2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Doug Smith)
The so badly want to turn into a very good basketball player, and it’s not hard to see why the organization holds such hope. He’s a sturdy six-foot-five and a solid 220 pounds and possesses all the requisite characteristics of an NBA regular. He’s quick and fast, strong and explosive — close your eyes and imagine something like a younger, more raw from about four or five years ago — and there are high hopes around the franchise for the 24-year-old Agbaji.
They know he has to be a much better shooter, a more attentive defender and a more consistently high-IQ offensive performer, but the team is bound and determined to give him every opportunity. Agbaji rewarded them Friday at the Scotiabank Arena with steady, smart, key contributions at both ends of the court. His numbers weren’t eye-popping in a 115-107 victory over Philadelphia that devolved into a steady stream of fouls and free throws, but Agbaji had one of his best games as a Raptor.
He finished at the rim in transition and with smart cuts off the ball, his perimeter defence was on point and his help came at the right time and from the right spot. His performance was part of a fine all-around outing by the Raptors, who shrugged off the ugliness of to Cleveland. And if the Sixers were missing Joel Embiid and Paul George, the Raptors were full measure for effort, intensity and defence.
led the way with 27 points. Agbaji had 12 points and eight rebounds while playing steady defence. He was exactly the kind of “other” contributor that the Raptors need him to be.
He should be a lock as the fifth starter when the roster is fully healthy because of his size and defence, and there many in the organization who think he’s a better player playing alongside better players than being asked to do too much in a second-unit role. The Raptors used 12 players in the guts of the game, with coach Darko Rajakovic still trying to figure out what he has. Even when regulars Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Kelly Olynyk and Bruce Brown are back and rookie Ja’Kobe Walter is healthy, it’s not going to change.
The names might, the number of players isn’t likely to. “I think it’s important for me as a coach, it’s important for us as an organization at the start of our rebuild that we take a look at different guys,” the coach said. “Even when we are going to complete healthy, I’m going to be searching for opportunities to look at different lineups, different guys.
We got to find out what we have and develop what we have.” Two-way players Jamison Battle and DJ Carton played in the first half, as did second-round draft pick Jonathan Mogbo. Veteran Garrett Temple got in for a situational defensive possession.
Mogbo was excellent and Battle had a couple of three-pointers in 12 points before he fouled out. They were more than good enough to allow the coach to keep running out fresh bodies and not fear of the game getting away from the team. That’s a stark change from last season when the last third of the roster was manned by no-hopers and suspects.
To hear Nick Nurse say it, Kyle Lowry is in mid-season form. “He’s pretty moody right now,” Nurse said of the veteran guard and long-time contrarian before the game. But Lowry, who can milk a mood in good-natured fashion as well as anyone, is giving the Sixers what they need.
In his 19th season, the 38-year-old is a respected voice in the locker room and still a presence on the court. He started the game, hit a three-pointer for the first Philadelphia basket and finished with 14 points and two assists in nearly 30 minutes. “I’ve been through that before with him as well,” Nurse said.
“But obviously he’s playing hard and brings a lot to the team. Had a long relationship with him. We can kind of ride the waves with our moods back and forth with each other and we’ll be all right in the end.
”.
