Raptors Wins Like Monday's Over the Kings Can't Be Taken For Granted These Days

The Toronto Raptors looked as good as they have all season on Monday night against the Sacramento Kings, but these wins shouldn't be taken for granted

Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Don’t take this for granted.

Don’t take the impressive blowout wins for granted, at least not this season for the Toronto Raptors. Don’t take these moments with Scottie Barnes, the all-world rookie who looks poised to one day sit among the NBA’s elite, for granted. And certainly, don’t take our way of life for granted, at least not right now. Not while COVID-19 cases continue to rise and the sense of impending trouble worsens throughout the league.

The Raptors dismantled the Sacramento Kings 124-101 on Monday night. It was a thing of beauty, or at least to the extent that beating the Kings can ever be. Everything was clicking and the Raptors' young guns why the future remains bright in Toronto.

But off the court, things are scary. COVID cases in Ontario are as high as they’ve been at any point in the last six months. Within the Raptors organization, Jack Amstrong and Matt Devlin were both unavailable to call Monday’s game following a possible close contact of the virus. Precious Achiuwa remains away from the team following his close contact from last Sunday’s Giants of Africa event and Raptors president Masai Ujiri sits in isolation having himself tested positive for COVID. That’s all while the rest of the NBA battles its worst bout with COVID since last season and the Chicago Bulls have had their next two games postponed, including Thursday’s in Toronto, due to a COVID outbreak within their organization.

"I think it’s starting to feel like it used to feel last year and years prior so we gotta be mindful of that," Fred VanVleet said.

“I think I’m like everyone else. I think about it,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said of the rising case counts and concern that fans may eventually be restricted from coming to games again.

Right now, basketball is a much-needed distraction.

“When you really love it and you love what you do for a living and you love to play, it’s the escape,” Nurse said. “It’s your moment of nothing else going on but pure basketball out there. That’s a nice couple hours. That’s a nice couple hours, you know what I mean?”

Yes, yes I do.

That’s what made Monday night so special. Nothing seemed different within the friendly confines of Scotiabank Arena. The Raptor toyed with Barnes pre-game, trying to defend the star rookie, arguably better than Sacramento could. The T-shirt cannon came out early, thanks to a 6-0 run from the Raptors and a Kings timeout just two minutes into the game. The fans were, as Nurse said pre-game, special.

"It’s been a blessing for us, man, just to get that love back in the building and that energy," VanVleet said. "When we’re at our best this is the probably the best home court you can find in the NBA. I just want these guys to be able to experience that and we’ve gotta be a good team to experience it at it’s best, and I think we’re getting there."

Boucher Breakout

Chris Boucher's new pre-game meditation appears to be working. The 28-year-old has settled in to the Raptors' starting center spot with Precious Achiuwa and Khem Birch sidelined and has made the most of it. He's cut down on the ill-advised three-pointers he used to take far too frequently and now he's making an impact the old fashion way, running the court, and working off pick-and-roll with his guards.

The key, as Nurse said pre-game, is making sure Boucher doesn't lose this rhythm when he inevitably moves back to the bench. That's when Boucher starts pressing and making mistakes in his more limited minutes. For now, though, things are working. He finished the night with 17 points on 7-for-10 shooting with a pair of three-pointers.

Barnes and the Bench

With the Pascal Siakam and the bench lineups struggling mightily of late, the Raptors have turned to a very young Barnes and the bench lineup that includes 2021 second-round pick Dalano Banton and undrafted rookie Justin Champagnie. While that might not look like a recipe for success on paper, the young group somehow made it work on Monday thanks to a little bit of everything from Barnes. 

The lineup came in late in the first with Toronto up 24-17 and by the time Barnes checked out the Raptors were up 41-28 and never looked back.

Barnes finished the night with 16 points, five blocks, and two assists all while Malachi Flynn broke out for a season-high for 14 points on 6-for-8 shooting.

Banton Leaves Due to Illness

After a four-point, six-assist first half, Banton was forced to leave early due to what the team is calling a non-COVID illness. He was not on the bench in the second half and is not expected to make the trip to Brooklyn.

Watanabe Records 1st Double Double

Yuta Watanabe recorded his first career double double with 12 points and a team-high 10 rebounds off the bench. He played the final 17 minutes of the game and came off totally "gassed," he said.

His final rebound game with 4:19 to go in the fourth, when he outjumped Isaac Bonga to clinch his 10th board.

"I'm really proud of myself," he said. "Honestly, till the end, like, I didn’t know I had like nine rebounds and at the four-minute mark or something I looked up and and saw I have nine rebounds so I went for it."

Up Next: Brooklyn Nets

The Raptors will hit the road and head to Brooklyn for Tuesday night for the second half of their back to back.