the fourth where it appeared Toronto just ran out of gas.
“Let me ask you, did you enjoy watching that third quarter? Was it a lot of fun? You should be there on the sideline going through that,” said Nurse of that third quarter.
After coming away with undoubtedly one of their biggest wins of the season on Friday, it just appeared the track meet the Raptors were in with the Nets perhaps wore them down Saturday versus the Hawks and they just weren’t able to find the necessary boost to get over the hump, despite Boucher’s career night.
But even though the Raptors didn’t manage to pull out the win against the Hawks Saturday night, they, perhaps, managed to secure a “W” of sorts by even managing to play the game to begin with.
Quite frankly, the fact Saturday’s contest was “business as usual” for the Raptors only made it that much more bizarre.
Atlanta is the reported site for this year’s NBA All-Star Game, supposedly set for a March 7 date, the middle of the league’s March 5-10 break.
This report has caused much controversy over the past few days with star players speaking out against it including Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox.
“I have zero energy and zero excitement about an all-star game this year,” said James earlier this week. “I don’t even understand why we’re having an all-star game, but it’s the agreement.”
Added Antetokounmpo, echoing James: “The Big Dog [LeBron James] says he has zero excitement, zero energy for the all-star game. I’m the same way. I really, right now, I don’t care about the all-star game. I got zero energy, zero excitement.”
And Fox: “If I’m going to be brutally honest, I think it’s stupid. If we have to wear masks and do all this for a regular game, then what’s the point of bringing an all-star game back? But, obviously, money makes the world go ’round, so it is what it is.”
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When asked about their thoughts about the possibility of the all-star game in the midst of a pandemic, the Raptors were much more muted.
“It’s a very noble thing for our fans to do and they care about us so much,” said VanVleet, responding to a sub-sect of Raptors fans specifically not voting for the team’s players to keep them safe and healthy. “But they’re going to do what they want to do. I’m not going to tell them what to do one way or another. It’s going to be what it’s going to be and all-star is what it is. I’m not gonna comment on that one. We know what that’s about and whatever fans choose to do, that’s what they’re gonna do.”
Said six-time all-star Kyle Lowry: “I think with the all-star game is a situation where it’s a fan-engagement, it’s a business, it’s a big-TV thing. You know, it’s a big thing for the TV networks. It is what it is. And this situation, you kind of got to ask the guys that will be for sure all-stars. I’m sure everyone wants a break. Personally, I don’t have a real-life answer for you. I understand the business of the all-star game. I understand that part of it.”
As does just about everyone else.
But for obvious business rationale aside, that still doesn’t mean it’s the right decision.
Then again, looking back on the consequences — or lack thereof — from what transpired Friday night in Brooklyn, with the only person impacted being Durant from all that happened, it looks like the NBA has no issues taking risks with its personnel.
After all, there was no harm and no foul made as the Raptors rolled into Atlanta and did enough to win all completely unscathed. So why would it be different for an All-Star Game, right?
