Here are 10 takeaways from the Toronto Raptors' 117-104 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday.
1. The Raptors handled their business in a must-win over the Cavaliers to pull even for the sixth seed. Toronto led most of the way, but Cleveland kept making small runs to stay within striking distance and demanded the Raptors' best effort to close it out. This was a game that showed the Raptors' mettle, and it was all hands on deck, with banged-up players gutting it out to collect a vital win.
2. Pascal Siakam stepped up and led the team to victory. With Fred VanVleet noticeably limited, Siakam led the charge on offence with a stellar 35-point effort while dodging foul trouble in 32 minutes. Siakam had it going all game, scoring from all areas of the floor, often while facing multiple defenders, but he saved his best for last. Siakam methodically sought out Lauri Markkanen to attack at the end of the game, knowing full well that the seven-foot Finn could not stay in front of him.
The first time down, Siakam used his signature spin move for a fadeaway jumper over Markkanen. The following possession, Siakam got a step on Markkanen again, pulled the extra defender to him, and laid it off to a cutting Scottie Barnes for a layup. And to cap off the night, Siakam pulled up for three to empty the bench for both sides. Whether it was the output, the circumstances or the fashion in which Siakam dominated, this was a superstar performance by every measure.
3. Siakam had his best shooting performance of the season, knocking six threes. VanVleet and Nick Nurse have both said that when Siakam hits from distance, it's a guarantee he will hit 30 points. Siakam was mostly just catching and shooting within the flow of the offence, and after knocking down a few corner threes, he started to expand out to pick-and-pops on the wing, and the pull-up at the end. One noticeable difference evident in warmups is that he's getting more arc on his shots. But more importantly, he's taking the right shots within the offence. He isn't forcing them in an attempt to open up the lane, because his midrange game has evolved to the point where that isn't necessary. Siakam is in a healthier place, where he's just taking the chances that comes his way. He's a lock to score 20, even without the jumper.
4. VanVleet adjusted his game to accommodate his balky knee. He served more of a facilitating role where he wasn't as aggressively looking for his shot, but rather countering the added attention to set up others. But when the team needed it most, VanVleet was still able to supply the offence. He had only three points in the first three quarters, yet he came alive later with a pull-up three, a fadeaway in the midrange to beat the clock and a very stingy defender in Issac Okoro, and caught the Cavaliers off guard with a quick two on the baseline. This came during a stretch when Nurse was resting Siakam, while the Cavaliers had gotten their main players back in early in hopes of sparking the comeback, which was kept at bay with VanVleet's resilience.
5. OG Anunoby played through injury to give the Raptors a boost. Anunoby was seen in practice earlier in the week, and was able to go through warmups with a wrap on his fractured right ring finger, but was deemed as a game-time decision. His return was vital, as it gave the Raptors a 3-and-D presence that had been so sorely lacking.
Offensively, Anunoby was aggressive from the jump, attempting three quick threes while the Cavaliers kept leaving him open, and finished with four triples on the night. Defensively, what stood out was just how responsible he is. Even though he was a half-step slow, Anunoby was able to keep his man in front and contest shots. On a team level, he was in the right spots at the right time, rotating over to tag the roller, while still getting back out to his assignments. The Raptors can sometimes get that level of production from their supporting players, but not nearly at the level of consistency as Anunoby does.
6. Chris Boucher was great off the bench and Nurse trusted him to close. Boucher always delivers a shot in the arm in his appearances off the bench, where the combination of him and Precious Achiuwa were able to hold the Cavaliers to just two baskets in the final five minutes of the first quarter. Boucher's offence was also much-needed, as the Cavaliers kept sending two players to chase VanVleet, which opened up chances for Boucher to attack on rolls to the basket or step out for the pick-and-pop threes. His chemistry with Barnes is also evident, as Boucher always runs the floor hard and has the advantage in speed against most bigs, which makes him a frequent target of Barnes who always has his head up in the open floor.
7. Thad Young was excellent in his role as a connector off the bench. Young's role changes from quarter to quarter, but the general idea is that Nurse trusts him to make the right play in a variety of settings. In the second quarter, Young kicked it out to Boucher in the corner after drawing two defenders on a drive, then scored in the post with a lefty flip shot over a shorter defender. Young also scored on a roll to the basket after VanVleet saw two, and capped it off with a putback. Young's defensive effort was also commendable, most notably on a hard closeout to run Kevin Love off the line, where Young sold out to force Love into rotating, then challenged for a second time from behind to force a wild miss that got the Raptors out on the break.
8. The Raptors would be silly to not sign Armoni Brooks for the remainder of the season. Brooks delivered the play of the game with an incredible chase-down block in the third quarter, and he somehow managed to keep the ball alive and retain possession despite being a few steps back on the play. Brooks also collected a steal and knocked down a pair of timely threes in the second half to keep Cleveland down. Brooks clearly understands his role as a three-point specialist on offence, but what's impressive is his attentiveness and effectiveness on defence. For a small guard, he is very athletic and not afraid to get into scrums to dig for the ball. Even if Gary Trent Jr. and Malachi Flynn recover soon, the Raptors have needed a shooter off the bench all season.
9. Barnes and Evan Mobley played to a draw in the battle for Rookie of the Year. Neither player was the featured option, although that affected Cleveland more than it did the Raptors. Mobley was effective offensively only when set up on rolls to the rim, or in scramble scenarios. Barnes was also shaky at times, being loose with the ball under pressure, but he delivered three dimes in transition, including one to capitalize after he picked off Darius Garland in the open floor. Defensively, Mobley does truly have the edge with his shot-blocking, where he was able to swat Siakam at the rim and deny Anunoby on a jumper, but Barnes serves a different role in guarding on the perimeter and using his length to deflect and deny passes. There truly isn't much to separate the two standout rookies, who are both serving huge roles on winning teams.
10. Nurse's game plan against Garland has been great in two straight games. Garland has been kept under 20 points only twice since the end of January, and both times it was against the Raptors. VanVleet and Barnes deserve the bulk of the credit for their efforts to stick with the slippery All-Star, but it was also a team effort. The Raptors were able to force Garland away from driving to his right, getting him inside the line and staying attached to deny the midrange, while bringing help at the rim to force him to finish in traffic. Cleveland doesn't have a reliable secondary creator, so it was smart of Nurse to load up on Garland.
