Despite the Raptors falling in Game 5, there were a myriad of player highlights that emerged during the affair and deserve a spotlight in the aftermath. For the Raptors' veteran big man down low, Jakob Poeltl, his series-best showing in Game 5 has been a long time coming.
While Toronto still relied heavily on splitting the big man duties among Poeltl, Collin Murray-Boyles, and Sandro Mamukelashvili, Poeltl demonstrated exactly why he has been slotted into and trusted with a starting role and a key part in the nucleus of this team.
Even if extended runs have given critics (like myself) every reason to think he’s reached his expiration date or on the brink of total calamity, this game proved otherwise.
Game 5 vs. Cavs unveils the best playoff version of Jakob Poeltl to date
Poeltl would get about 20 and a half minutes of action in Game 5, putting up 14 points on an efficient 5-for-6 shooting from the field and 4-for-6 from the free throw line. He also contributed nine rebounds, three assists, one block, and finished with a team-high plus/minus of +6.
The box score stats are definitely one thing, but it's a whole other element to judge a player based on the eye test. It’s about seeing how they're faring from an energy perspective or how they're matching up against the opposing team. In Game 5, Poeltl was moving with a step in his game that just hasn't been seen in this series so far, despite showing glimpses of improvement in the last two contests before this one.
Defensively, he was solid and knew how to keep his footing in line with his Cavs matchup. Likewise, he was grabbing rebounds at the rate Toronto needs for success (even if they ultimately lost). It was also great to see that Poeltl knew when and how to give the ball back to the right target. He can sometimes be prone to unnecessary turnovers, but he has been working on that aspect of his game in recent showcases.
Four great finds by Scottie Barnes and an especially impressive play alongside RJ Barrett in the pick-and-roll defined Poeltl's offensive aggression in this one. One of the many issues with Poeltl can be his hesitancy to score with force inside or missing the mark on otherwise easy looks. But in this game, he was able to be efficient without looking scared of taking on Cleveland's matchups head-on.
For a player like Jakob Poeltl, who has been so injury-prone and whose long-term health status raises a lot of worries, it was an absolute delight to see him channel the Jak of old. Doing so behind enemy lines is also a great sign, sparking hope that Poeltl can elevate his game to this level of effort back in Toronto for Game 6 and hopefully into a Game 7 showcase.
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