Forget the numbers, as impressive as they are, because the competition was substandard and the stakes didn’t amount to a hill of beans.
asserted
stakes → forget → beans
The Raptors surely are, and all they are thinking about now is how good this group might become, because Kawhi Leonard took to an NBA court in a Toronto uniform again Tuesday night and it was nothing but good.
uncertain
it → think → uniform
He looked comfortable and healthy and worked in fine cohesion with every group of teammates alongside him on the Scotiabank Arena court.
asserted
He → look → court
He moved fluidly, dominated physically at times and was a big, strong, intelligent part of a swarming, disruptive Raptors defence.
asserted
He → move → defence
No, it wasn’t a real game, and the opposition was closer to a G League team than the defending champion Knicks roster (New York left its top eight players home), but the signs that Leonard was just fine in his first pre-season game action were undeniable.
asserted
Leonard → defend → action
“It was good,” he said.
asserted
he → say → ?
“Just being able to get out there and play a different opponent, it was great.
asserted
it → get → opponent
The crowd (was) involved, the fatigue, coach calling plays and learning on the fly, it’s all great practice.
asserted
it → call → fly
“We came in … focused on defence and that was my intention.
asserted
that → come → defence
I still want to get in better shape ... (but) the guys have been great … everybody else just been helping me out and just trying to make the transition so easy.”
asserted
everybody → want → transition
His stat line was crazy good in Toronto’s 148-98 slaughter of the Knicks: 21 points including four of eight three-pointers, five rebounds and an impressive plus-28 in less than 17 first-half minutes.
asserted
line → include → minutes
He had a steal on Toronto’s first defensive sequence and nearly another less than a minute later.
asserted
He → have → sequence
He ran around the court — out near the midcourt line one moment, back near the free-throw line the next — in the Raptors’ frenetic half court scheme and never once looked out of place.
asserted
He → run → place
And he never once looked like a guy who was taking the game over, even if he did inadvertently at times.
asserted
he → look → times
He fed off their play and they fed off his, just like the Raptors had hoped when they added him in the off-season.
asserted
they → feed → season
Barnes had 19 points, Murray-Boyles 19 and Barrett 17.
asserted
Barrett → have → points
The Raptors offence didn’t suffer because Leonard was at the centre of it.
asserted
Leonard → suffer → it
“It was great that he had a chance to play with our starters, that everybody was available,” coach Darko Rajakovic said.
asserted
Rajakovic → have → starters
“I tried to get those guys as much as possible on the court together, so that they had the chemistry and spacing and that kind of stuff.
asserted
they → try → stuff
“Obviously just the first game, you know, he was very excited coming into this game and thought it was great.
asserted
it → know → game
Now, there’s a lot of work still to do and real games to be played against legitimate competition with something on the line when the regular season starts Oct. 21 against the Chicago Bulls.
asserted
season → ’ → Bulls
But the signs were there Tuesday, signs the Raptors have been waiting to see for weeks and that made the night a success.
asserted
night → wait → weeks
The win didn’t really matter, neither did the stats.
asserted
stats → matter → ?
The fluidity, the cohesion, the team play was the biggest thing and why Toronto needed to get Leonard on the court under game conditions early.
asserted
Toronto → need → conditions
Raptors rookie Allen Graves made his first appearance of the pre-season after missing two games with a groin injury.
asserted
Graves → make → injury
It didn’t start particularly well — the six-foot-nine forward, drafted 19th in June, committed three fouls in his first four minutes on the court — but any jitters disappeared.
asserted
jitters → start → court
He finished with five points and three rebounds in 15 minutes.
asserted
He → finish → minutes
Most important, he got some live game action after doing nothing but scrimmaging with teammates.
asserted
he → get → teammates
Murray-Boyles watch
asserted
Boyles → watch → ?
The Raptors are moving second-year big man Murray-Boyles all over the place.
asserted
Raptors → move → place
They are using him as a power forward away from the basket when he’s on the court with Jakob Poeltl, and putting him at centre near the basket when he’s on the court with Poeltl on the bench.
asserted
he → use → bench
But what they want from him, regardless of position, is a bit more shooting and that’s what he’s been working on.
asserted
he → want → what
“Collin can shoot, Collin can dribble,” point guard Jamal Shead said.
asserted
Shead → shoot → ?
“He can do everything the guard does.
asserted
guard → do → everything
He’s got to get used to it.”
asserted
He → get → it
Murray-Boyles finished 7 for 7 from the field, including a couple of three-pointers, with nine rebounds.
asserted
Boyles → finish → rebounds
The Aporia
