3 Raptors who must step up as offensive struggles continue

The Toronto Raptors may not be the most dynamic offensive team in the world, but having the league’s worst half-court offense with 1/3 of the season in the books is simply not an acceptable result. Having that unit despite one of the game’s best offensive players in Pascal Siakam roaming the floor is unacceptable.

Toronto is below .500 at 13-14, with a pair of losses to the Magic and defeats against teams like the Thunder and Pacers on the ledger. With the “easy” part of the schedule over and a gauntlet of potential playoff teams coming up, the struggles could manifest into something more severe.

The Raptors may end up making a huge trade that turns this team around, but that likely won’t come until Masai Ujiri has a more ironed-out vision of what the Raptors should look like. Until that day comes around, they’re stuck with the pieces they have.

This trio of Raptors needs to snap out of whatever malaise they have been in during the last few games in order to finally get on a hot streak. The Raptors have struggled to get out of first gear, but these three hold the keys to finally shifting into a more efficient style.

3 Toronto Raptors who must fix offensive issues.

3. Chris Boucher

While Boucher is having a solid season, averaging 11.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, he’s been in a bit of a cold spell in the last few weeks. Toronto’s win against the Lakers was the only game in the last eight where he’s hit over 50% of his shots and scored at least 10 points.

With Precious Achiuwa still sidelined for a very long time, Nurse has continued to lean on Boucher as the one bench player that this team can rely on. While the starters are at fault for their poor performance in half-court sets, Boucher can be one way the Raptors can guard against regression.

Chris Boucher needs to boost the Toronto Raptors.

At his best, Boucher is one of the best bench bigs in the game. A terrific offensive rebounder who fits Toronto’s scheme frighteningly well, Boucher does a lot of things well when his energy is able to shine through. When he’s not making shots inside, that energy isn’t nearly as impactful.

With Achiuwa nowhere close to a return, Thad Young moving between playing 35 minutes as a starter and barely playing at all, and Otto Porter Jr. picking up another injury, Boucher is the last bastion of consistency on this bench. Boucher is capable of starring, as he averaged 18 points and 10.3 rebounds between the OKC loss and Dallas win.