Toronto Raptors need to draw on reserves to rebound against 76ers

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As their Eastern Conference semi-final playoff series now shifts to Philadelphia, the Toronto Raptors have plenty to chew on as they adjust their game plan after a Game 2 loss.

Video from the Monday 94-89 loss that now has them locked 1-1 in this series with the 76ers confirmed to the Raptors several things. Among them, Toronto’s usual quick pace was missing and its offence grew stagnant. It had good looks, but a tough time making shots. Perhaps most glaringly though: the Raptors’ bench wasn’t good enough.

Toronto’s reserves were outscored by Philly’s in both games of this series – 22-10 on Saturday and a whopping 26-5 on Monday. Raptors coach Nick Nurse wasn’t surprised when the question came in Tuesday’s news conference – does the team need a lot more from its bench at both ends of the floor?

“Yeah. I think that’s for sure, and it’s probably a pretty hot topic after [Game 2], right?” Nurse said.

The big three getting the most minutes off Toronto’s bench – Serge Ibaka, Fred VanVleet and Norman Powell – together had just five points on 2-of-10 shooting on Monday. Jodie Meeks added a single missed three in his brief 90-second stint in the game.

“I think Serge only had five opportunities and they were all good shots, really good,” Nurse said. “Freddy only had two, and I’m a little surprised that with some of the things they’re doing, the ball isn’t finding him a little more. It’s just maybe the way the ball was moving strangely a bit.”

Yes, Nurse says the Raptors can create more scoring opportunities for those bench players, but he’s concentrating on getting “rock-solid” defence during the time his reserves spend on the floor.

“I’m more concerned that those guys come in and execute, with like pinpoint accuracy, the defensive game plan. Those guys are all good defenders,” Nurse said. “We just can’t have any – or very limited – mistakes. … As soon as someone blows a coverage, you’re unravelled and you’re in scramble. That concerns me the most.”

With just a few minutes remaining in the third quarter of Game 2, the Raptors got back in the game after a frenetic push to erase a 13-point halftime deficit. They rallied to within a point and then Nurse pulled three starters and brought Powell, Ibaka and VanVleet in. Philly then quickly rebuilt an 11-point lead.

Nurse thought VanVleet was good guarding Orlando’s Terrence Ross last series, and on J.J. Redick in this one. He’s giving Ibaka opportunities to help guard Philly big man Joel Embiid because he did well against him in the regular season. And of Powell, Nurse said, “he had a couple [Monday] night he’d probably like to have back, but I think Norman’s the type of guy who grows in a series. I’m not worried about him.”

When and how the Raptors use their subs is a subject of banter, too, especially considering the 76ers like to sub some starters out much earlier in the first quarter than most NBA teams do, leaving their opponents to debate whether they should sub out early as well.

VanVleet said the bench guys can be more aggressive and assertive in their play, while still playing within their roles.

“At this point of the season, I don’t know if we’re going to reinvent ourselves. If we’re on the floor with Kawhi, Kyle and Pascal, I’m not sure how much we should be trying to be primary scorers and just creating stuff just for the hell of it just to make our stats look good,” VanVleet said. “Us three coming off the bench, playing the most minutes, we’ve still got to find a way to be impactful and just be better than we’ve been. It will happen.”

The Raptors are not close to getting the services of OG Anunoby, another key bench player, back any time soon. Nurse said Tuesday that there is still no update on the 21-year-old who had an appendectomy on April 11. The team is missing Anunoby’s length defensively and could use the extra bench player to call upon.

VanVleet indicated Toronto has some different looks on tap for Game 3.

“There are some [shots] that were just wide open and we just missed, and then there are places that we can be better for sure,” the reserve point guard said. “I’m certainly not going to share what we’re going to do with you right now, but obviously we’re going to make some adjustments.”