Toronto Raptors Heat Check Vol.1: The marathon continues

Oh how sweet it is to have Marc Gasol back

Marc Gasol took the internet by storm when photos of his drastic quarantine weight loss. This left many to wonder if his change in physique would translate to improved play on the court.

Through three scrimmage games, it’s too early to tell it’ll make any difference. However, what we can tell you is Marc Gasol still has one of the best IQs in the NBA.

The Raptors truly have a luxury in the 35-year-old. Not only is he still one of the best defenders at his position, but Gasol has exceptionally good passing skills for a big man.

During Toronto’s upcoming postseason run he’s going to play a crucial role as an anchor of sorts in the post. Gasol will be able to use his elite vision to see plays before they develop on defense and draw defenders into the key, freeing up shooters on the outside.

Perhaps the most encouraging sign from his scrimmage play was the fact he was receiving the ball with intent to score.

In 35 games this season Gasol attempted just 6.6 field goals per game, the lowest total of his career. In addition, he also posted his lowest playoff field goal attempts per game total at 7.5 last year.

At this point in his career and within his role on the team, Gasol doesn’t need to be a primary or even secondary scorer. However, if he’s catching the ball with the intent to score it forces defenses to react considerably more.

Going forward it will be interesting to see if he continues to catch the ball and looks to score. Getting even just a slightly higher offensive output from Gasol could go a long way for the Raptors.