The Toronto Raptors walked away with a 112-98 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, but that changes little at the needle compared to the larger storyline looming over the team’s heads.
The Raptors, much like the rest of the NBA, have turned their attention to Thursday’s trading close. Their matchup against the Spurs could be the last we see this iteration of the Raptors as they have been the focus of a plethora of trade rumours.
“We have a lot of good players in a team that doesn’t win. So that’s about it,” said Fred VanVleet, who is finding his name popping up in trade rumors more than ever.
“We didn’t reach our level this year. And so we put ourselves in this position. It’ll probably call every team in the league.”
Against a Spurs team who have now lost 10 in a row to hold a 14-41 record, these matchups should be routine work for a win. However, the Raptors’ season was anything but predictable. The win moves the team to 10th place in the East — good enough for the last play-in berth — but it doesn’t hide the fact that the Raptors are still on their worst 56-game record since the 2012-13 season hold.
What will this Raptors team look like after the deadline? We’ll find out soon. (Getty)
In a league that doesn’t celebrate mediocrity, talks surrounding the Raptors revolved around whether GM Bobby Webster and President Masai Ujiri should blast that roster or add to one that certainly has its bright spots.
We were reminded of those bright spots on Wednesday as all five starters finished in double digits to go along with an 18-point double-double from Chris Boucher off the bench. It secured their third straight win – a feat they’ve only managed twice this season.
Leading the way for the Raptors was Pascal Siakam, who along with 10 rebounds and seven assists finished with 38 points, ending a 13-game streak in which he hasn’t surpassed the 30-point mark. The 1.90m forward went straight to work against Spurs, opening the first frame with 18 points on 7-7 shooting from the field.
The story goes on
“He’s shown he’s really aware of what’s available and was ready to take it for him tonight properly and with a good pace and rhythm,” Nurse said, noting Pascal’s ability to “put a great rhythm on his.” middle class”.
Fred VanVleet also contributed eight points in the first quarter as he and Siakam combined outpaced the Spurs in frame 26-24.
It helped the Raptors go on a 14-0 run at one point to take an early lead.
The Spurs’ defensive intensity got them back in the game in the second quarter, but the Raptors regained their footing in the third quarter, going up as much as 18 points. It was most notably behind the game of Gary Trent Jr. and VanVleet, whose names continue to circulate in trade rumours.
Both may become free agents this summer. Along with OG Anunoby – who missed their sixth straight game with a left wrist sprain – the trio have attracted the attention of several teams with championship ambitions.
“We have a lot of people who want a lot of teams and we’re not in a great situation,” said VanVleet. “So the front office will do their thing and they’ll do what’s best for the organization and the rest of us, you know, we’ll get to work tomorrow, have a good practice and see what happens.”
Conversely, the Raptors are said to have kept an eye on Jakob Poeltl. The big man was originally drafted by Toronto as a lottery pick but traded as part of the deal that landed them Kawhi Leonard in 2018.
The Raptors’ season was hampered by not having a reliable big man in their lineup. At the Scotiabank Arena, the Raptors did a solid job neutralizing Poeltl on Wednesday. Siakam consistently attacked him to get him to work on defense, while the Spurs center finished offensively with 12 points on 4-11 shooting.
Before the matchup, Head Coach Nurse had high praise for the former Raptor.
“We loved him when he was here. Just a really good, smart, tough, hard worker,” Nurse said, noting his ability to set solid screens, rebound and protect the rim. “We really liked him when he was here.”
It remains to be seen whether Poeltl will return to Toronto before the 3 p.m. close — or even more, what portion of this current list remains when the Raptors return to Scotiabank Arena on Friday, February 10.
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