The Toronto Raptors may be the most difficult team in the entire league to figure out. They will look like Michael Jordan’s Bulls in one game and the seven-win Bobcats in the next despite some tangible star power. That inconsistency has relegated them to ninth place in the Eastern Conference.
The team’s recent two-game series on the road against the Washington Wizards was the microcosm of the entire season. Just two days after getting ripped apart by Kyle Kuzma, thanks to poor transition defense, Toronto managed to grind out an overtime win that pushed them to 32-33.
The Raptors will embark upon a very difficult stretch on the West Coast that includes dates against both Los Angeles teams and the Denver Nuggets twice. The Raptors could make up some ground in their postseason race during this stretch, or they could sink further down the pecking order.
Toronto has placed a great deal of responsibility on one of their most important duos, and time will tell if they are able to prove that the team’s trust was not misplaced. These three Raptors could make or break the team’s unlikely push toward a postseason spot.
3 Toronto Raptors who could spoil playoff push.
3. SG Gary Trent Jr.
Trent has been moved to the bench with all of the starters healthy and Jakob Poeltl in the center spot. While some fans might want to see OG Anunoby (or even VanVleet) put on the second unit, Nurse’s decision actually does have some semblance of logic behind it.
The Raptors have a painful lack of shot creation on their bench, so moving Trent to the second unit will give Toronto the luxury of staggering GTJ’s minutes to let him be the reserve leader. When that 3-point shot is falling, he is as deadly as any player in the rotation.
Gary Trent Jr. is still important for the Toronto Raptors.
While Trent did have some very promising performances as a Sixth Man earlier in the season, some of his first few games back in that role prior to his Saturday explosion with the new-look lineup have been underwhelming. For all his strengths, Trent can be a very streaky shooter.
If you can forgive the editorializing, I believe that Trent should have an expanded role on a Raptors team. Having said that, Trent will be shouldering an enormous offensive burden. Showing that he can answer that call for the second year in a row will help the nine-figure paydays roll in in free agency.
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.
1. Coach Nick Nurse
Nurse may have a ring on his finger, but that doesn’t mean that he should be completely immune from criticism, especially for what he’s done this season. Nurse’s seat may not be hot, but the temperature will start to get cranked up if the team keeps losing.
Between the now-waived Juancho Hernangomez starting games over Gary Trent Jr, Nurse’s refusal to give Jakob Poeltl more than 30 minutes when his hand is not forced, and some puzzling offensive decisions late in games, Nurse has made fans collectively scratch their heads.
Nick Nurse needs to lead the Toronto Raptors.
Nurse’s puzzling decisions were on display in the Washington win. Not only was Poeltl on the bench in critical moments, but Thad Young was continuing to receive minutes at the center spot. At least Scottie Barnes was finally unleashed as the commander of the second unit.
Nurse already has the ring to beef up his resume, but he could cement himself as a top-tier coach if he is able to take a clearly flawed roster and get them to play above themselves. Failure to do so could lead to more questions about his status with the Raptors.