Tyronn Lue had to reshuffle his lineup before the LA Clippers faced the Toronto Raptors, and the move that stood out most was the one that put Gradey Dick in the starting five.
With Derrick Jones Jr. and Rui Hachimura sidelined by injury, Kobe Sanders looked like the likeliest option to step in for Hachimura after doing the job against the Los Angeles Lakers. The other opening could have gone to Keaton Wagler or Max Strus. Instead, Lue went with Dick, a former Raptor whose connection to this matchup was impossible to miss.
That decision gave Dick a chance to make a statement against the team that once selected him in the lottery and later moved on from him. He took full advantage.
Dick turned in his best performance of the season, finishing with 12 points and 3 assists while shooting 5/11 from the field. He did it without leaning on the three-ball, attempting just one shot from beyond the arc. For a player whose outside shooting was one of his defining traits in Toronto, that stood out immediately.
What made his night even more notable was the way he got there. Dick wasn’t forcing anything.
He was reading the defense, moving without the ball, and finding the right spots at the right time. That kind of comfort showed throughout the game.
He also made his presence felt on the other end. Dick collected two steals, which tied for the team high, and those plays helped create extra chances for both him and his teammates. Defensively, he looked engaged from the opening tip to the final whistle, staying physical, sliding his feet, and contesting shots as best he could.
Lue also gave him real run, playing him 29 minutes. That was a major jump from his previous high of 19.
In the end, the Raptors may have gotten the win, but Dick gave them plenty to think about. He showed what he can do when he’s in the right system and playing under a staff that lets him operate the way he’s most comfortable. On a night built around a tough matchup, he delivered the kind of response that fit the moment.
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