Toronto Raptors: Whose stock is up/down, plus multiple career-nights

OG Anunoby – Stock Down

The great disappearing act of recent times, OG Anunoby has essentially vanished off the face of the planet despite playing nearly 20 minutes a night for the four games.

He’s averaged just under four points a night in the games against Orlando, Chicago, Utah and San Antonio. The game against San Antonio was especially frustrating, OG finished with zero points on three shot attempts. That’s not good enough, it’s just embarrassing really.

Anunoby is still defending hard to his credit, but when the team needs him to step up and help deliver points when they’re needed the most, he can’t shy away and take three shots all night.

Admittedly, this writer among others, has mentioned how OG’s role change from the starting line-up to the bench has hindered his progress as an NBA player. Anunoby should be featuring in a line-up where he’s asked to do less with more around him – playing alongside big hitters like Lowry and Leonard detracts would-be defensive suitors from OG, making his life a whole lot easier with cuts, drives to the rim and open corner-threes.

Instead, we’re getting less of OG with less around him. Unless VanVleet is playing with the bench, which recently hasn’t been the case since Lowry has been inactive, there isn’t an awful lot of scoring coming from the bench. Thankfully, Norman Powell and Delon Wright have stepped up to lend a hand in recent games, but we need more of OG. By which I mean, we need less of OG.

It makes sense in my head.