3 problems Raptors must clean up before the postseason
By Mike Luciano
The Toronto Raptors have positioned themselves as a potential first-round upset, as their late-season surge has them in possession of the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference. Toronto has had all sorts of obstacles thrown at them thanks to some injuries and odd roster fits.
On one hand, a team led by Fred VanVleet and All-NBA candidate Pascal Siakam will be a very difficult team to eliminate for even the deepest of potential opponents. On the other, Toronto has often underwhelmed in winnable games because they have some genuine issues that can be easily exploited.
The Raptors know they’re going to be in either a postseason or play-in spot, so these next few games must be used as a diagnostic check for this team. Nick Nurse needs to identify the problems and present airtight solutions to squash them before they get locked in a seven-game deathmatch.
These 3 issues are still looming large over the Raptors, and they could come back to bite them in a fairly significant fashion if they are not promptly addressed. Considering all the wacky solutions to complex problems from Nick Nurse this season, he should be able to patch up these issues in the next few weeks.
3. Backup point guard
While the combination of Siakam and Scottie Barnes has provided enough of an unusual look to make for an effective change of pace with VanVleet on the bench, a rival might be able to come up with a solution for that alignment if given enough time. Throwing in a more traditional point guard could be the X-factor they need.
While Armoni Brooks captured the hearts of Raptors fans and earned a 10-day contract along the way, he hasn’t seen any action in the last two games. Malachi Flynn was playing some solid basketball before the break, but he has since come down with a hamstring injury.
Toronto Raptors: Will Malachi Flynn be the backup point guard?
While the Raptors will likely truncate their rotation, they shouldn’t necessarily grind VanVleet into the dust when a potential alternative is waiting in the wings. Flynn returning to good health and being able to handle 10 or 12 minutes off of the bench would be a blessing for this team.
Against opponents that can throw stars like James Harden, Kyle Lowry, and Jrue Holiday out in the backcourt, making sure that VanVleet is properly supported is integral to positioning themselves for an upset bid. Be it Flynn or Brooks, one of them has to provide their unique blend of scoring.