10 things: Siakam's triple-double helps Raptors overcome slow start

Here are 10 takeaways from the Toronto Raptors' 125-102 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

One -- The Raptors overcame a slow start and finished strong in a blowout. Minnesota threw the first punch, leading by as many as 17 points before the Raptors snapped to their senses. A massive swing from the first quarter onward saw the Raptors amass a lead of 27 points in the fourth quarter before emptying the bench for another feel-good win at home. The result is even sweeter considering that Cleveland lost again, and are now two games back of the Raptors for sixth in the East. 

Two -- This game was disjointed for long stretches since the two teams operate so similarly. Chris Finch was briefly an assistant coach under a Nick Nurse last season, and they have also worked together for the Great Britain national team in the past, in addition to coaching against each other in the G-League and the British Basketball League. Minnesota's main principles on defense are to throw double teams on the opposing star players, to pressure the ball and to have their bigs play on the perimeter, and to aggressively hunt for turnovers. The star players in this game all had average to below-average scoring outputs, but the difference came down to which team could play out of the crowd. The Raptors settled down after the first quarter and turned the Timberwolves' strategy on its head

Three -- Pascal Siakam dominated the last two games in entirely different fashions. Against the Celtics, who like to switch and guard in isolation, Siakam torched them for 40 points but recorded only one assist. Against the Timberwolves, who consistently showed two defenders against him and gave him only one or two chances to isolate, Siakam scored just 12 points but had 13 assists as part of his triple-double. Siakam didn't touch the ball nearly enough in the first quarter, but caught the rhythm of the game and consistently made the right passes out of double teams that would either directly lead to or trigger sequences that saw his teammates step into wide open catch-and-shoot threes from the corner. The responsibility of the number one option is to create an advantage for the offence, and then to make the right decision. Siakam proved that he can beat you with his shot and with his pass.

Four -- The Raptors enjoyed one of their best shooting performances of the season. Much like the Raptors, the Timberwolves are susceptible to corner threes on account of how much they trap on the perimeter in the middle of the floor, and the Raptors torched them by hitting 10-for-15 in the corners as part of an 18-for-36 performance from deep. OG Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr. were the main recipients of the added attention given to Siakam and VanVleet, combining for 10 threes for the starting lineup, while Precious Achiuwa also banged in three triples in his first shift off the bench, while Thad Young chipped in with a pair. VanVleet and Siakam are sixth and ninth in the league in double teams faced per game, accounting for nearly 30 double teams between the two, so they are well-versed in how to create open chances for their teammates. The main difference was how aggressive the Timberwolves were in sending doubles, and in how effective their teammates were in converting open chances.

Five -- VanVleet put on a defensive masterclass by forcing 11 turnovers in 32 minutes. It's such an absurd number that it needed to be verified on film because his five steals and a block somehow doesn't do him justice. VanVleet also made plays like taking the punishment on moving screens, pressuring passes out of bounds, and pressuring an opponent 93 feet from his basket for a turnover. His ability to dig down on Karl-Anthony Towns in the post was one of the main turning points in this game, while VanVleet also did double duty as the primary defender on Anthony Edwards. VanVleet has led the league two seasons running in turnovers forced per game, but even by his lofty standards this was an outrageous performance. To create 11 turnovers is the defensive equivalent of a 50-point game, and it can only be appreciated by watching back the tape.

Six -- Nick Nurse predicted that he would need to change his starting five to handle Towns. The Raptors have kept Towns quiet in most meetings under Nurse's tenure, but Towns kept getting free for dunks and was wreaking havoc against the Raptors who started without a center. Scottie Barnes was the main culprit there, as his rookie mistakes did put the Raptors in a hole early, and so Nurse took Barnes out early in the first quarter for Khem Birch, who did little to slow Towns, and who was then covered by Achiuwa. The Raptors did bring Barnes back in the second quarter, however he didn't close the half and didn't start the third with Achiuwa replacing him. Achiuwa was able to pressure him on the perimeter, body him up in the post for long enough for the help to come, while also being able to read and react in screens involving Towns. The adjustment worked, as Towns scored just eight points after the first quarter and finished with seven turnovers without a single three. Keep in mind that Towns set the Timberwolves scoring record last week with 60 points.

Seven -- Not only did Barnes accept the temporary demotion, but he encouraged it. Nurse said that Barnes agreed and advised Nurse to switch the game plan with Achiuwa in his place, which also benefited Barnes' game as he came on strong in the fourth quarter after a quiet start. Barnes ran point for the second unit while collecting two putbacks, a midrange jumper, and a steal that set himself on a breakaway dunk. Barnes' unselfishness has always been one of his best traits, as he agreed to come off the bench for most of his freshman season at Florida State despite being the best player on that team. He is not egotistical and prioritizes winning above all else.

Eight -- Nurse pointed out that this was one of those rare games where Barnes didn't fully find his spots. Perhaps this was due to the Timberwolves sending an extra defender on the ball, but there have been stretches where Barnes isn't as aggressive as he needs to be. The return of Anunoby and Trent Jr. gives the Raptors five players who can score 20 points on any given night, which might lead Barnes to settle for a smaller role, but he needs to fight that urge. He is a walking mismatch and the more he gets into the paint, the better the Raptors' offence will be.

Nine -- Young was once again a stabilizing force off the bench. Young was the last of the Raptors' nine rotation players to check in, but Nurse rode him for long stretches with 10 straight minutes in the second and seven minutes in the fourth. Young always keeps a cool head and makes the right decisions on both ends, and does what the team needs from him without hesitation. Whether it's knocking in a pair of threes, making the extra pass on rolls to the basket, leading the break to pick out cutters, or executing switches to keep the ball out of the paint, Young's experience is invaluable, especially as an insurance policy for if Barnes, Boucher, or Achiuwa is playing erratic which does happen with some regularity.

Ten -- The Raptors gained another game on the Cavaliers and are tied once again with Chicago for the fifth seed. This win also brings the team to 10-2 in their last 12 games which has propelled them up the standings during the playoff race, and zooming out to the start of 2022, the Raptors have the second-most wins (29) in the East behind the red-hot Celtics (30). This is a team that flipped the narrative from it being a developmental year, to standing eye-to-eye with the best teams in the league. This is one of the best stories in the league, and the Raptors are getting healthy at exactly the right time.