Gary Trent Jr. backs Nick Nurse's decision to put him on Raptors bench

The Toronto Raptors were pretty easily defeated by the New Orleans Pelicans by a 126-108 score yesterday.

With Zion Williamson putting up 33 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists, Toronto didn’t look to have much of a fight after falling behind 40-29 after just one quarter.

But if there was a bright spot for Toronto last night, it’d be in Gary Trent Jr.’s 33 minutes off the bench, when he earned 35 points and added three steals.

For the second game in a row, Trent Jr. came off the bench, starting off with Monday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

It’s a rare sight for the second-generation Raptor, who had started in 100 of his previous 103 games with Toronto before this week.

Against Cleveland, Trent Jr. was joined on the bench by 2022 NBA Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes, who had started all 90 of his previous games in the NBA.

Against New Orleans, Trent Jr. was the only regular Raptors starter to come off the bench, with Barnes, Fred VanVleet, O.G. Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, and Thad Young making up Toronto’s opening five.

At least publicly, though, Trent Jr. seems alright with playing as a substitution.

Asked if coming off the bench could be a “good thing” for his game, Trent Jr. showed support for Nurse’s decision.

“Anything coach draws up is a good thing,” Trent Jr. said. “Win, lose, or draw, we’re gonna go with it, no matter what the situation is… that’s what it is.”

Nurse drew some eyeballs earlier this season when he said Trent Jr.’s defensive performance this season had been “disappointing.”

“We’d like to get him a lot more aggressive on defence this year. I would say that’s been a, well, I don’t know what the word is — it’s been a little bit of a negative,” Nurse said at the Raptors’ practice on November 22. “We’re gonna get him his shots and get him his points but we want him to be a disruptor. He kinda fits us if he does that, and if he doesn’t, he doesn’t fit us.”

More from Gary Trent Jr. on his 35-point game off the bench tonight:

“Whenever opportunity is given to me, I’m going to do everything I can to showcase the work I put in. Continue to keep building, continue to keep going and grow from there.” pic.twitter.com/J8A2VPlk9T

— Adam Laskaris (@adam_la2karis) December 1, 2022

But with three steals last night, it appears Trent Jr. is well on his way to finding himself in the coach’s good books once again.

“Whenever opportunity is given to me, I’m going to do everything I can to showcase the work I put in,” Trent Jr. added. “Continue to keep building, continue to keep going and grow from there.”

Trent Jr., Nurse, and the Raptors head to Brooklyn Friday night before returning home on Saturday against Orlando.

One can only wonder where Trent Jr. will be slotting in for those games.

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