RAPTORS BLOG: On Trent’s frustration with officiating, Siakam’s dominant month, Banton, Flynn and OG

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A collection of thoughts and stats today.

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Obviously terrible timing by Gary Trent Jr. to get himself kicked out of the game when he was rolling. You could see it coming a bit if you rewind back to the previous evening. Referees talk to each other, and Trent had disagreed vocally and emphatically a couple of times against Charlotte. There was a staredown, and not the clapping we saw in Chicago, but a demonstration of displeasure to be sure. Trent thinks he’s getting hit. A lot. And he thinks he isn’t getting calls. That’s likely what led to the costly technical.

This isn’t a new thing for the Raptors. Both Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam, in the tradition of Kyle Lowry before them, are often displeased at not getting calls and aren’t afraid to let it be known to the officials.

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Trent scored a season-high 32 points in consecutive games. Tied for the second-highest scoring games of his career (44 vs. Cleveland last April).

Of the 11 highest assist games of Siakam’s career, three have come this month, including three of his top four ever. Siakam is averaging north of 6.5 assists per game in January, with a 2:1 assist-turnover ratio, while shooting 41% from three.

Siakam is 19th in assists per game this month, tied with LaMelo Ball and only three non-guards have averaged more, leading MVP candidates Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Domantis Sabonis.

How much can things change during a back-to-back, well, Siakam went from playing like one of the best players in the world to struggling and the Hornets went from the gang that couldn’t shoot straight to laying 158 points on Indiana a night later, hitting 24 three-pointers on 53% accuracy.

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A career-high eight games in double figures in a row run for Chris Boucher was snapped when he scored nine against the Bulls.

Dalano Banton needs to be in the rotation. Period. He’s a piece for this team moving forward and needs to play and deserves to be on the floor. Good things happen more often than not when he’s there. (Banton had made one corner three-pointer all season before nailing two early against Charlotte).

The other young point guard on the roster, Malachi Flynn, probably isn’t going to play when the roster is intact, but when he gets a chance, he needs to produce. On that end there were a lot of positive signs, particularly in the Charlotte game (when Scottie Barnes was out of the lineup).

Flynn blew by Charlotte defenders (granted, the Hornets can’t guard, at all, but still) on at least three occasions. He had some nifty finishes at the rim (a pretty scoop being one of them), crossed over a defender for a pretty pullup jumper and swished a three-pointer (he hit another three against Chicago). Flynn had not played in 8 of the previous 10 games and had not played more than six minutes since Dec. 28, so this was good to see.

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“The role that he needs to play is the same, he needs to be a guy that’s disruptive on defence, pick up full -court,” Nick Nurse said. “He needs to what I always say, get dirty, get on the floor, get loose balls, take charges. Run the team on offence. Make sure to organize from a point guard position. Try to create offence for other players and make some threes when he gets rhythm chances.”

Flynn showed that against the Hornets, especially on the offensive side.

Finally, other than Trent, no Raptor had a better two games in this back-to-back than OG Anunoby. He was +22 against Charlotte and filled up the boxscore against Chicago despite looking a bit tired on defence.

Most impressively, against Charlotte, Anunoby blocked a shot and saved the ball on one end and then raced up the floor to be the trailer and hit a three-pointer at the other.

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OG gets a bit lost when people talk about the Raptors, maybe because he’s not as flashy as some of this teammates, but he’s been solid.

FORMER RAPTOR OF THE NIGHT:

DeMar DeRozan:

Yes, again. He cooked his old team, including premier defender Anunoby a couple of times. DeMar is as crafty as it gets.

Honourable mention to the other guy Toronto traded to San Antonio, Jakob Poeltl. Poeltl, who has been a notable name mentioned in trade talks league-wide, went 8-for-8, added 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocks in a loss against Memphis.

CANADIAN OF THE NIGHT:

Dwight Powell:

Powell didn’t miss any of his 5 shot attempts, hit 5-of-7 free throws and added 5 rebounds and 2 steals as sixth man for a Dallas team that is absolutely rampaging. All of his points came in the paint and Luka Doncic assisted on two of them. They’ve always had nice chemistry.

THREE STARS

1 DeMar DeRozan

2 Scottie Barnes

3 Nikola Vucevic

THREE STARS VS. HORNETS

1 Pascal Siakam

2 Gary Trent Jr.

3 Miles Bridges