Raptors Win With Rookie Ed Davis
Ed Davis, the Raptors first round pick this summer, missed all of training camp and preseason because of a torn meniscus in his knee that required surgery to repair. After waiting longer than most people thought it would take to heal, the Raptors finally permitted Davis join their D-League affiliate for a conditioning stint in mid-November. The timing could not have been better for Davis or the Raptors as the team’s leading rebounder Reggie Evans went down with a broken foot at about the same time.
On a four-game winning streak prior to Evans injury, the Raptors lost the game Evans was injured in and the next one before Davis could be recalled. But since Davis’ arrival back in Toronto, the Raptors have gone unbeaten, and have started a new two-game winning streak.
Davis may have only played a small part in those wins, but his teammates and coaches were very happy to finally get him into the rotation.
"(Davis) had a good practice with us yesterday. He is just trying to get back into a rhythm and get comfortable with us," said teammate DeMar DeRozan before Davis’ first NBA game. "He is looking good, but in practice we stand in the half court a lot. It will be good to see him back in a full-fledged game."
And Davis is carrying around a reminder of his recent injury into his first NBA contests.
"The doctors are making me wear (a brace) for a couple of weeks until they feel that I am ready to take it off," explained Davis. "It is more of a precautionary thing. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t wear it."
Davis only got into two D-League games for very limited minutes before his hasty recall to Toronto and he knew this could impact his early performances.
"I know that I am not in 100 percent game shape right now; it is just going to take time," said Davis. "The more I practice with the team and the more I play in the games, the more comfortable I’ll feel. You can do all the drills you want, but when you get into the game, it is like night and day."
DeRozan saw the effect of that lack of conditioning on Davis in his first game back, but he also saw why Davis was a lottery pick in this year’s draft.
"(Davis) was good, I am happy for him, but I know he can do a lot more, he got winded quick," explained DeRozan. "He blocked shots, got rebounds and second chance points, and that’s big. I think we need that."
The Raptors had planned to play their first round draft pick as soon as he was ready and play him enough minutes to ensure he develops. In these first couple of starts, Davis hasn’t disappointed.
"He has that look about him where it doesn’t look like he is giving you (everything), but all of a sudden, he is at the rim and he is blocking shots or getting tip-ins; he is right there with his hand above the rim," described Head Coach Jay Triano. "We put him in (the game) early; he knew he was going to go in at the six minute mark and he was ready."
"We are going to continue to work with him to try and increase his bounce," continued Triano. "His endurance has to get a little bit better because he will probably be on the floor longer for extended minutes. It was a good starting place for him and the one good thing about him is where ever we have had him, whether it’s been in summer league or any other time, he has progressively got better, and if that is where we started with him last night and he progressively gets better, we are going to be alright."
{AUTHOR_BOX}The 6′ 10" 227 lb left-handed power forward is inevitably compared to the Raptors departed lefty All-Star power forward Chris Bosh. At least he should be, even over his own protests and the protests of those who do not want to burden the young player with such comparisons. Both players came into the NBA with the ability to run the floor, rebound, block shots, and score.
In Davis’ first NBA game he was 5-7 from the floor for 11 points with six rebounds and two blocked shots. Bosh, for comparison, was 5-8 from the floor for 11 points with four rebounds and two blocked shots. In their second NBA games, Davis was 3-5 for six points and four rebounds while Bosh was 2-5 for five points and two rebounds.
Maybe it is unfair, but it will still be interesting to watch Bosh’s apparent replacement progress over the balance of the season.
But Davis knows his strengths and what the Raptors need from him now. He will not be distracted by the team’s past.
"Ever since high school, blocking shots was something I could do," explained Davis. "Something I can stick to is rebounding and blocking shots every game."
"I know that the opportunity is there," continued Davis. "So that whenever I am called on, I just got to go out there and play hard. Just do what I do and not try to be out of character. That is where I can find minutes. (Triano) says to just go out there and rebound and block shots."
Davis has only played limited minutes in two NBA games so far, but both of those games have been wins, and there should be no mistaking the fact that this rookie did contribute towards those wins.
Amir Johnson sums things up well. "Ed Davis is back and he has definitely been stepping up for us."
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