Four regular roster players. That’s what the Toronto Raptors had to work with on a night when Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, Precious Achiuwa, Gary Trent Jr., Malachi Flynn, Scottie Barnes, Isaac Bonga, Khem Birch, and Justin Champagnie were all in health and safety protocols.
The ultimate result, predictably, was a 144-99 blowout loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who themselves were missing seven rotation players. The Raptors narrowly avoided its worst defeat in franchise history (by a single point), marking the third-most points the club has ever allowed.
Sure, it would be easy to sit here and harp on the Frankenstein Raptors’ flaws, but it’s the season of perpetual hope and optimism, and that feels like the proper path to continue down here—especially since the team wasn't even entirely sure that it would be playing on Sunday night.
With that being said, it was a delight to watch the Raptors' hardship contract call-ups get a shot to play extensive minutes in an NBA game. Most of them aren’t strangers to the league, but as they all continue to forge their way towards a long-term deal, the effort they displayed was inspiring—particularly in the first quarter, where they came out with relentless energy.
DJ Wilson and Tremont Waters showed some real promise. Wilson did a little bit of everything, dropping 15 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and four steals, harkening back to his days with the Milwaukee Bucks, where he always seemed to find ways to burn the Raptors. And he managed it despite enduring a hectic schedule that saw him all across the map.
“I went from OKC, to Vegas to playing the (G League) showcase to getting picked up, flying to Chicago to get ready to play the Bulls, that game getting postponed, next day flying out to LA to spend Christmas Eve with my family, and then Christmas Day morning coming out here, flying to Cleveland. And then the 26th, today, flying to Toronto,” said Wilson. “It’s been an eventful last four or five days, but I’m appreciative of the opportunity and I wouldn’t pass up on it.”
As for Waters, he didn’t light up the scoreboard, netting eight points on 3-of-11 shooting, but he showed nice playmaking ability, consistently penetrating the defense and probing for weak spots, searching until he could find a cutter or open shooter. The young guard, who had an unproductive three-year stint with the Boston Celtics, finished with six dimes and three steals.
Again, it’s no surprise that the Raptors lost against the Cavaliers. They should have lost. They were massive underdogs without even a single starter available. In fact, the hardship players only met the four regular guys 90 minutes prior to tip-off. But when zooming in, the personal victories for certain individuals (the real NBA minutes, receiving more pay than usual for the newcomers, the test as a team’s focal point for Yuta Watanabe, etc.) were there, plain as day.
None of what’s happening in the league and of course, the world beyond it is ideal right now. But as it continues to roll on regardless, keeping track of and elevating the bright spots becomes more important than ever.
“I’m always trying to be part of the solutions,” said Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. “We got a big problem here—not just basketball, we got a big problem. Leaders make decisions and you try to ride with them and be positive and go do your job.”