Khem BirchThe former launched three-pointers from the top of the arc, while the latter worked on his post moves and simulated pick and rolls from the elbow. It would’ve been a welcome sight for Raptors head coach Nick Nurse, who spent most of last season searching for an answer at the centre position, an answer that didn’t come until Birch was added to the roster in April.
“I think ideally, between [Birch] and Precious, between the two of them, they're gonna have to man that [centre] spot,” Nurse said ahead of his team’s penultimate pre-season game, a 107-92 win over the Houston Rockets. “I wouldn't say it's 24 [minutes] and 24 [minutes] but I think that plus or minus three or four [minutes] either way each night, depending on who we're playing and what's going on, is probably ideally what we're looking at there.
The 22-year-old has been a bright spot in camp. Coming off a double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds in Saturday’s loss to Boston, Achiuwa scored 17 points on 7-for-11 shooting against the Rockets. “I believe this team is built around versatility, and just looking at the guys on the team, there are a lot of guys that are my size, long arms, can do a lot of things and we just play off each other,” Achiuwa said. “I’m getting comfortable with what the coach wants, and I think that aligns with the way a lot of us want to play.”
It’s a skill that comes natural to Achuiwa, who grew up as a guard before hitting his growth spurt. He’s also seen how the offensive freedom has unlocked Birch’s game. In all likelihood, Achiuwa has done enough to earn the starting gig, at least to open the campaign. For what it’s worth, Birch said he’s happy in either role. But regardless of who ends up starting at the position, Nurse sees it being a pretty even split in playing time. On Monday, Achiuwa started and logged 19 minutes while Birch played 17 as a reserve.
JLew1050 Gaging a win versus the rockets is like gaging your game playing your 11 year old son/daughter