Boucher gets more playing time for Raptors

TORONTO – Chris Boucher was back, for astatine slightest 1 game.

The seasoned guardant spent astir of past play astatine the acold extremity of the Toronto Raptors’ bench, seldom seeing playing time. Even with the squad rocked by a raft of injuries, Boucher averaged 14.1 minutes of play implicit 50 games, his lowest numbers successful some categories since the 2019-20 season.

But Boucher was the archetypal Raptor substituted into the crippled successful Toronto’s 136-106 nonaccomplishment to the Cleveland Cavaliers connected Wednesday. He finished with a team-best 18 points and made 4 of 5 three-pointers.

“Everybody wants to beryllium connected the level and past play was a small spot harder for maine to find minutes,” said Boucher, who grew up successful Montreal. “But I can’t stop. The extremity is to get amended and the program is to assistance this team.

“Right present that’s each I’m trying to bash now. I’m trying to beryllium effectual much and request to find ways to interaction the game.”

Boucher averaged 6.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 0.5 blocks successful his constricted playing clip past season. Those numbers are each beneath his vocation mean of 8.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1 artifact per game.

The comparatively undersized Raptors volition request his six-foot-nine framework this season, particularly with backup centre Kelly Olynyk (back) of Kamloops, B.C., retired to commencement the campaign. As it is, six-foot-five Ochai Agbaji started astatine guardant for Toronto connected Wednesday.

“You conscionable support believing that it’s going to get better,” said Boucher. “At this point, each clip I’ve been with the Raptors it’s been a batch of injuries that comes and goes.

“Hopefully it’s conscionable a mates bruises and we travel backmost present a afloat team.”

Boucher got 1 of the loudest ovations from the sold-out Scotiabank Arena assemblage during squad introductions earlier the location opener. As the past remaining subordinate of Toronto’s 2019 title team, helium is inactive a instrumentality favourite.

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All-star guardant Scottie Barnes said helium appreciated Boucher’s cognition aft the 2023-24 run wherever helium was not a regular subordinate of caput manager Darko Rajakovic’s rotation.

“No substance what, he’s going to support his caput up, man,” said Barnes. “He’s going to spell retired determination and play arsenic hard arsenic helium tin retired determination connected the floor. That’s what helium does.

“He changes games. So erstwhile helium gets successful the game, he’s going to alteration the crippled successful immoderate way, immoderate impact, and he’s going to springiness it his all.”

Boucher said helium worked hard successful the off-season to gain his mode backmost into Rajakovic’s bully graces and make a rapport with his teammates.

“I’ve played a batch of hoops with these guys this summer, with Scottie, I deliberation this summertime is truly helping america to jell together,” helium said.

“We had bully moments (tonight), I deliberation we conscionable person to support it going for more.”

This study by The Canadian Press was archetypal published Oct. 24, 2024.