Linas Kleiza, a member of Lithuania's national team, stood 2.03 meters tall and could play either forward position.
Kleiza first entered the NBA in 2005 as the 27th pick in the first round. In 2009, he left the NBA and returned to Europe for a year. It wasn't until 2010 that the Raptors, after trading away Bosh, signed him.
He might not have been a big name in the NBA, but he was well known in international basketball. He had even once scored 40 points in a single NBA game.
Though Kleiza was averaging just 11.2 points a game this season, his occasional standout performances had still left a strong impression on fans.
When this shooting forward got hot, his scoring ability was practically on par with an NBA All-Star Game player.
And there was no doubt that Kleiza was red-hot today. With Gay playing lackluster defense because of fatigue, Kleiza had led the Raptors on a 16–8 run. Raptors coach Jay Triano was undoubtedly pleased. A good start could sometimes directly shape the course of a game.
"Keep it up, Kleiza! I'll set up a few pick-and-roll plays for you. Try to get open, and shoot whenever you get the chance! The Grizzlies are playing the second game of a road back-to-back, and they're exhausted! Keep up the pressure and send those guys from out west packing!"
Triano looked at Kleiza as if he'd found a lifeline. He knew very well that giving the ball to your best player was a tactic in itself. He also believed that if Kleiza kept tormenting Rudy Gay on offense, Gay's offensive efficiency would suffer.
The electronic buzzer sounded, the timeout ended, and the teams resumed play.
The game had only been underway for a few minutes, so it was too early for