O.G. Anunoby Makes his Case for a Bigger Role in Preseason Victory Over Celtics

The Toronto Raptors saw O.G. Anunoby and Scottie Barnes lead the way in an overtime victory over the Boston Celtics to wrap up the preseason

Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

O.G. Anunoby may never develop into the pull-up shooting, Kawhi Leonard-type offensive creator that some had hoped for when he first broke into the league. But if a bigger role is what he's after this season, Friday showed it may be worth a closer look.

The 25-year-old Toronto Raptors forward never confirmed the report that he's looking for a bigger offensive role this season, but it's not to believe almost every player thinks they deserve more shots. The difficulty for the Raptors this season will be figuring out how to navigate keeping everyone happy with so many mouths to feed. 

"I think there's some guys that are hoping to get more opportunities and to score more on this team," Raptors coach Nick Nurse said during a practice earlier in the week. "Can we get more possessions? Can we keep certain guys where they're at or bump them up a little and bring other guys along too instead of doing kind of the addition subtraction thing."

Getting more shots off as a team is, of course, the ideal scenario for the Raptors. It worked Friday in a 137-134 overtime victory over the Boston Celtics that saw Anunoby lead Toronto with 32 points on 13-for-21. But there's also no doubt that having Pascal Siakam and Gary Trent Jr. sidelined created extra opportunities for Anunoby as well. In the first quarter alone, Anunoby racked up 20 points, nailing catch-and-shoot three-pointers and bullying his defender in the paint for tough buckets.

Six years into his career, Anunoby still remains a bit of a mystery for Toronto. He began last season averaging just over 20 points per game while Pascal Siakam recovered from offseason shoulder surgery. After that, though, Anunoby reverted back to the oft-injured tertiary offensive player he's been for most of his career.

This season it's on Anunoby to make it happen. He needs to prove he deserves more chances and stay healthy enough to become reliable. If he can recreate Friday's magic, Toronto will be more than happy to give him a much longer leash this year.

Barnes Finds his Footing

Almost a week off between games seems to have paid dividends for Scottie Barnes who finally strung together his first strong outing of the preseason. After failing to nail a single three-pointer through the first four preseason games, Barnes came out firing Friday, taking — and occasionally making — pull-up three-pointers one after another.

Barnes looked far more aggressive in the preseason finale, getting into the paint with his herky-jerky post moves and quick drives to the bucket. While he did take a pair of ill-advised mid-range pull-up jumpers, his 25-point performance was a welcomed sign with the regular season on the horizon.

Koloko Stellar Again

Preseason minutes can be deceiving at times but Christian Koloko certainly appears to have thrust himself into the conversation for rotation minutes this season. The 2022 second-round pick has been the brightest star for Toronto this preseason, showing some serious improvement after a somewhat disappointing Summer League.

Defensively, he was once again spectacular against the relatively undersized Celtics. While he may struggle against the bigger and bulkier bigs in the league, Koloko kept Boston out of the paint, deterring shots and collecting two blocks on the night. On the offensive end, Koloko still has some developing to do, but he's a valuable screener who has shown an ability to score deep in the paint.

Rook is just getting started 😤 @kolokojunior1 pic.twitter.com/aBDx3KFK4F

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) October 15, 2022

He finished the night with 12 points including a one-handed slam in transition that prompted an over-the-top celebration from the bench leading to a technical foul on the Raptors.

Champagnie Gets Long Look

The Raptors gave Justin Champagnie a lengthy chance to prove he deserves the final roster spot on the team with final cuts approaching. He didn't do anything particularly noteworthy either way, though his hustle remains noticeable. He came up just short of a chase-down block of Grant Williams, instead getting called for goaltending in the first half. He did, however, airball an open corner three-pointer in overtime that would have put Toronto up seven.

His lengthy stint suggests he likely remains the favorite for the final spot over Josh Jackson, D.J. Wilson, and Gabe Brown, though the decision will be much tougher than anyone would have expected back when training camp began.

Up Next: Cleveland Cavaliers

With the preseason in the rearview mirror, the Raptors will return home for a few days of practice before the regular season tips off at home against the new-look Cleveland Cavaliers on Oct. 19 at 7:30 p.m. ET.