The Toronto Raptors were never going to show their full hand against the Indiana Pacers on Friday night, because it makes no sense to tip a possible first-round playoff opponent to any tweaks or new wrinkles they might want to put in.
So taking the perfect opportunity to give some regulars a rest, coach Dwane Casey turned the night over to his bench brigade.
Turned out to be an astute move.
With Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan and Luis Scola getting a night off for rest, the Raptors got huge production from Cory Joseph, Norman Powell and a patchwork rotation to rout the Indiana Pacers 111-98 in a game with significant playoff implications.