Raptors bounce back by pasting the woeful Utah Jazz

Article content

In a way, the Raptors deserve credit for bouncing back from a brutal loss in Phoenix.

Article content

But when an opponent is so talent deprived, so undermanned and so intent on accumulating as many lottery balls as possible, a Raptors win over the host Utah Jazz Monday night was inevitable and completely expected.

Article content

Article content

Toronto’s five-game road trip, which wraps up Wednesday night against the host L.A. Clippers, began with an easy win against a woeful Chicago Bulls team.

Against a good team such as the Denver Nuggets, a loss was produced.

Against a desperate team such as the Suns, a loss was produced.

Two wins against two terrible teams shouldn’t be viewed as any reason to celebrate.

At the same time, a win is a win, especially on a night when Toronto’s main rivals in the Eastern Conference jockeying for playoff seedings lost.

Article content

Article content

The only team to fashion a win Monday night were the Atlanta Hawks, while Miami, Orlando and Philadelphia each lost, while Charlotte did not play.

Toronto did not have three of its starters available Monday night, but it hardly mattered.

Toronto could have sat out all five starters and would have still beaten a very bad Jazz team, which lost its 51st game of the season.

In many ways, it was a feel-good Monday for the Raptors, who had Ja’Kobe Walter and Sandro Mamukelashvili in the starting group, while rookie Collin Murray-Boyles made his return following an 11-game injury absence (thumb).

All three played well, but Walter and Mamukelashvili were particularly good.

The following are three takeaways from a 143-127 Raptors win on a night Toronto lit it up by scoring 49 points in the third quarter, a season high, sparked by RJ Barrett’s 18 points in the period.

Article content

1. Scottie B Good

The Jazz had absolutely no one capable of guarding Scottie Barnes, who used his size to score over defenders and his court vision to find teammates.

There was nothing extraordinary to Barnes’ play, but his efficiency was good and his shot decision much welcome for someone who is prone to heaving three-pointers when it’s not necessary.

In 18 first-half minutes, Barnes went 7-for-8 from the field to score 16 points, hauled down four rebounds and recorded six assists.

The bad involved the three turnovers.

He did end the game by posting a double-double, one night after Barnes and the rest of Toronto’s starting group did not see the court in the fourth quarter against the Suns.

Toronto’s two mainstay starters, Barnes and Barrett, didn’t see the fourth quarter on Monday because they weren’t needed.

Article content

Barnes and Barrett combined to score 47 points in the win.

The only time Utah presented any kind of challenge came in the first half when the visitors couldn’t defend without fouling, sending the Jazz to the charity stripe.

Utah did make a run in the fourth quarter to make the score a bit respectable.

Keep in mind, Toronto led by as many as 33 points.

2. B.I. kayoed

Brandon Ingram was a late scratch (right heel inflammation) following two disappointing games, including arguably his worst game as a Raptor in Sunday’s blowout loss to the Phoenix Suns.

Without Ingram, who is by far the Raptors’ best and most versatile offensive player, the team lack a legitimate shot maker.

In his absence, the Raptors exercised good ball movement.

Article content

When they shared the basketball or were able to get out in transition, easy points were scored.

Credit the Raptors, but Utah was extremely deficient on defence.

Ingram’s unavailability was a surprise because of the timing.

No surprise to learn Jakob Poeltl was given the night off because of injury load management.

Much like Ingram, Poeltl had arguably his worst game of the season.

3. First and foremost

When Markelle Fultz entered the game with 4:13 left in the opening quarter, he became the fourth first overall pick to play for the Raptors.

Hakeem Olajuwon became the first when he joined the Raptors in the Vince Carter era.

The Raptors selected Andrea Bargnani first overall.

Coincidentally, the GM responsible for drafting Bargnani and Fultz was Bryan Colangelo, who was in Philly when Fultz was selected.

Article content

The fourth first overall pick to appear in a game for the Raptors was Canadian Anthony Bennett.

Fultz, who played earlier in the day at the Delta Center for the Raptors 905, Toronto’s G League, assumed a more traditional pass-first point guard when he saw the floor for the Raptors.

He had a good feel for the game hours after Fultz signed a 10-day deal.

The veteran backed up Jamal Shead, who also embraced the role of facilitator.

In the case of Shead, he had no other choice given his shooting struggles, especially from beyond the three-point arc.

Shead recorded a career-high 15 assists in his eighth start of the season.

Incumbent point guard Immanuel Quickley was unavailable because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot, a setback that has the potential to be concerning.

Quickley is more of a scoring point guard.

Up next

Toronto’s road trip ends Wednesday in what looms as a must-win tip against the host Clippers, who beat the Raptors in OT when the team had James Harden; Kawhi Leonard, who didn’t play in Toronto on Jan. 16, was in L.A.’s starting lineup Monday night when the Clippers played host to Milwaukee.

fzicarelli@postmedia.com

Article content