Why Fred VanVleet needs to stay in the Toronto Raptors playoff rotation

Despite his struggles coming off the bench, the Toronto Raptors need to continue rolling with Fred VanVleet throughout this series.

The Toronto Raptors have had to fight to get this far . After losing Game 1, it took five games to defeat the Orlando Magic. The next series they went the distance with the Philadelphia 76ers. Through both of those series, one thing was certain, Nick Nurse and his coaching staff could not rely on their bench.

There have been two Raptors reserve players who have played in every game these playoffs, Serge Ibaka, who was a starter for much of the season and Fred VanVleet who started 28 games during the regular season.

VanVleet missed most of the playoffs last year after injuring in the final game of the season. It was anticipated that this year he would give his team the extra lift it was missing from that run. Unfortunately, he has not lived up to that expectation.

FVV’s numbers have been abysmal during the playoffs. He is averaging 4.0 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists during 20.1 minutes of action. He is also averaging nearly a turnover per game.

The man known as Steady Freddy had a field goal percentage of .410 and a three-point percentage of .378 in the regular season. In the postseason those numbers fell to .256 and .195 respectively. Never a great mid-range shooter, he has struggled even more with that range during these playoffs. VanVleet has hit 14.3-percent of his shots between 3-10 feet this postseason. From 10-16 feet out, he has yet to convert a field goal.

Despite these woes, FVV remains an important player for the team. He is able to contribute in ways that still provide a positive impact.

Defensively, he’s been rock-solid, harassing opponents and getting over screens better than nearly any of Toronto’s bench options. He is steal-percentage is the same as it was during the regular season, while his advanced defensive metrics have improved considerably.

On the floor, VanVleet has looked out of sorts with the ball and hesitant (for good reason) to take his shot. Away from the ball, he is doing all the right things.

VanVleet’s defense isn’t the only thing that gets him time on the floor. The Milwaukee Bucks have been dictating the pace of play and have left Toronto to at times look slow. The Raptors have found success when they play at a high tempo. Kyle Lowry has been the main facilitator of their speed. Unfortunately, he can’t sustain a high-octane offense for the entirety of a game.

When Lowry rests, the Raptors need someone to fill those minutes. They can’t rely on running a  seven man rotation and hope to be successful if the series goes the distance. Since the schedule has the Raptors and Bucks meeting every other day until an Eastern Conference finalist is crowned, there is not enough rest to recharge the starters if they are not getting enough in-game rest. The Raps will need more than just Ibaka and Norman Powell.

When Lowry sits, the Raptors need a floor general in that spot. That leaves Nurse with only two options. As he peers down the bench for a point guard to eat some minutes, he only has VanVleet and Jeremy Lin to direct to the table.

When the Raptors signed the recently waived Lin, they expected that the veteran would be a piece of the playoff puzzle that fit nicely with their core. Instead, they added an inconsistent player who wasn’t able to find his stroke from beyond the arc.

On this playoff run, Lin has been relegated to garbage time, where even then his shooting has been poor. He’s shooting just .25-percent from the field in the six games so far this postseason. This makes him a distant third option to play point behind VanVleet.

Despite his struggles, FVV has the capacity to still be a difference maker. There is a reason that the Raptors made re-signing the guard a priority last offseason and are paying him $8,653,847 for this season and $9,456,163 for next. He has the ability to create his own shot and space out the floor. Even when VanVleet isn’t shooting well, defenses have been paying him attention.

The Raptors don’t need absurd production from VanVleet. In fact, they would be happy with the guy they saw in Game 4 of the opening round.

Against the Magic, FVV went 2/5 from the field, collecting nine points, two rebounds, four assists, and a steal on the night. He was effective because he got himself to the free throw line, took the shot when he had good looks, and distributed the ball enough to force Orlando to keep their feet moving.

VanVleet isn’t a worse player than he was just one month ago; he’s just in a slump. And like all slumps, it will eventually be broken. For the sake of the Raptors’ attempt to make history and hoist the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy, it better end soon. Toronto can desperately use an assist from the bench and a resurgence of Steady Freddy might be enough to tip the scale in their favour.

While it has been cringe-worthy at times to watch VanVleet play, it’s not worth counting him out yet. Hopefully, he can find his game and prove himself capable of shining under the bright lights of the playoffs in the very near future.