Raptors Takeaways: Williamson a one-man wrecking crew in Pelicans’ win

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First of all, the New Orleans Pelicans are actually good.

Their document doesn’t fairly replicate the complete high quality, although they improved to 13-8 with their 126-108 blowout win over the Toronto Raptors and are in third place within the Western Conference.

They are oozing expertise and have a lineup with high-end weapons in Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum, together with depth at each place and function gamers of each form and vogue. And let’s not overlook they’ve one of the crucial precious collections of future draft belongings because of the commerce with the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis that’s trying like an enormous win for the Pelicans three seasons later.

But second of all, the Raptors (11-10) merely didn’t play with the vitality and zeal they should so as to win — and even be aggressive — with a high quality opponent that’s beginning to discover its rhythm just like the Pelicans appear to be.

It didn’t assist that Fred VanVleet was ejected within the opening seconds of the third quarter for daring to clap and say ‘come on’ in entrance of a referee. He had picked his first technical foul within the first half. It was VanVleet’s first profession ejection. The Raptors have been down 25 on the time.

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To make issues worse, Chris Boucher took a nasty hit on what was a clear block of a dunk try by Larry Nance Jr. with 1:24 left within the recreation. He stayed on the court docket for some time, was in evident ache and headed for the locker room seeming to favour his shoulder.

At least there seemed to be excellent news for Boucher afterward.

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Nevertheless, it was a irritating night time throughout.

Some takeaways:

Uh, Zion

Who is aware of if his physique will maintain up lengthy sufficient that he can put collectively full seasons and stack them 12 months over 12 months? Let’s hope so.

Williamson has been good this season thus far — averaging 22.5 factors, 6.4 rebounds and 4 assists on 57.8 per cent capturing — however he’s clearly simply starting to spherical into recreation form after lacking all of final season following foot surgical procedure.

On Wednesday night time, he exhibited why — when he’s working on all cylinders — he’s such a mesmerizing expertise.

He made a number of performs within the first quarter alone the place all you possibly can do was simply shake your head. On his first basket, he had a clear blow by on Thad Young from the foul line. He didn’t even make a transfer. He simply exploded, Young acquired tossed apart, and Williamson laid it up gently.

A second later, Williamson acquired the ball on the transfer on a dribble handoff going left and … overlook about it. No one is stopping somebody that quick and robust with a full head of steam.

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A minute or so later, he picked up a free ball after an errant move by VanVleet and sprinted by way of each his workforce and the Raptors for a one-man rumble to the rim that coated 80 ft in about three seconds. Young considered stepping in and reaching for the ball however remembered he had youngsters and although the higher of it.

O.G. Anunoby is nicely on his strategy to being acknowledged as an all-NBA defender and Williamson beat him on the baseline like he was a pylon.

It’s mind-boggling. At halftime, Williamson had 17 factors, 4 assists and two steals whereas taking simply eight photographs. He completed with 33 factors, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals and two blocks on 12-of-15 capturing.

Now, as soon as upon a time the Raptors slowed down Giannis Antetokounmpo within the playoffs and in addition shut down Joel Embiid. Everyone may be stopped. Maybe somebody will work out learn how to make Williamson go proper sooner or later?

But at his finest, Williamson shall be actually, actually, actually onerous to cease for anybody.

Oh, and when the sport was within the steadiness because the Raptors had reduce a 31-point Pelicans result in 11 with 5 minutes to play? Williamson jumped off two ft and one way or the other blocked a Pascal Siakam floater within the paint after which beat a entice on the different finish for a dunk. He then made a steal and scored on the fastbreak to place the lead again to fifteen.

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Just an incredible participant. For basketball’s sake, hopefully he can keep wholesome.

Other groups have accidents, too

There’s no arguing that the Raptors’ season has been formed by accidents by way of the primary 20 video games.

On Wednesday, Raptors head coach Nick Nurse rolled out his twelfth beginning lineup when Young joined Scottie Barnes, Siakam, VanVleet, and Anunoby on the opening tip.

