The Toronto Raptors saw all of the positive momentum they acquired during a win over the Brooklyn Nets, their fourth consecutive win, blunted when they were dealt some grim injury news about standout reserve Chris Boucher.
Boucher left the win with what was termed a left knee sprain, meaning that there is a good chance the Raptors will not have his services for the next few games. Considering where they are in the standings, this could be a crippling blow for their morale and the state of Nick Nurse’s rotations.
The Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards are currently vying with Toronto for the No. 10 seed in the conference, meaning that every single game will have major implications in the standings. Not having Boucher will stretch this roster thin despite their new additions in the frontcourt.
Not only will Boucher be out for a good chunk of time, but he will likely be on a minutes restriction when he returns to action. With Boucher hobbled for the foreseeable future, these three Raptors players will need to play some of their best basketball of the season if they want to make it to the postseason.
Injury update: Chris Boucher, left knee sprain, will not return.
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) April 22, 2021
These 3 Toronto Raptors need to step up and replace Chris Boucher.
No. 3: Freddie Gillespie
While most 10-day contracts are used to quickly fill a hole at the end of the bench, Gillespie has become a member of Toronto’s rotation, as his rebounding and rim protection have helped fill the Raptors’ biggest hole. Gillespie is hovering at 17 minutes per game, putting up averages of 6.2 points per game on 64% shooting, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game.
Ideally, Gillespie could make his mark as a backup center using his muscle, motor, and interior finishing to get some easy buckets. Unfortunately, Nurse might have no other choice but to put Gillespie at power forward, as doing so is the only way to adequetly replace Boucher without getting Stanley Johnson involved.
Freddie Gillespie will need to replace Chris Boucher off of the bench
Gillespie and Khem Birch have shared the floor before, but this is not an ideal arrangement given how both of them have very similar styles of play. Gillespie needs to realize that he might have to play some power forward, meaning he will have to learn on the fly how to become more effective on the offensive end on the fly.
Gillespie could earn a pro contract if he starts to show a bit more refinement in his post game and the ability to knock down an open jumper or two. Failing to do so could be a disaster for the Raptors, as lacking Boucher’s ability to extend his offensive range could be completely destabilizing for Toronto’s
No. 2: Gary Trent Jr.
Trent was setting the world on fire as a starter, as his first few games with the Raptors included a buzzer-beater that won a game, a career-high 44-point performance, and a match against the Golden State Warriors in which he totaled the second-highest plus-minus rating for an individual player in NBA history. Despite all of that, Trent moved into a new role against the Nets.
Trent p;ayed just 14 minues and scored just five points, as he ended up on the bench following the return of Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet to the starting lineup. Trent has been excellent with the Raptors, but Toronto needs to have him translate that production to the bench in order to fill a need.
The Toronto Raptors need Gary Trent Jr. to score like Chris Boucher
Trent needs time to get going when he plays, but he has proven that when he catches fire, he is more than capable of being a team’s primary scoring option. He won’t be afforded that luxury on the bench, but he’ll have to manage in order to give the Raptors shooting off of the bench for the first time all season.
Trent is likely a key component in the future of this club, but he needs to take on a reduced role for the next week or two in order to make sure the second unit actually has some teeth. Five-point games simply won’t get the job done.
No. 1: Pascal Siakam
Siakam is one of only two true power forwards on this roster, and the Raptors’ rotations work best Siakam dominates as a starter, then starts to give way to Boucher on the bench. Siakam might need to really pick things up on the offensive end with Boucher out of service for the forseeable future.
We know that Siakam is one of the best power forwards in the game, but he will be in with an increased offensive workload over the next few games, as Boucher is vacated nearly 14 points a and both Birch and Gillespie remain ineffective once they are pulled out of the paint.
Pascal Siakam must star without Chris Boucher
One of the best things that Boucher brought to the table was the fact that on an off night from Siakam, he could step right in and produce at a very comporable clip. Without Boucher in the lineup, the interior scoring responsibility resides almost exclusively with Siakam, who has seen his shooting from 3-point range decrease this year.
Boucher is the perfect understudy for Siakam given how similar their play styles are. One of two things will happen in the frontcourt. Either Stanley Johnson replicates Boucher and takes the load off of Siakam, which is unlikely, or Siakam goes supernova and scores even more with the Montreal native on the mend.