5 Who popped and 2 who flopped in nail-biting victory over the Celtics

Ochai Agbaji Popped

Ochai Agbaji was terrible for the Raptors last season, and he was just as bad in Las Vegas Summer League despite being an older third-year player, the kind of player who should dominate the rookies and G-League players suiting up in the desert. Yet Agbaji couldn't get a shot to go down in any setting, and it was an open question as to whether the Raptors would pick up his fourth-year team option.

To his immense credit, he showed up to Training Camp ready to go, dialed in defensively to the point that impressed coaches were raving about him. When RJ Barrett injured his shoulder Agbaji was given a chance to step up and he did, playing great defense and starting to make small plays here and there.

Against the Celtics he had his best game...ever in a Raptors uniform? The third-year wing went 7-for-11 for 16 points and five rebounds, running the floor in transition and making a few tough finishes at the rim. In the half-court he was rotating to the corners but also savvy enough to cut baseline when the defense lost track of him. He is a finisher, not a play initiator, but that's fine for what the Raptors need right now, and he still finished with three assists.

The most impressive stat? Agbaji was +29 in his 31 minutes, the best plus-minus on the team. His defense on Jayson Tatum was excellent, and he was active against a variety of opposing offensive players. He had a truly great game, and it may have been enough for him to get his fourth-year team option picked up right there.