Fred VanVleet nails ridiculous half-court shot in right before halftime of Play-In Tournament

The Toronto Raptors needed all of their big names to come through in a significant way if they wanted to topple another hard-nosed postseason contender in the Chicago Bulls, meaning that Fred VanVleet and the rest of the squad had to be on fire from the get-go if they want to beat DeMar DeRozan.

On top of the fact that VanVleet was in a complete groove on the offensive side of the ball in the first half, he punctuated the end of the second quarter with one of the most incredible and improbable plays one will ever see from a player in a Raptors jersey.

With multiple Bulls defenders in his face and time winding down on the clock, VanVleet drained a 40-foot heave as time expired to help Toronto head into halftime with a 58-47 lead over Chicago. Not only did he manage to take and make another big shot, but he did it with flair.

Fred VanVleet half-court shot gives the Toronto Raptors lead vs. Bulls

VanVleet finished the half with 14 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Toronto started off well from 3-point range in the first quarter, and VanVleet played a huge part in getting that done for them. This is everything Toronto could have asked for out of Fred in such a big moment.

In addition to VanVleet performing well, Pascal Siakam finished the first half with a robust 20 points, six boards, and three dimes. OG Anunoby was solid on both ends, and Scottie Barnes made some very difficult shots on his way to ending the first half with 11 points.

The impending free agent VanVleet may not be the most consistent player, but he an incredibly fun to watch when everything is clicking. Making shots like that shows that he is going to do everything he can to match the Bulls stride for stride in this game.

VanVleet’s postseason experience makes him a very unique weapon for Toronto to lean on, as taking and making shots with defenders draped all around him shows that he can continue nailing impactful jumpers when the chips are down.