4 key Toronto Raptors who must dominate with big names injured
By Mike Luciano
2. PG Dalano Banton
Banton came into Monday night having never scored more than 14 points in a game and only making one start (the COVID-19-impacted Cavaliers game last year where Tremont Waters played most of the game) in his career. After dropping 27 on Detroit while playing good defense, Rexdale’s finest showed he belongs.
What Nurse is going to ask of his gargantuan point guard in the next few games is being able to replicate his standout shooting. Moving him into the starting lineup and playing him off-ball actually worked better than many expected, but the whole experiment will fall apart if he can’t shoot.
Dalano Banton impressed the Toronto Raptors.
Banton has shown some aggression whenever he gets demoted to the G League, but he has generally been hesitant to let it rip when he’s in the pros. Whatever confidence boost Nurse gave him before the Pistons game worked like an absolute charm, as Banton looked like a veteran slicing up that defense.
Considering that both Banton and Malachi Flynn have been playing well in the last few games, the usually stingy Nurse might be well within his rights to open up the rotation and accommodate one of them. If Banton takes the offensive leap they hoped, it’ll be hard to justify not playing him.