Raptors: 3 most insane stats from Fred VanVleet’s record-setting night

The Toronto Raptors needed someone to catch fire on the offensive end if they wanted to defeat the Orlando Magic for the second time in three days and get themselves right back in the thick of things in the Eastern Conference playoff push, and Fred VanVleet obliged with the greatest single-game scoring performance in Raptors history.

VanVleet was in a zone for the entirety of Toronto’s 123-108 win over Orlando, as he totaled 54 points in 37 minutes of action. In doing so, he set a new record for points in a game by a Raptors player, breaking DeMar DeRozan’s old record of 52. His 11 three-pointers ended up being one short of breaking Donyell Marshall’s record of 12 in one game.

As improbable as it sounds, VanVleet’s numbers were actually even more unbelievable and remarkable than the box score would indicate.

Fred VanVleet’s record-setting night against the Magic was unfathomably impressive

Insane Fred VanVleet Stat No. 1

Fred VanVleet did more than just hit threes

Oftentimes in record-breaking scoring performances, the scorer is concerned with nothing else except getting his points tally as high as possible. VanVleet might’ve filled up the stat sheet unlike any Raptor before him, but he was not just focused on putting the ball in the basket. While Orlando didn’t have Aaron Gordon, VanVleet was able to lock down the weakened Magic.

VanVleet, who didn’t miss a single free throw in the entire game, was locked in on the defensive end, blocking three shots and recording three steals, all the while turning the ball over just one time in the entire game. VanVleet was as dialed in on both ends of the floor as possible, not giving up an ounce of effort on defense.

The Magic started out the game on an 11-0 run, and the Raptors could’ve completely folded after getting punched in the mouth early. Luckily, VanVleet was able to keep the squad unified and ready to mount a comeback, even if he provided an unorthodox amount of the scoring charge himself.

Insane Fred VanVleet Stat No. 2

Fred VanVleet set a scoring record while remaining incredibly efficient

Casual observers who saw that VanVleet tallied 54 points in the boxscore would be forgiven for thinking that he was chucking the ball up haphazardly in pursuit of his record-breaking number. However, the numbers clearly tell a different story, as VanVleet went 11-14 from three while nailing all nine of his free throws.

VanVleet became the first player in NBA history to score 50 or more points in a game and connect on 10 or more three-pointers while shooting over 70 percent from the floor and three-point range. VanVleet attempted just 23 shots in the entire game, showing off the remarkable efficiency normally reserved for the best shooters in the game.

For the sake of comparison, the three other Raptors who scored 50 or more in a single game (DeRozan, Vince Carter, Terrance Ross) all attempted at least 29 shots, with Carter taking 32 in his performance against the Suns in 2000. DeRozan shot 58 percent from the floor, proving that VanVleet had one of the best single-game offensive performances in the history of NBA regular-season basketball.

Insane Fred VanVleet stat No. 3

Fred VanVleet broke one of Moses Malone’s records

Much has been made of VanVleet’s rise to prominence, as his lack of size led to him going undrafted despite a productive career at Wichita State. In Toronto, VanVleet was molded from a G League player and reserve guard into one of the finest shooting guards in the game. While he has a while to go before he’s anywhere near Malone, he did break one of his records.

VanVleet’s 54 points is the most any undrafted player scored in a game, breaking Malone’s old record of 53. While VanVleet does have the benefit of the three-point line and a much faster pace, anytime that a player like VanVleet ends up scratching Malone’s name out of the record books is cause for celebration.

VanVleet will obviously not shoot the ball like this every night, games like his decimation of Orlando show that even when Pascal Siakam and Kyle Lowry combine for just 25 points between them, they can still take down a team like the Magic on the back a barrage of threes spearheaded by VanVleet.