Stock up, Stock down after Raptors’ uneven second half start

Stock Up: Precious Achiuwa

Achiuwa might be one of the most maddening players in the league when he’s dropping the ball and taking ill-advised shots, but even the most cursory examination of any Raptors game shows that he has boundless talent in the post. After his Rising Stars stint, he seems to be closer to putting more of the pieces together.

Achiuwa is averaging 13.8 points and 7.0 rebounds per game in the second half of the season. Perhaps the most interesting development is how he’s been shooting the ball from 3-point range. Achiuwa has gone 8-18 from deep after the break, giving his offensive game a whole new dimension.

Precious Achiuwa is playing great basketball for the Toronto Raptors.

While Khem Birch keeps starting, Achiuwa’s play has been so effective lately that it’s a borderline travesty that he is not in a starting role. From a purely merit-based point of view, Achiuwa should be getting the notoriety and long leash that Birch receives every night.

Achiuwa’s defense has been spectacular in the last few games, and his offense is starting to come around in the way Nurse and Masai Ujiri envisioned it would. Still in his early 20s and improving with each passing month, the acquisition of Achiuwa is looking better by the game.