High marks for Raptors after demolishing Pistons

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Grading the Raptors after the team’s thorough demolishing of the Detroit Pistons in Sunday’s 142-113 win.

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As Jakob Poeltl mentioned post-game, the ball was on a string all night for the Raptors, who set a franchise mark for assists in a game with 44.

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A

Jakob Poeltl

You could make the case that his was Poeltl’s best overall game of the year, though he’s had stat lines close to this one. His 16-point, 10-rebound, four-assist night included a perfect 6-for-6 from the field and the kind of interior defence (three blocks) we haven’t always seen from Poeltl this season.

Pascal Siakam

Siakam came out following halftime and made sure any fight the Pistons had in them quickly left the scene. On a night where he had a team-best 23 points, 15 of them came in the third on 6-of-7 scoring. He didn’t even see the floor in the fourth. Four of Siakam’s six assists came in the first half when Barnes was doing most of his scoring damage, a good sign. Siakam did not commit a single turnover.

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Scottie Barnes

If Siakam owned the third quarter, Barnes owned the first half. He made all three of his threes in three attempts in the half and did so with the kind of conviction that everyone in the arena knew they were going in the minute they left his hand. Of his 17 points, seven rebounds and team-high nine assists, a full 15-3-5 of that came in the first half.

Dennis Schroder

For the second game in a row, Schroder was in full rhythm knocking down floaters and running past defenders for easy layups. Schroder finished with 17 points and seven assists and like his fellow starters barely seemed to break a sweat on a night he was only needed for 26 minutes. Lone blemish was a tough night from deep where he was 0-for-4. Like Siakam, Schroder was perfect in the turnover department with nary a one.

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B+

OG Anunoby

Picked up right where he left off defensively for the Raptors hounding Pistons leading scorer Cade Cunningham all night and holding him to just seven makes on 17 shots. Understandably, after a three-game absence, Anunoby’s shot wasn’t quite there, but his impact on the game on the other end was undeniable.

B

Gary Trent Jr.

In his second game back after dealing with some plantar fasciitis, Trent Jr. shook off a little more rust and looked good doing it. Trent Jr. was 6-of-12 for the night for 18 points and while his three-pointer wasn’t quite Trent deadly it was decent going 2-for-7 from beyond the arc.

Precious Achiuwa

Achiuwa did a little bit of everything coming off the bench in this one. He had 14 points, pulled down six boards, played some physical defence and matched his personal season high with five assists. Interesting to note that post-game coach Darko Rajakovich, while complimentary of Achiuwa’s night, made it very clear his expectations of him are higher than this.

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Chris Boucher

Boucher cleaned up in this one carrying the bench in the fourth quarter where he scored 12 of his season-high 14 points and snuffed out even any hint of a Detroit comeback. Boucher made three of his four three-pointers, his best long-range shooting night since the opening two games.

B-

Malachi Flynn

A solid if unspectacular night, but really that’s all the Raptors are asking of Flynn. He chipped in with seven points on 3-of-5 shooting, made one of his two threes, set up teammates with four assists and played some dogged defence tying Anunoby with a team-best two steals.

D

Gradey Dick

The rookie is going through it right now. The shot isn’t dropping, the ball isn’t really finding him and Dick is struggling to have an impact. It’s part of the process though. The young man’s confidence is being tested right now, but he has plenty of it.

INC

Jalen McDaniels

Ron Harper Jr.

[email protected]

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