3 Raptors who balled out as Toronto broke impossibly long losing streak

2. RJ Barrett

RJ Barrett has also been dealing with a tragic loss, as his younger brother, 19-year-old Nathan Barrett, recently passed away after falling ill as confirmed by the Barrett family. Barrett had been taking time off for personal reasons but returned to play with the Raptors on April 2nd against the Los Angeles Lakers.

After being ruled out against the Timberwolves on April 3 due to "left knee injury management", Barrett picked up right where he left off against the Lakers with a dominant performance against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Barrett ended the night with 26 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Like his co-star Immanuel Quickley, Barrett was able to find his way to the foul line, as he shot 9-of-11 on his free throws.

Barrett played a bit out of his usual position, taking the starting power forward role as opposed to his usual big shooting guard or traditional small forward duties. Be that as it may, RJ proved to be an effective player for the Raptors, even in a different role.

Barrett will have a lot of time to improve for the upcoming season, as he is bound to be a pivotal piece for the Raptors' young core alongside IQ and Scottie Barnes. His free-throw woes have come into question, but the upside Barrett shows on a night-to-night basis proves he can be the focal point of an offense and it can result in winning ways for the Toronto Raptors.