But different groups even have handled the harm bug, and the Pelicans are considered one of them. Williamson has missed six video games and Ingram has additionally missed six, together with Wednesday night time, as did McCollum, who missed his fourth straight recreation whereas in health-and-safety protocols.

On Friday, Toronto shall be in Brooklyn and gained’t have to determine Ben Simmons, who has began to play significantly better for the Nets. Simmons has already been dominated out with a calf pressure, and on it goes.

Which is why recreation like Wednesday’s are so irritating in the event you’ve been ready for the Raptors to construct some momentum. They’re as wholesome as workforce can count on to be, with simply Precious Achiuwa and Otto Porter Jr. out; they’ve had a beneficial, home-heavy schedule of late and so they travelled to New Orleans on Tuesday. There have been no excuses.

They merely acquired they butts handed to them by a workforce down two starters.

Gary Trent Jr. – bench mobster?

Here’s the factor about Trent Jr.: he completely performed himself out of the beginning lineup that he had lived in for 85 straight video games going again to the second recreation of final season.

All shooters have slumps, however when your hunch lasts a month and your coach isn’t completely satisfied along with your defence both, don’t be shocked if modifications are made.

Bringing Trent Jr. off the bench is smart as a result of he provides the Raptors punch they don’t have of their second unit and — frankly — if Toronto goes to be the type of workforce it needs to be, Trent Jr. profiles as an elite sixth man reasonably than a beginning two guard. Might as nicely discover out if he can do it.

And who is aware of? Maybe he likes it and one way or the other they discover a strategy to signal him in the summertime if he opts out of his contract and turns into a free agent. If they don’t? Well, not less than they didn’t spend an entire season making an attempt to bend their lineup to maintain him completely satisfied.

Trent Jr. has been nice coming off the bench in two video games now. He’s rebounding, driving the ball and being disruptive on defence. He was superb in opposition to Cleveland on Monday (14 factors and 7 rebounds in 26 minutes) however spectacular on Wednesday as he put up a season-high 35 factors whereas pulling down 5 threes and capturing 12-of-20 from the ground. He snagged three steals as nicely.

In common, he appeared like a man who needs to earn starters’ minutes, if not a beginning spot. His finest moments got here late within the third quarter when he had 9 factors in a 13-6 run that reduce the Pelicans’ result in 102-78. Trent had 15 of within the third quarter alone and 25 within the second half.

Siakam retains it going

Early on, Siakam appeared like he was going to have an evening.

It was an attention-grabbing distinction with Williamson, who overpowered all the Raptors defence again and again. I

Instead, Siakam’s finesse recreation was firing. He began with a pull-up jumper, then spun together with his left hand, hit a 3 on a pin down after which a leap hook within the lane. Four baskets, every a unique flavour and all in opposition to Herb Jones, the second-year ahead who’s gaining a status as one of many NBA’s finest younger defenders.

He had no probability in single protection in opposition to Siakam and the Pelicans shortly went zone.

Siakam made some good defensive performs, too: a chase down block within the first half and a strip of his previous pal Jonas Valanciunas early within the fourth because the Raptors have been desperately making an attempt crawl again into the sport. He completed with 23 factors, six rebounds and 4 assists, although he did cough up 5 of the Raptors’ 16 turnovers.

Defence is meant to journey, no?

It didn’t in opposition to New Orleans. The Pelicans shot 72.7 per cent within the first quarter, 54.5 per cent within the second quarter and 50 per cent within the third quarter, which — in a nutshell — is how you find yourself down 31 late within the third quarter and down 24 to start out the fourth.

From that time, on Toronto was fairly good because it gained the fourth quarter 30-24 by — guess what — lastly stringing some stops collectively. The Raptors held the Pelicans to 36.4 per cent capturing within the fourth. The doubles have been a little bit crisper, the second efforts a little bit extra dedicated and so they did simply sufficient to power some additional misses.

Hopefully, the defence they left behind in Toronto once they held Cleveland to 88 factors will meet them in Brooklyn on Friday.