Update: Rudy Gay will play for Toronto tonight. All players have passed physicals, trade has been finalized.
— Chris Mannix (@ChrisMannixSI) February 1, 2013
Gay playing tonight comes as a bit of a surprise, as the initial word indicated that he wouldn’t suit up for the Raptors until this Sunday. We knew Toronto was embracing more of a “win now” philosophy, but I guess that means right now. Toronto is 6 1/2 games back of the 8-seed in the Eastern Conference, and with Boston losing Jared Sullinger, they’re expected to make a push for it. That means every game from here on out counts, so having Gay available for a matchup against a tough team like the Clippers certainly helps.
It’s always interesting to see how high usage guys play in their first couple of games with a new team. Gay is obviously out on the court to score, but the only teammate he’s used to playing with is point guard Kyle Lowry. Gay and Lowry are said to be great friends, so the chemistry there may ease Gay’s transition a bit. Still, with Calderon gone, it will be interesting to see how the Raptors move the ball offensively and space the floor.
After an ugly loss to Oklahoma City last night, Memphis can use the fresh legs of Prince, Davis and Daye in the second game of a back-to-back. One thing to keep an eye on is how Memphis finds minutes for Ed Davis. A lot of people think that Davis might eventually end up being the best player in this deal, but head coach Lionel Hollins will have to do some minutes juggling to give him a decent amount of burn.
Friday was already a big night for the NBA with 24 teams in action, but a few faces in new places should make it even more entertaining.
