Wanted to post this before Game #11 vs the Brooklyn Nets today Sunday, November 7th. I will elaborate on each point in detail shortly.
Slow start from OG, but slowly developing into #1 option Coming into the season, many people thought it was time for OG to take the next leap. Even FVV said that OG was going to be the #1 option and we saw glimpses of it in the preseason with his improved dribbling and step-back jumper. OG struggled out of the gate with back-to-back games shooting around 20%, but has stabilized with 20+ points in 6 out of 8 games including a career-high of 36 points in MSG vs the Knicks.
FVV learning to be #1 PG and leader of the team With the departure of Kyle Lowry, the team would have a different leading PG for the first time in 9 years. Freddie has gotten to grow beside Lowry for his first 5 years in the league and now it is his team to lead. Balancing scoring (18.7 pts), playmaking (7.1 ast), and running the offense will be the key to success and will come with experience and time.
Scottie Barnes, high energy, high IQ, does everything The first 7 games of Scottie's career have been amazing with him thrusted into the starting lineup due to Siakam's injury. He averaged over 18 points and 9 rebounds per game including 3 offensive rebounds. His 3-point shot needs work at 20%, but he's still shooting over 50% overall and has shown an expanded offensive arsenal including a smooth mid-range, jump hooks, floaters, and aggressive finishes at the rim.
Crashing the glass, lots of OREB, and lots of shots Over the last few years, the Raptors have never been a strong rebounding team, especially on the offensive end. The personnel and the style of play this year have changed that with them ranked 7th in rebounds per game and crashing the offensive boards with multiple bodies. This has gotten them second-chance points and overall more shots than their opponents averaging +13 Shots and +4 OREB in their 6 wins.
Deflections, turnovers, and transition From their actual rotation, only Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr are smaller than 6'7", and what they lack in height, they make up in quick hands for deflections and steals. The Raptors are built with length all over their roster especially their bench with backups guards Dalano Banton and Svi Mykhailiuk both at least 6'7". In their 6 wins, they average a +8.5 differential in the turnover battle, which leads to more transition offense.
Deep team, Bench rotation, Seize the opportunity The Raptors might not have an All-Star this year, but behind the core of Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, and Pascal Siakam are a lot of hungry players looking for an opportunity. You have older players like Yuta Watanabe, Chris Boucher, and Khem Birch that will give you solid defense and are useful on the offensive end. Young guys like Malachi Flynn, Gary Trent Jr, Svi Mykhailliuk, Precious Achiuwa, and rookies Scottie Barnes and Dalano Banton have bought into the system and are finding their rhythm. Nick Nurse can probably go 10-11 deep every night, but he's been making the bench earn their minutes by riding his core a little harder earlier in the season and it paid off with a hot start.
Backup PG carousel, NN dog house In the pre-season, a lot of people were surprised to see Goran Dragic starting beside FVV. Eventually, Gary Trent Jr showed that he played well with the starters and earned the starting role. Dragic came off the bench, but that didn't last as rookie Dalano Banton has been a spark plug off the bench. He has been super effective in the limited minutes he has played and has caused sophomore Malachi Flynn to be benched with multiple DNPs. Due to injuries, Malachi has gotten some minutes, while Goran Dragic is now the one riding the back of the bench. Freddie is the new leader and is relishing in the new role with Dalano being a staple off the bench.
Strong starts, but struggle to close The Raptors Top 5 would rank very low against the rest of the league, but where they can compete is when the bench is involved, especially with the energy and pace that they play with. In numerous games, whether with a decent size lead or a close back and forth game, the Closing 5 have struggled a bit. The game slows down and they are forced to battle it out in the half-court, which is not their strength. They were able to squeak out the win against Orlando by 1 but then ended up losing to Cleveland by 1. It is still very much a work in progress as everyone figures out their roles.
Injuries, a blessing in disguise Pascal Siakam had shoulder surgery late last year, so he was slated to miss about 1 month. Yuta Watanabe picked up an injury in the pre-season and is slowly making his way back. These 2 injuries opened up spots on the front line for Scottie Barners to start and for Precious Achiuwa and Khem Birch to play a bigger role early in the season. Banton, Birch, and Boucher have developed chemistry off the bench together. And Svi has slotted in nicely as the backup SG or even starting SF when Scottie was out. Nick Nurse has been able to see what a lot of these guys can do early in the season.
The potential upside this season and future Pascal Siakam is slated to return against the Brooklyn Nets. It will take some time to integrate him back into the team, but he will make the team better. If he can help the Raptors on the offensive end and they keep up their defensive efforts, then this team can be a playoff team for sure in the East. For the future, the trio of OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, and Scottie Barnes gives you so much versatility with each of them being able to guard 1-5 and all of them have offensive upside as well. There is a future where multiple Raptors are All-Stars and then who knows how far we'll be from contention.
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