Chris Boucher is learning his role as the Raptors keep rolling with sixth straight win

There was a fast, aggressive closeout to an open shooter on the wing that brought on a travelling turnover.

And minutes later, there was a large open perimeter three-point shot handed up, a shot he would have taken with no second thought possibly a month in the past, to make an additional cross that Scottie Barnes changed into a three-pointer.

The previous is one thing Raptors followers have seen steadily earlier than from Chris Boucher however the latter was one thing new and speaks to Boucher’s realization of what he's to this iteration of the roster and the way finest he will help it.

It's the means to learn the sport, learn his function, settle for and attempt to good it that's going to maintain Boucher within the staff’s rotation as a priceless bit participant off the bench.

That he “will get it” is large.

“He type of is aware of that’s the place his function is true now and he’s accepted it,” coach Nick Nurse mentioned of Boucher earlier than the Raptors edged the New Orleans Pelicans 105-101 on the Scotiabank Area on Sunday.

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“We type of talked about that just a few video games in the past: Can we get him to settle again in when a few of the (injured and absent key) guys come again? His vitality has been nice. You possibly can simply type of sense it each day, that he’s snug in that function.”

Boucher didn’t put up astonishing stats because the Raptors received their sixth in a row however he was so integral to the result that he performed the complete fourth quarter for the primary time in an in depth recreation this season.

His size, quickness and rebounding mainly pressured Nurse to make use of him over Barnes so Toronto would have an opportunity.

“Chris was nice, man,” Nurse mentioned. “They acquired him for eight rebounds, I guess you he had one other six or seven or eight that he tapped, he acquired up above all people and tapped to one in every of our guys. If not, Jonas (Valanciunas) was in all probability gonna seize them. He acquired up above him.

“Has an enormous baseline reduce end after which an enormous tip in on the offensive finish as effectively. I simply thought he was enjoying rather well and was actually important to have on the market at the moment. That’s why we went with him.”

Boucher, who helped restrict Valanciunas’s effectiveness within the ultimate six minutes, completed with simply six factors however the eight rebounds in 28 minutes.

“It was good for my confidence,” he mentioned of being on the ground down the stretch. “I’ve come a good distance with my defence and understanding my spots and when to assist, crashing the boards. I’m discovering methods to impression the sport that’s not associated all to my offence.”

Getting most manufacturing out of Boucher in restricted minutes is large for the Raptors. They don’t have the deepest of bench teams and it doesn’t present lots of scoring nevertheless it does have to offer speedy vitality, one thing Boucher’s been hit or miss doing this season. The final half dozen video games, although, he’s greater than crammed that function.

“He’s accepted no matter is there for taking part in time, regardless of the lineup is, he’s accepted it with vitality,” Nurse mentioned. “He’s performed laborious. There haven’t been a ton of offensive makes an attempt, and that doesn’t appear to trouble him both. He simply retains going and enjoying. He’s been actually impactful.”

Whereas Boucher was dealing with the glass and being disruptive on defence, the Raptors had been bailed out offensively by one other chic evening from Fred VanVleet, who led all scorers with 32 factors.

After scoring 13 factors within the first quarter however solely 5 within the second and third mixed, VanVleet made three three-pointers in a span of about two minutes late within the recreation that pulled it out for Toronto.

“We acquired ourselves in a scenario there the place we would have liked him to make some massive performs and clearly he made about three actually enormous ones in a row,” Nurse mentioned. “(They had been) massive photographs man, massive photographs. Simply nice will, actually. A will to win.”

Pascal Siakam made a season-high 10 free throws as a part of a 29-point evening. He additionally grabbed 10 rebounds and made three three-pointers.

Valanciunas, enjoying his first recreation in Toronto since was traded in 2019, led the Pelicans with 20 factors and 17 rebounds.

“I want there was a crowd so we might get some kind of ovation or one thing, however possibly subsequent time,” Siakam mentioned of the silent reception for his outdated teammate.