Raptors: Will Khem Birch or Chris Boucher help improve this offense?

It’s been a good start for the Toronto Raptors, as they are currently 5-3 thanks to their strong depth and their genuinely elite defense, but if they want to be a good team this season, they have to play better in the offensive end. That means that Khem Birch, Chris Boucher, Precious Achiuwa need to step up

Right now, the Raptors have a 106.0 offensive rating, slightly below league average. Their field goal percentage is 42.6% and their three-point percentage is 32.5%. Toronto needs to improve those stats if they want to be a playoff team because they are below average in all three categories.

One way they could improve all three stats is by giving Birch more touches. The Raptors appeared to set the groundwork for this move in their win against the Knicks, as they decided to put Birch in to seal the win instead of leaning on Achiuwa due to his own finishing issues.

Achiuwa’s struggles have opened up a path for the likes of Birch and Chris Boucher, who has been struggling mightily this season, to bump up their production. Will giving them extra production at the expense of Achiuwa translate to any more wins?

How can Khem Birch help out the Toronto Raptors’offense?

Birch is currently averaging 6.3 points per game, 5.8 rebounds per game, and 1.4 assists per game while shooting 51.4% from the field. His current numbers are a bit down from where they were last year, but his field goal percentage is up, likely due to his role as a low-post finisher.

One of his strengths on offense is that he is good at scoring in the paint. While this team has been built around a bunch of lanky, positionless players, Birch is a nice old-school center that can help give this team an easy two points if they choose to seek him out on the offensive end.

This team might not be ready to lean on Birch too much because of his poor 3-point shooting. So another they can improve their offense his giving Boucher the ball more despite some major struggles this season.

Chris Boucher is struggling right now, but can he help the Toronto Raptors?

I know Boucher isn’t playing great right now, but he can still improve this team when he’s in rhythm. He can space the floor when he’s at his best, even if his best hasn’t shown up this year.

In the season opener, Boucher had seven points, and that might’ve been the high point, as he played just 13 minutes combined in losses to the Mavericks and Bulls. 32% from the field is not what the Raptors expected from him this year.

However, Boucher has proven to be an elite shot-blocker and a more than capable shooter, and it’s unlikely that all that skill evaporated in one offseason. If Achiuwa is being allowed to make mistakes, why isn’t Boucher?

Achiuwa is the starting for Toronto right now but he has issues finishing at the rim at the start of the season. Boucher and Birch can be trusted more than Achiuwa in the offense, plus Boucher has a bit more pedigree as a shooter than both Achiuwa and Birch.

Right now, the Toronto Raptors are playing well due to their defense. Even with their quality defense, they still need to improve their offense to be in the playoffs this season.