Toronto Raptors: Top five performances from perfect Week 16

5. Matt Thomas

Opponent: Brooklyn Nets

Stat line: 15 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 67 FG%

Matt Thomas has had an interesting road to the NBA. First, he went undrafted in 2017 and took his talents to Europe, to Spain’s Liga ACB team. There, Thomas would begin showcasing his amazing sharpshooting abilities, a skill that helped his team win the Euro Cup. The NBA eyes would watch from afar.

As we all know, Ujiri and his scouts are great at finding unknown players across the world, so when he discovered and scouted Thomas, he immediately signed him to a contract. While this deal may not see great dividends this season, we can all see the talent Thomas possesses and understand that he could be a big part of the team in years to come. And you never know what can happen in the playoffs, Thomas may very well play a role in May, June, and July…

Thomas’ full arsenal of weaponry was on display against Brooklyn. With the Raptors running thin at the guard position – both Lowry and Norman Powell not playing –, Thomas was the first guard off the bench and used the opportunity to showcase his abilities, scoring a team-high 13 points on a blistering 75% from three-point range. The Nets were shocked and clearly hadn’t paid enough attention to Thomas in film study. Continuously, Thomas was able to get to his spots and make Brooklyn pay when it lost him on defence.

The Nets clamped down in the second half, limiting Thomas to just two points over the final 24 minutes.

What was most impressive about Thomas’ performance was his ability to read passing lanes. Also, not known as a great defender, but Thomas did rack up three steals in this game, most on his team. If he can continue providing that type of defensive spark, Thomas could find himself playing more minutes in the future.

Boasting a 48 percent shot from three-point land, it’s easy to see why Thomas can be so lethal on the offensive side of things.