Toronto Raptors: Top five performances from week nine

2. Chris Boucher

Opponent: Dallas Mavericks

Stat line: 21 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, 4 blocks

This performance was amazing from Chris Boucher. The team was down by 30 points and all hope was seemingly gone as the Scotiabank Arena sat silent. That is until Kyle Lowry orchestrated a great comeback with the help of Terence Davis, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Malcolm Miller, and of course, Boucher.

With Serge Ibaka struggling mightily and without Marc Gasol, Nick Nurse gave Boucher more minutes that he typically receives. Nurse looked to Boucher to provide scoring and defensive punch off the bench, and he did just that. It wasn’t just the fact that he scored a career-high 21 points, but it was the way he did it. He was able to shoot 50-percent from the field and also shoot an impressive 9-12 from the free-throw line. 12 free throw attempts in limited action showed a player willing to attack the basket.

The defensive numbers were also unbelievable as Boucher was not only blocking shots in the paint but he also blocked two 3-point shots. He was everywhere on the floor and Nurse rode him till the end. Boucher played 12 minutes in the final frame and was a major piece to the greatest comeback in Raptors’ history.

Boucher finished week nine with averages of 8.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.0 blocks per game. Expect those numbers to increase as his minutes continue to rise with Gasol out for multiple weeks.