Toronto Raptors: Who has benefited from Norman Powell’s injury?

Matt Thomas

Matt Thomas has been having a solid shooting month since Powell was ruled out. So far in his first season in the NBA, Thomas has been averaging five points and 1.4 rebounds in 10.3 minutes per game.

What has been the most impressive has been his shooting percentages. Thomas has been shooting 51.6 percent from the field and 51.5 percent from long-range. These numbers paired with the fact that he’s putting up an effective field goal percentage just shy of 70 percent, which by the way, is 10th in the NBA, proves why he has been given a few more minutes during Powell’s absence.

Since the injury, Matt Thomas has gained an extra two minutes and one field goal per game. With this increase, he has been able to increase his points per game by 3.1 and his three-point percentage by 25.1 percent.

Thomas has been shooting with a lot of confidence and has been working to get open off screens and cuts.

His minutes have fluctuated drastically from 22 minutes one game to two minutes in another but his shooting percentages offer Nurse an amazing floor spacer and someone that is hungry to find his own look.

If he continues to shoot in this manner, Thomas will be seen as an essential piece to space the floor against stronger, such as the Milwaukee Bucks, teams to allow Pascal Siakam to go to work in the post.

Thomas has been playing Raptors basketball by taking the looks he likes, playing team defense and rebounding, and consistently moving the ball on the offensive end in search of a better look.

As stated in previous articles, Matt Thomas is demanding a large role for the remainder of the season. His shooting and defensive positioning offer a lot of upside for a player who is only starting out his NBA career. It is necessary for Thomas to gain as much playing time as possible to build his confidence prior to experiencing the pressure that comes with playing in the post-season.

With two recent strong outings against the Bucks and Indiana Pacers, it will be interesting to see what Thomas’ minutes will consist of upon the return of Patrick McCaw, after being out due to illness, in the coming games.