Quick Reaction: Pelicans 113, Raptors 99

You love to see it. Pascal Siakam began the 2020-2021 season by getting back to his roots – slashing to the cup, not settling for jumpers and playing with the moxie of a No.1 option on a contending team. Pascal looked like the all star that blossomed before Raptors fans eyes last year, hopefully an indication that his development is still well underway.

OG started off slowly, but as usual, he compensated for his offensive shortcomings by turning in a solid performance on D. But for a guy who just got paid north of 70 million dollars, I hoped to have more to remember about his performance. That monster block from Zion in the 1st quarter might have spooked him.

He was pure on his first triple of the game, but wasn’t able to get much going for the rest of the evening. 3 for 11 just. isn’t going to cut it for a guy who is expected to shoulder an increased offensive load for the 2019 NBA champs. Hopefully this is just a blip on the radar for FVV.

Took a charge, dove for a loose ball, stuck a couple 3s in transition and acted as the calming presence Toronto needed on what was often a sloppy game of basketball. The same Kyle who starred in the last 8 seasons of Raptors basketball, showed up for his 9th rodeo. The greatest raptor of all time turned in a performance that silenced any critics about the 35 year old’s ability to compete at a high level.

For those who weren’t familiar with the big Aussie’s game, Baynes showed Raptors fans exactly who he is in his Dinos debut. Good challenges at the rim on D, soft touch, superb outlet passes, and the ability to stroke it from beyond the arc. Raps nation should be excited to see how Baynes progresses once he can develop some real chemistry with his new teammates.

If the Raptors are going to succeed this year, Powell needs to consistently assert himself on the offensive end of the floor. Norm did a damn good job of that tonight, leaning on a quick first step and a strong appetite to feast on slow Pelican rotations en route to a 12 point night off the bench.

Looks like putting shots up with Reddick in the offseason didn’t hurt. One of the first subs into the game, Thomas turned in a solid night from the field, hitting 3 of his 5 triples. Given the one-sided nature of Thomas’ game, he’s going to need to keep knocking down his open looks to keep his spot in the rotation.

He’s known for his pool noodle sized arms, but what defines Boucher is his hustle and tenacity. His second effort on the glass and ability to track the ball on the defensive end injected life into a Raptors offence that was often stagnant this evening. Boucher played his ass off tonight and looks poised to take advantage of his increased workload this season.

Bembry turned the ball over on his first pass of the game, but promptly made up for it as he hunted down the player who intercepted him for an emphatic swat. He didn’t do much else in his limited minutes, but that block alone is worth a B.

Drafted 29th overall, Malachi Flynn’s preseason performance caught the attention of Vegas, closing with the 12th best rookie of the year odds. Nurse is going to need to play the young fella more than 1 minute a night for him to show us what he’s capable of in his first professional season.

Everything was looking really good for Nurse’s feisty young group – until the second half hit. New Orleans went on a 20-6 run in the 3rd quarter for which Nick couldn’t seem to find an answer to. The Raptors don’t play again until the 26th, hopefully Nurse can use that time to his advantage and come out fresh on Boxing Day.