Matt Thomas
It’s weird, so far, it’s been mostly players finding themselves in the down column because of an injury. In the eyes of some, it’s a cop-out, but injuries suck and they derail progress — and, unfortunately, that’s exactly why Matt Thomas finds himself in the down column this week.
Thomas is currently nursing a fractured finger and is considered day-to-day at this point. So, hopefully, he won’t miss too much time. The worry is that he might, though. And with the team performing so well and firing on all cylinders, there is the fear that Thomas could be left behind in the shuffle.
He’s a great shooter, no doubt about it, and is already shooting 53-percent from three on the season, but his game is a little too one dimensional at times. The Raptors will likely have to hide him on defense for maximum impact – something that’s possible because of their spectacular defense – but it’s not ideal.
The Raptors have a lot of defensively intelligent players, and Matt Thomas hasn’t looked like one of them yet. But, boy. That three-point stroke is a thing of beauty. Thomas only needs a slither of room to get his shot off, and the only game where he hasn’t made a three-pointer was against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Hopefully, that sharpshooting ability won’t be forgotten in a hurry.
VERDICT: STOCK DOWN