Much was asked of OG Anunoby and much was delivered in what might eventually be the most significant aspect of the NBA pre-season for the Raptors.
The four-year veteran, who has elevated his game each season since he joined the franchise, was given all the latitude in the world over four games to take as many shots he felt comfortable taking, the leeway to make errors without serious consequence and, as Raptors coach Nick Nurse said, “more runway” than he might normally get.
It worked tremendously and, for all the excitement about Scottie Barnes and a handful of other newcomers, Anunoby’s pre-season performance is a harbinger for how Nurse and the Raptors want the season to go.