Title: Raptors Report Card: Top marks for Kyle Lowry, Nick Nurse, Paul Watson and more
Date: August 14, 2020
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic Toronto, I wrote about the Raptors’ bench beating the Nuggets in the season finale, and Eric Koreen and I handed out player grades for the season.
So how, exactly, do the Toronto Raptors top a regular season that led to an eventual NBA championship a year after losing Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green? The answer to that question is broad, philosophical and, if we’re being honest, still to be tested in the postseason.
The more literal answer is Paul Watson Jr. and Stanley Johnson.
On Wednesday, it was Johnson putting in a game winner to secure the Raptors their best winning percentage ever. On Friday, he and Watson combined for 45 points, sealing a 117-109 victory and the second-best record in the NBA.
“First off, I just want to start off by saying justice for Breonna Taylor,” Johnson said on the TSN broadcast when asked what that record says about the Raptors. “I think it’s resilience. That’s the word of the year for us, and for me. … Guys came back in shape, guys came back focused, coaches came back focused and we handled business. That’s what we’re about. We’re a business organization, and that’s us doing our job.”
Blake Murphy Sports Writing 