Just Nonsense: COVID-Ravaged Raptors Blown Out by Cavaliers

The Toronto Raptors looked like a team ravaged by COVID-19 that hadn't practiced in a week in their blowout loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

At 4:41 p.m. ET Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse looked over to check the time on the clock just behind the video camera filming his pre-game media availability. It had been a week since he'd had spoken to the media, a week in which 11 Raptors players entered COVID Health & Safety protocols and the team's last two games were postponed due to an outbreak within the organization. Naturally, we had a lot of questions. Nurse just didn't have time.

How much coaching have you done with these new guys, I asked Nurse. How complex can you get tonight?

"Probably not very. I haven't done anything yet," he responded. "I'm scheduled to go out on the court here about one minute ago. We're having our team walkthrough shortly."

Moments later Nurse walked onto the court to chat with his team for the first time. He introduced the regulars, Chris Boucher, Dalano Banton, Svi Mykhailiuk, and Yuta Watanabe, to the new guys, D.J. Wilson, Tremont Waters, Juwan Morgan, and Daniel Oturu. That was all the Raptors had.

#WeTheNorth coach Nick Nurse is conducting a brief practice @RMFieldHouse. It makes the first time the @Raptors’ eight players have ever been together. Tip-off against #LetEmKnow at 6:10 p.m. @cavs #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/JrteBelyHD

— Brian Dulik (@BrianDulik) December 26, 2021

On Sunday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Raptors could have used that extra one minute. With almost their entire rotation sidelined, Nurse and the group masquerading as the Raptors just threw things at the wall. It didn't work. The Cavaliers ran away with a 144-99 victory.

It was barely NBA basketball. Heck, at least in the G League teams get to train together, game plan, and get organized. This game had none of that for Toronto. Nurse barely knew half his roster prior to the game. The team hadn't even practiced in a week.

"I mean, we met the new four guys right before the game, like we met them on the bus on the way to the arena," Watanabe said.

Usually, the Raptors will go over tape of their opponent right before a game, but this time Nurse was forced to do something different. Instead, he showed the team Raptors film, hoping the group could learn the basics of Toronto's schemes within an hour of tipoff.

But, hey, the show, supposedly, must go on.

So the Raptors just tried to create chaos. It was the best they could do considering the circumstances and, for the most part, it worked early. Toronto ran and ran and ran some more. Wilson forced four first-quarter steals, Watanabe took control as the top offensive option, and Banton played facilitator with five early assists. But nonsense can only work for so long. After jumping up five points early, Cleveland took over.

Once the Cavaliers settled down, things were never in doubt. Cleveland began taking advantage of Toronto's zone and when the Raptors were forced into rotations things got ugly.

"This is a pretty good example I think of how hard it is to coach defense in this league," Nurse said post-game. "It takes some time and it takes some real discipline. I mean, if not NBA guys are going to come out and score."

When the Raptors turned it over, which they did 21 times, the Cavaliers got out running to the tune of 34 points.

Nearly Record Night

The loss was one point shy of tying the worse loss in franchise history, a record held by the expansion Raptors who fell 125-76 to the New York Knicks on April 15, 1995.

Just an Opportunity

Regardless of the outcome, it was a chance for four G League players to get some NBA action and a chance to try to impress some scouts. Wilson was the impost impressive of the four, scoring 15 points and grabbing eight rebounds in just his sixth NBA start.

"We’ve all been waiting for since the start of the season, something like this happening and then us just being ready," he said post-game.

Watanabe Gets 2nd Double-Double

In terms of moral victories, Watanabe recorded his second career double-double, leading all Raptors with 26 points and 13 rebounds. His 11-for-19 shooting was pretty good, but his five turnovers as the offensive generator for Toronto were not so good.

COVID Update

Banton already returned from the COVID-19 list and Pascal Siakam shouldn't be too far behind. Things are still very fluid, Nurse said, but Sunday's game should be the low point for the Raptors with reinforcements expected in the coming days.

"We’ll have some guys working their way back in this week," Nurse said.

Up Next: Philadelphia 76ers

The Raptors are scheduled to return home to take on the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night if everything goes as planned. Philly has three players in Health & Safety protocols including Danny Green who has still yet to receive his championship ring from the Raptors.