Raptors 905 complete perfect start to Tip-Off Tournament with win over Knicks
As the Raptors 905 careened towards G League history, each win seemed more improbable than the last.
First there was a miraculous 23-point comeback on the second night of a back-to-back in Delaware against the Bluecoats, then they handed the Maine Celtics their first home loss of the season in a neck and neck affair. Each of their last few wins were grinding, adding even more intrigue to their perfect start.
But on Tuesday against the Westchester Knicks, there was no doubt. The Goliath 905 were up against the G League’s worst team at 1-12. Their door to a perfect 14-0 start before the Winter Showcase was wide open, and they walked right through it to a 126-99 win.
Alijah Martin was a freight train, grabbing every loose ball and barreling to the rim with the same inevitability as the team he led. AJ Lawson had an off night and still put up a cool 16 points. Chucky Hepburn was, as always, the quintessential point guard, and Olivier Sarr provided a rare combo of floor spacing and rim protection.
All-around, the 905 had seven players in double figures, including three off the bench: Jarkel Joiner, Quincy Guerrier and Julian Reese. Nobody played more than 30 minutes.
The 905 weren’t at their best to start the game, but they held a slight lead through the opening frame regardless, digging deep and finding the gumption to hold their heads above water as they often have lately – despite playing the woeful Knicks it was the fourth straight game that the held on to their perfect streak by a thread.
Martin provided the requisite elbow grease early, as he also often has, making second efforts, running hard in transition and snagging an offensive rebound to draw free throws. He put an exclamation mark on his laborious first half with a big fastbreak dunk and led the 905 with both nine points and three rebounds after the first quarter.
His hard work papered over the 905’s poor shot making and porous defence; they shot 6-of-16 from the field to start and 2-of-8 from three not including Martin. Westchester also smoked a few bunnies.
The Knicks were down 9-2 in turnovers early as the second quarter started off ugly. The 905 started the frame 1-of-5, and the Knicks didn’t take a shot in the same span, turning the ball over twice. The 905 won the turnover battle a whopping 28 to 10 in the game, forcing 17 steals to Westchester’s six while still managing to commit 12 fewer fouls.
The 905 either went under screens or gave a soft show, nullifying Knicks’ drives, and Westchester was largely unsuccessful shooting over the top. Most of the Knicks’ success came on rolls to the rim and garbage-manning by their frontcourt of Ibrahima Diallo and Nick Jourdain. Bryson Warren came off the bench and finished on a well-timed 45 cut. They shot 50 percent from 2 but only 23 per cent from 3. The 905 were also down 27-16 on the glass going into halftime.
Warren led the Knicks in scoring with 18, Diallo had 17 points, 11 boards and four blocks and Jourdain also had 17 to go along with six rebounds, four assists and two blocks.
Canadian Jaden Bediako and rookie AJ Hoggard checked in four minutes into the second quarter – alongside former champion Patrick McCaw – as the 905 emptied their bench in a relatively close game. All 13 players on the Raptors 905 roster touched the floor before the first half was over.
Martin continued to let it rip, hitting three straight free throws (for five points, free throws are one shot for two points in the G League until the final two minutes, one was on a technical) and then splashing a catch-and-shoot 3. He had 17 points on only five shots midway through the second.
The 905’s big guns came out, um, gunning to start the second half. Martin and Lawson combined for their first 10 points on a couple 3s and a couple runouts. While Diallo and Warren scored on a cut and a drive, respectively, Tyson Degenhart and Tyreke Key canned catch-and-shoot 3s as the 905’s lead grew.
Reese, Guerrier and Key led an effective 905 bench shift that repetitively got to the rim. Reese played well in particular, coming up with a huge swat and consecutive finishes in close.
Sarr piled on late, scoring 10 of 12 points on a 905 run as the game got out of hand. The 905 won Game 14 the same way they won Game 1, running away with a blowout.
They’ll head to the Winter Showcase in Orlando as the No. 1 seed where they’ll aim to capture their first-ever Showcase Cup in the sixth edition of the tournament. The 905 take on the No. 8 San Diego Clippers in the quarterfinals at 3:30 p.m. on Friday.
And while a perfect start is worth basking in, they won’t get to for long, as records reset for the regular season starting on Dec. 27. The 905 will have to push the boulder up the hill all over again. Good thing they’ve shown they have the requisite strength.
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