3 Toronto Raptors who will make or break the playoff push
By Mike Luciano
2. PG Fred VanVleet
VanVleet is just as polarizing as ever. In Thursday’s loss to Washington, pro-Fred fans were thrilled to see that the team was -26 when he was not on the floor. On the other hand, anti-Fred fans were disgusted with his poor efficiency and ball-hogging at inopportune times.
The Washington series also showed both sides of the VanVleet coin. The first game was marred by poor efficiency, but the second game was capped off with some clutch 3-pointers in overtime that helped seal the victory. This Jekyll and Hyde act doesn’t appear to be stopping anytime soon.
Fred VanVleet will be vital for the Toronto Raptors.
VanVleet is going to get a steady diet of shots from beyond the arc, as he is one of the few players that can hit those shots at a solid rate when he is on. Toronto appears to have made peace with that reality, putting a ton of responsibility on their star point guard.
If VanVleet wants to prove that he is worth a very expensive nine-figure contract in the offseason, this is a golden opportunity for him. VanVleet was stringing together some quality performances before the All-Star break, and Toronto needs that guy to reemerge.