The Raptors made their first substitution of the game about seven minutes into the first quarter on Friday night in Indiana, taking out OG Anunoby and replacing him with Patrick McCaw.
It was all part of coach Nick Nurse’s grand plan to spark the offensive production of Anunoby, who had been shut out on Wednesday against the same Pacers and had 10 points only once in his previous nine games.
The way Nurse figured it, if he could get Anunoby out early and then come back with him near the end of the first quarter or the start of the second, with primarily a group of backups with him, it would give the third-year forward more impetus to get fully involved in the offence and a few more shots might open up for him.