Lots of Positives to Take Away From Raptors Preseason Opener

The Toronto Raptors saw the continued growth of OG Anunoby and some impressive skills from their rookies to open the preseason against the Philadelphia 76ers

John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Oh, how nice it is to be back at Scotiabank Arena, even if it is only preseason.

For the first time in 19 months, the Toronto Raptors were finally back home. It may not have been as raucous as the Raptors had probably hoped for in front of 8,016 very socially distanced, quite a bit below the 9,400 max capacity, but it was certainly special.

"It felt good. All the familiarity seems more familiar for being away for so long, it really does," Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. "We tried to make the best of it down there in Tampa and thought we were okay but now that we’re looking back, it sure seems like it was maybe a little harder than we thought it was down there."

But enough about all the off-the-court hoopla. Let's take a look at the important on-court activities from the Raptors' 123-107 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night.

OG Oh My

We won't get too carried away here, but OG Anunoby certainly showed what the Raptors are looking for from him with Pascal Siakam out to start the season. He looked more assertive with the ball and made the most of his opportunities as a focal point of Toronto's offense.

Ladies & Gentlemen, OG Anunoby: pic.twitter.com/KimioNZQfV

— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) October 5, 2021

That included a pull-up three-pointer early in the third quarter, something he rarely showed off last season.

He finished with a team-high 21 points and was 3-for-3 from behind the arc.

Scottie Barnes Shows of Some of Everything

OK, maybe not everything. Scottie Barnes didn't hit a three-pointer in his first NBA action outside of Summer League, but he did almost everything else. He showed off those ball-handling skills the Raptors have been working on and looked quite comfortable facilitating the offense recording six assists.

"Nothing different from what we’ve been saying or seeing. Just kind of a little bit of everything, bringing the ball, finding a way to get it in the bucket here and there, making some passes," Nurse said. "He’s a good, versatile, multi-dimensional guy."

Full Court Offense

The Raptors are going to catch a lot of teams off guard with their ability to grab rebounds and kickstart transition opportunities this season. It's something Nurse has harped on all offseason, stressing the importance of having the rebounder take it up the court without needing to make a pass before crossing halfcourt. Both Dalano Banton and Precious Achiuwa showed off that skill multiple times and it looks like something that's going to cause problems for opposing teams. While Banton is certainly going to need time to develop in the G League this year, he's already got the raw skills to be a very successful transition player.

first bucket for the hometown kid @DALANOBANTON pic.twitter.com/WMCHOpuehV

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) October 4, 2021

"It’s unique, that guy’s bringing the ball and he’s blocking a shot at the other end or grabbing a tough rebound," Nurse said of Banton. "It’s kind of cool."

"He can really pass, he knows the game, he knows where guys are at," Fred VanVleet added. "He just gets it and goes full speed and collapses the defense he's kicking out."

Andre Drummond Problems

Andre Drummond has always been a big empty stat guy who will fill the box score with seemingly impressive numbers that don't really mean much. That being said, he recorded 17 points and 12 rebounds before halftime. I won't read too much into that considering it's Drummond, but big centers might cause problems for the undersized Raptors this year.

Zone Defense

The Raptors flashed some zone defense early in the first half. Nurse has mentioned wanting to see more of that this season with so much versatility in the lineup.

Final Cuts Report

Not that we needed any more evidence, but Yuta Watanabe looks like a lock for the roster this season based on how he was used in the rotation. He checked in during Toronto's first substitution and was clearly well ahead of anyone else fighting for a roster spot. He finished the game with 10 points and seven rebounds.

"He’s shooting with a little more confidence and that comes with taking them," Nurse said of Yuta Watanabe. "If you’re taking them, it means you’re not hesitating that’s a good mindset to be in. He’s a good shooter, we need to keep him going."

"I think he’s certainly in the rotation right now," Nurse added later. "We really know him from having him, I’d see him as a rotational player."

Freddie Gillespie was the next to check-in from the group of six that includes Watanabe, Gillespie, Sam Dekker, Ishmail Wainright, Isaac Bonga, and Reggie Perry. Gillespie didn't fair all that well and was quickly returned to the bench before checking in for the final few minutes

Perry was the only one who did not play.

Up Next

The Raptors will head to Philadelphia to continue their preseason on October 7.