The Toronto Raptors preseason finally came to an end tonight as they fell to the Detroit Pistons in a well-fought battle that ended 129-125 in the Pistons’ favour.
In a turn of events that could be surprising to some and completely predictable to others, Toronto went to their bench entirely, sitting most of their rotation players for the entirety of the night. Allen Graves, Alijah Martin, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Jaden Bradley, and Nimari Burnett started for the Raptors. Detroit countered with their starters,
seemingly working more on their regular season rotation than final roster decisions.
This was a great opportunity for everyone who checked in for the Raptors to show what they’ve got. Alijah Martin had a strong showing during the first half, more as a scorer than a distributor. He’d already racked up 15 by the midway point and didn’t play much in the second half, having already demonstrated his abilities.
Allen Graves looked like he is starting to come into his own. In the first quarter alone, he had a couple of good hustle putbacks that rocked the rim. He’s still struggling with his shot, but it’s way too early in his rookie campaign to worry. He finished the night with 9 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal and a block.
Malachi Smith led all scorers and had a phenomenal game, looking owed more than the two-way he’s currently on. He ended the night with 24-5-3. Nimari Burnett also had a great showing tonight with 17 points and 5 rebounds. Trayce Jackson-Davis had some solid minutes, finishing with 23 points and 3 rebounds, and a perfect record from the free-throw line if you don’t count the one he intentionally missed to try and force overtime.
Despite the mismatch in terms of guaranteed contract money, the deep bench held their own. There were the expected little mistakes that you’d see from less-experienced guys, losing their dribble or passes that aren’t on time or target, but despite that, the effort was enough to compensate. The perfect example of this was about halfway through the first. A sloppy pass and dribble through the paint led to the ball rolling loose towards the three point line. Within seconds, Raptors’ bodies were flying on the court to get possession, ultimately earning back the ball and a three-point basket.
Guards Martin and Smith held the majority of the scoring load early on. They were able to score all over the floor, in traffic, and against defenders, an impressive feat against bigger bodies.
Ball movement, the Raptors’ system forte wasn’t on display as much as expected. Their defence and active hands held up though, poking the ball away and making things tricky for a Pistons team that has high hopes for the season.
Finishing the first quarter with only three turnovers and only a two point deficit wouldn’t necessarily be the expectation when looking at the starting lineups, but the bench definitely put on a show.
Jamarion Sharp looked a little behind the play at times, but had a phenomenal block in the second that helped demonstrate flashes of his length and timing that can be an asset.
Detroit was able to build a marginal lead late in the second, entering the locker room with a seven point advantage.
A tough offensive foul call followed by sloppy defence and a turnover meant the Pistons had a double-digit lead within the first minute and a half of the third quarter. None of that seemed to have much of an effect on the Raptors’ intensity though. They kept chipping away, one possession at a time.
Degenhart had a great three-pointer that brought the deficit to single digits.
The entirety of the fourth quarter had to be the most fun part of the game. Detroit sat their starters, employing the same strategy as Toronto to see what the bench had to offer. Point by point, the Raptors chipped away. They outscored the Pistons 20-6 in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, giving Toronto their first lead since the first quarter. Burnett, Smith, and Key were the leaders of the comeback, scoring timely long range baskets.
A bit of sloppiness gave way to Detroit in the fading minutes of the game, turning the ball over and giving Detroit some extra scoring opportunities. Credit to them, they didn’t give in until the final buzzer sounded, getting within a single possession repeatedly. Toronto may not have won, but they played well and the bench got some solid run that could help them earn their next contracts.
Now, Toronto has some time to make final decisions and get ready for next Wednesday, their season opener against the Chicago Bulls. Tune in so you don’t miss a single moment of one of the most anticipated Raptors seasons in a while.
