10 things from Raptors-Knicks (Las Vegas Summer League)

Here’s 10 takeaways from the Toronto Raptors’ 85-73 win over the New York Knicks in Las Vegas Summer League.

One — The Raptors put together their best showing on the second night of a back-to-back and easily handled the Knicks. Toronto was clearly the better team on both ends, dominated the glass, and won the possession battle against a New York team that was shockingly poor for extended stretches.

Two — Chris Boucher is chomping at the bit for a jump to the NBA level. Boucher continued to impress by scoring 20-plus for a third-straight game, and his all-around skill level seems to improve by the minute. His length and athleticism are obvious assets, but he’s also showing improved ball handling and a greater understanding for how to get open. If he ever manages to bulk up just a little, Boucher will seriously challenge for a spot on the Raptors’ bench.

Three — Dewan Hernandez also had his best game to date with 16 points and 11 rebounds in 24 minutes. Hernandez’s athleticism as a 6-foot-10 center definitely stands out, as he’s light on his feet and changes ends in three seconds flat. Hernandez also showed off his hops with a pair of thunderous dunks, and he outplayed Knicks rookie Mitchell Robinson, who made All-Rookie Second Team last season. The G-League should be an excellent resource for Hernandez.

Four — The immediate area of development for Hernandez will be getting a better feel for the game. He’s physically ready, but his decision-making remains poor. Hernandez will often force bad shots (he took 17 in 24 minutes) when he should really try to stay within himself as a finisher around the basket. The maturity will come when Hernandez finds steady minutes, which he was denied of last season in college due to the Adidas bribing scandal.

Five — This was a much-needed bounceback effort from Malcolm Miller, who finished with 19 points and eight rebounds. Miller projects as a 3-and-D player, but he was at his best on Tuesday when he made a determined effort to get to the basket. Miller needs to have a strong showing in the remaining Summer League games, as he faces a July 24th guarantee date on his $1.6-million contract for next season. It’s make-or-break for the 26-year-old, and he’ll need to have more outings like tonight.

Six — Jordan Loyd’s numbers (eight points, seven rebounds, seven assists) don’t pop but this is what the team needs out of him. Instead of hunting for his shot, Loyd was more focused on setting the table, setting the tempo, and generally playing the role of a traditional point guard. Loyd can create his own shot, but that’s already a known quantity. If he can also make plays, then his case for an NBA spot is that much stronger.

Seven — Raptors president Masai Ujiri was in attendance, along with general manager Bobby Webster, head coach Nick Nurse, and team co-owner Larry Tanenbaum. Ujiri held a press conference at halftime, and took the opportunity to address the fallout from Kawhi Leonard’s exit. In classic Ujiri fashion, he preached confidence, while also sneaking in a sly dig. All in all, the message seemed to be that the defending champions won’t be folding any time soon.

Eight — A sizeable contingent of players were also on hand, including Pat McCaw, Norman Powell, and newcomer Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who sat courtside exchanging pleasantries with Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray.

Nine — As for the opposition, the Knicks appear to only have more misery on the horizon. Their starting five tonight all figure to be rotation pieces for their big league team, and if so, that will be a problem. Former No. 9 pick Kevin Knox was outplayed by an undrafted player in Miller, Robinson got schooled by both Boucher and Hernandez, and Iggy Brazdiekis was mostly average. As presently constructed, the Knicks have a very strong chance of finishing with the worst record in the league next season.

Ten — Canadian standout and No. 3 pick RJ Barrett stands as a singular beacon of hope. Barrett took his lumps with an airball and by having his shot blocked, but he was impressive for the most part. He can definitely get to the rim, and although he is strongly left-handed, he also seems to have no issue finishing with his right. Barrett will be a good player at the next level, and with his build and his work ethic, Barrett could be the best Canadian since his godfather Steve Nash.

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