It was the first game back after 600 days away. In some ways, that was enough. The Toronto Raptors were playing basketball in Scotiabank Arena, on Canadian soil, and they had a crowd of true blue fans roaring for them at every given opportunity.

The game itself was less satisfying—the Raptors looked disjointed and altogether out of sync for the vast majority of the night, communicating poorly on defense and spinning their tires on offense.

But the night wasn’t entirely without its charms and hopeful shimmers.

Here are just a few Raptors takeaways, negative and positive, from game one of 82:

Dragic, Achiuwa should shift to the bench 

This is a topic that will certainly be expanded upon further in other pieces, but is worth touching on here since it was a pretty regular subject of debate during the preseason: Who should fill out the starting lineup next to the staples of Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, and (for now) Scottie Barnes?

Raptors head coach Nick Nurse answered that question Wednesday by slotting in Goran Dragic next to VanVleet and Precious Achiuwa as the unit’s de facto center. That group was never really able to get anything going, posting a lamentable -37.2 net rating in 11 minutes together.

Dragic’s size next to VanVleet exacerbated the team’s rebounding issues and he was unable to make up for it via a presumed extra layer of playmaking. Achiuwa had a particularly rough night defensively, allowing blow-bys on the perimeter and a number of interior buckets, and his strengths weren’t as pronounced next to multiple, experienced ball-handlers.

Shifting Dragic to the bench would allow him to be the initiator more often for a young group that could use a veteran presence, and it would be against, typically, less potent units. Doing so with Achiuwa would make his proclivity to rebound and push the ball with the intent to go coast-to-coast much more viable and effective.

As for the starting lineup, Gary Trent Jr. would be the natural fit to take Dragic’s spot (at least until Pascal Siakam returns) where he can fill the role of a lethal finisher that he showed in preseason, and Khem Birch would be the replacement for Achiuwa, where he can play a lower usage role by setting good screens and playing steady defense.

Anunoby, VanVleet fall short

The Raptors aren’t going to win many games with the way Anunoby and VanVleet played offensively in this one, no matter what else happens.

Except for a brief burst in the fourth, Anunoby simply couldn’t find his rhythm. After a stellar preseason in which he showed significant growth as an off-the-dribble creator and pull-up shooter, he struggled mightily in that area of his game against the Wizards, forcing jumpers and taking himself away from the cadence he had so carefully crafted in the contests prior.

VanVleet, meanwhile, looked uncomfortable in the higher usage initiator role that he’s necessarily been given the reins to this season. He struggled to create for others and himself in the half-court, and really only looked like himself when playing off-ball, an area of his game that has long been outstanding.

The two of them combined for 23 points on just 21.6 percent shooting, including 16.7 percent from three-point range. They also coughed up the ball six times.

It’s just one game. But the Raptors will find the offense a struggle on the best of days, and a downright near-impossibility on the others.

Banton makes Rexdale (and the rest of Canada) proud

It only took a few seconds for Dalano Banton to endear himself to the Raptors fanbase for the near future.

Late in the third quarter, he checked into the game as a defensive substitution for Svi Mykhailiuk, who was in foul trouble. Banton then proceeded to heave a long distance attempt from half court at the buzzer that snapped the net and sent the Scotiabank Arena crowd (which had been lifeless mere moments earlier) into a frenzy.

Feeding off the newfound energy, Banton went on to spearhead a spirited comeback attempt that featured a triple-Canadian lineup (Banton, Birch, and Chris Boucher) before the game ultimately fell out of reach.

On a night that often showcased just how far Toronto’s young talent has to go, it was also a strong reminder of the talent that lies therein, and how vital it is to the future.