Title: Two the Hard Way: A trio of Raptors join the exclusive G League-NBA doubleheader club
Date: January 20, 2019
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic Toronto, I wrote about a trio of Raptors joining the NBA’s weird double-header club by playing for Raptors 905 and the Raptors in the same day.
There is no exact formula for knowing when a coach might empty his bench. That can make it a little difficult for end-of-the-bench players to have an idea of when they might get a chance to check into the game. The hook, in terms of score and time, varies by opponent, game flow and feel. Sometimes, however, it’s obvious when garbage time has arrived.
The Grizzlies went that way quickly on Saturday, opting to more or less fold up shop on the second night of a shorthanded back-to-back. For Memphis coach J.B. Bickerstaff, the weight of Raptors guard Danny Green’s seven third-quarter 3-pointers was enough. Down 25 midway through the third, Bickerstaff called on rookie Yuta Watanabe, who is averaging 6.7 minutes per game, but would play a career-high 17 minutes.
When the Raptors’ lead swelled to 40, point guard Jordan Loyd figured he was going to get into his first NBA game since Nov. 21. One catch: Loyd had already played 36 minutes earlier in the day for Raptors 905, Toronto’s G League affiliate, based in Mississauga, Ontario.
“I was ready, I was excited,” Loyd said. “We were up, we were winning by like 40, so I was like I might have a small chance of getting in today. It was fun, man, to get out there and play two games in one day was pretty cool.”
