Raptors’ Chris Boucher return could be key to unlocking bench success
Boucher #Boucher
MIAMI — Chris Boucher knows the bench unit he became such a focal point of a year ago has underperformed through most of the three games this season, and he’s ready to be part of the solution to that.
Boucher, whose pre-season was cut short by a hamstring injury, was in uniform last night for the first time this regular season.
He may not have been active earlier, but he has been paying attention.
“I always watch film but that’s live film for me,” he said of being on the bench for the win over Cleveland and losses on the road to both Brooklyn and Miami. “Obviously, being in the timeouts, seeing what we’re missing, a couple of rebounds, a couple of rotations that we missed, obviously from the bench, you can see it clear. You put yourself in that position and wonder where you would be on the floor and that helps me a lot.”
Not playing had to be frustrating but Boucher did what he could to take advantage of the situation.
“To be honest with you, I feel like it was good for me just to see what I can bring to the team sitting down and watching,” he said. “If I was playing and we were losing games I probably wouldn’t see as much as I see it now.
“It’s the little things, we’re not that far (off),” he said of what needs to change. “We’re missing a couple of guys and stuff, and chemistry, but like I said, the starters are doing their job, we can do our job, too, and make it easier for them.”
Boucher and Thad Young along with Precious Achiuwa and at times Dalano Banton formed a pretty solid bench unit down the stretch of last season and Boucher believes they can again.
“I think we started last year,” he said. “Obviously at the beginning it was a little hard and people said our bench was not good, but I think we got better through the year, we were helping the team, with Thad becoming a playmaker; Precious getting better in the year, Dalano, Malachi (Flynn).”
Boucher said forming a cohesive unit, even one that got a jump on things a year ago, will require some time.
“It’s just the third game and a lot of people have been hurt but I’m sure we’re going to figure it out … and when we’re all going to be healthy, it’s going to be a different game.”
Coach Nick Nurse knows Boucher’s return can be a difference maker for his club.
“He probably could have played earlier than this, just being extra cautious this time of year,” Nurse began, “but we need his energy and shot-blocking and rebounding, that’s what we need.”
And his impact, as Nurse points out, isn’t limited to just playing with the second unit.
“I think he’s impacted both the first and second units most of the second half of last year,” Nurse said. “Just providing the first group with a jolt of energy a lot of times and then a little bit of a scoring punch with the second unit some nights.”
Any way you look at it, the Raptors should be better with Boucher back.
BARNES CAN’T GO
Reigning rooking of the year Scottie Barnes was initially listed as a game-time decision for Monday after spraining his right ankle in Saturday’s game.
But the decision was made to give him at least a game off. He’s listed as day-to-day.
In his place, Nurse and his coaching staff decided to go with rookie Christian Koloko.
Koloko has earned rave reviews for his defence, his ability to set hard screens and his overall maturity.
He was also on the receiving end of that out-of-nowhere tackle by out-of-control Caleb Martin that wound up sparking Toronto’s comeback attempt.
ABOUT SATURDAY NIGHT
Sunday and Monday marked the first time Nurse, and his coaching staff were able to prepare for the same team without a travel day in regular season play.
The NBA, in an effort to cut down on travel, have scheduled two-game series at different points in the year. The Raptors played twice in Miami in three days and will host Philadelphia twice in three days later this week in Toronto.
Normally it would have been adjustment time for Nurse and his staff between games, particularly after a loss, but the Raptors played out of character in the first half on Saturday that Nurse didn’t really feel the opportunity was there to adjust.
“We just didn’t do our fundamental foundational things very well,” Nurse said. “I just think that was more the focus of, you know, this isn’t right, and we know it. We got to get some of these things done. Schemes that were called that didn’t get executed, so heck you don’t know if you could have made an adjustment on them or not.”
The Raptors only other two-game series on the road like this one comes at the end of the November when the Raptors head to Orlando for two consecutive games over three days.