The Raptors faced a tougher challenge on April 11 compared to previous matchups, heading to the American Airlines Center for a showdown with the Dallas Mavericks, who have been obliterated by a string of bad luck in recent months.
While the Dallas Mavericks had 12 players suit up, the Toronto Raptors' rotation was nearly halved, featuring just seven players, all of whom played 30 minutes or more.
Clearly, the momentum was on Dallas' side, and with superstar Anthony Davis ready for action, he dominated the depleted Raptors squad with an emphatic triple-double in an eventual 124-102 victory: 23 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. In fact, Davis came close to an impressive quadruple-double, recording seven blocks against Toronto as well.
It wasn't looking great for Toronto as they were getting blown out to bits by the Mavericks in the first half, as the halftime tally read 66-38. However, in addition to a locked-in Scottie Barnes, the Raptors can thank another key contributor for keeping a seemingly meaningless game within reach: Ochai Agbaji.
Agbaji stepped up significantly in the Dallas matchup, delivering stellar numbers: 24 points on 75% shooting from the field, an impressive 6-for-7 from three-point range, along with six rebounds and three steals.
Short-handed Raptors depend on Ochai Agbaji against Mavericks
I’ve come to really appreciate Agbaji this season, especially given the bleak circumstances surrounding his initial run with the Raptors. I liked him as a prospect during the 2022 NBA Draft, but during his time in Utah and last year in Toronto, he found himself categorized as low-end NBA talent, never truly impressing with his shooting or defense—two aspects that should be his calling cards.
As I discussed in an article earlier this year, Agbaji has emerged with a renewed shooting spirit, gaining attention with a historical surge in his three-point percentage. He has truly embraced the 3-and-D wing archetype that was anticipated of him, and then some. This development has propelled Agbaji into a significant role in his second year with Toronto.
As Toronto's season shifted towards a tanking strategy, Agbaji found himself fluctuating in and out of the rotation, along with missing some time due to a couple of minor injuries. With that, I've somewhat overlooked Agbaji's place in the Raptors' pecking order.
Building on that, I believe the logjam of wings—especially with Brandon Ingram’s impending arrival—has made Agbaji’s value on this team feel somewhat expendable. Yet, he comes out in this Mavericks matchup to remind everyone what he’s capable of.
Every team needs a reliable 3-and-D wing, and the Raptors have a solid candidate in Agbaji. I understand he could hold value on the market due to his skill set and tradable contract, but if the Raptors can find a way to keep him, I wouldn’t give up on Agbaji just yet. He's been a consistent shooter, averaging 44.2% from beyond the arc over his last ten games, even on a struggling squad in that department.
I would hate to see a valuable player traded for much less than he's worth, but I could understand it if the Raptors genuinely had no way to maximize Agbaji's skills. In that scenario, I’d fully support seeing his talents thrive on a contender. However, Toronto should proceed with caution. Agbaji has done enough to show the front office that he deserves a place in the Raptors' hopeful playoff vision.