The Toronto Raptors bench has disappeared this postseason with Fred VanVleet and Norman Powell serving as the main culprits. Their absence has been a significant factor in this series.
Fred VanVleet was considered one of the best backup point guards in the NBA. Norman Powell was having a career year. Now, in the Toronto Raptors moment of need, both have disappeared.
In 102 minutes, Fred VanVleet has put up a TOTAL of 10 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. He’s shooting 16-percent in the series and is a pitiful 1-12 from three-point range.
When he’s in, he continues to dribble the air out of the ball, debilitating the Raptors’ offense. Toronto has posted an offensive rating of just 84.9 when he is in the game, compared to 114.8 when he’s off. Not all of that is on FVV, but watching the games, you can see the detrimental impact he’s had on the offense whenever he’s stepped on the court.
As bad as it’s been, his bench partner, Norman Powell isn’t doing any better. Statistically, it doesn’t look quite as horrific, but in terms of negative impact, Powell is matching FVV pound-for-pound.
Not only is Powell having trouble offensively, but he’s also struggling on the other end. He’s had trouble chasing JJ Redick around the court, Jimmy Butler has overpowered him on multiple drives to the hoop, and there is really nowhere else to put him.
VanVleet and Powell’s struggles have allowed the Raptors second unit to be bullied by the 76ers. Toronto’s bench has been a problem all season, but to see them being significantly outplayed by Mike Scott, James Ennis, and Greg Monroe is a new low.
Earlier this season, the Raptors decided Monroe was not even worth a roster spot. Now, he’s producing more than any Raptors’ bench player not named Serge Ibaka.
Perhaps the most disheartening part about their struggles is that, no matter how bad it gets, they still have to play. Jeremy Lin, Patrick McCaw, and Jodie Meeks aren’t real options. They haven’t been productive all season. Expecting them to put it together now is unrealistic.
Nick Nurse has received a lot of fair criticism about his rotations this postseason, but you do have to feel for him a little. With Fred VanVleet and Norman Powell’s disappearance, he has six players he can rely on. He has nowhere else to turn.
In hindsight, it’s easy to point a finger at Masai Ujiri for trading away two of the team’s key reserves, Delon Wright and C.J. Miles.
But Marc Gasol has been critical to helping slow down Joel Embiid. If it wasn’t for him, this series might not have even lasted to seven. You have to give up something in a deal, and at the time of the trade, Miles and Wright were both struggling.
Ujiri made a bet on the two players producing at the moment. It might not have been the correct call, but it was the most reasonable one at the time.
The bottom line is that Fred and Norm just have not played up to their capabilities through the first six games of this series. Yes, it’s a bit of a tough matchup and bench players tend to get marginalized in a playoff series, but there’s no excuse imaginable for this level of production.
Their absence has been the story of the series. If they produced adequately, this series would be over.
Instead, it will all come down to a Game 7. A Game 7 where, ironically, VanVleet and Powell will have a chance to be the hero. If either player could toss in just an eight or nine point performance, it would be monumental to helping the Raptors chances.
Toronto needs something from their bench unit in Game 7. They need something from Fred VanVleet or Norman Powell.