Toronto Raptors: A few takeaways from the start of preseason

Familiar faces

OG Anunoby

A few players already known to NBA fans after the Raptors’ historic championship run are out to get things rolling this season for a couple of different reasons. The first that comes to mind is OG Anonuby and Patrick McCaw. Both had difficult seasons last year with injury/health problems and personal tragedies. They never really got the chance to get into any kind of rhythm during last season and both came out in Tokoyo looking to get started on the right foot.

With OG, I saw the return of the easy hops that his teammates and Raptors fans know him for. He’s always been able to get up pretty effortlessly and looks to have returned to his pre-2018-19 form in that regard.

The thing that excited me most, though, is seeing his defensive prowess. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. OG Anunoby has the potential to be an absolute lockdown defender in the NBA. In fact, it wouldn’t even remotely surprise me if he were named to an All-NBA Defensive Second Team at some point during his career.

During the first game against the Rockets, he was able to get a clean strip on James Harden and he made it look easy. Which we all know, it’s not. In the second game, he guarded Westbrook at the top of the key, locking him up with just his arms up and his feet moving. Westbrook was forced to give the ball up to Harden so OG just went ahead and stripped the ball from him.

OG’s decision making could still use a little work. Like Terence Davis, I think sometimes he’s moving too fast and get’s himself into situations where he has no place to go creating turnovers. But I think that is something that will be addressed in time.

Patrick McCaw

There’s been talk that Raptors coach Nick Nurse could put Patrick McCaw in a starting position this coming season. I have to say, my thoughts on that echo those of a Tweet I saw recently.

I also am not seeing what the Raptors’ front office is seeing. In fact, in the two games in Tokoyo, I didn’t make any notes about anything McCaw did that I thought warranted bringing attention to. What I do know is that Nick Nurse is crazy flexible in his coaching style, so I have faith that all will be well.

Either McCaw is going to show, at some point, what the Raptors’ are seeing in him or he’s going to play off the bench. There’s no rationale under which I believe this becomes a situation where he’s allowed to start or continue starting if it’s obvious that it’s not working.