Julio Aguilar Getty 2021
At this point in the 2021 NBA season, teams are making their final adjustments before heading into the playoffs. Chemistry is at an all-time high and players are looking forward to the postseason, which are steadily approaching. However, the same cannot be said for the Toronto Raptors. They’ve sustained multiple injuries to key players, which has proved to be a detrimental blow to the team. Not to mention, the numerous trades made ahead of the 2021 trade deadline which has altered much of the early season chemistry that the Raptors built. Now the Raptors find themselves in a position unlike anything they’ve faced in recent years; sink or swim.
The numerous games lost due to injury and COVID-19 protocols proved to be detrimental to the Raptors and their play. Core players Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet missed 8 and 9 games, respectively, while OG Anunoby did not dress for nearly 20 games. Altogether, the Raptors have accumulated over 50 missed games. Undoubtedly, the missing presence of key players caused a ripple effect of issues for the team as they struggled to hold leads and close out games. For example, the Raptors’ rebounding took a hit when Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby and Kyle Lowry were sidelined with injuries. This year, the team ranks 30th overall in rebounding at 49 rebounds a game which is much lower than last year’s average of 53. Similarly, the lack of depth in the roster was clear as they found it difficult to compete with high-calibre teams and find a way to break down the other team’s defence. There is no question that the omittance of the team’s star players resulted in a colossal dip in competitive drive and overall skill, leading to poor play and inevitable losses.
Nonetheless, a few promising changes have been made as of late. Starting off with likely the most groundbreaking move, the trade of long-time Raptor Norman Powell to the Portland Trailblazers for Gary Trent Jr. and Rodney Hood. Although Powell was having his best season to date for the Toronto team, the trade has already proven to be beneficial. Trent Jr. has had an astounding start, in just 8 games averaging 14.6 points per game. Being the younger and less expensive player, Trent Jr. seems to be the better fit for the 11th seed Raptors team. The Raptors also traded Matt Thomas and Terence Davis for draft picks. For a deteriorating team, the draft picks are more useful for the team in the future. These changes are promising, yet will likely have more of an effect in a few years. For now, the team’s chemistry has more of a detrimental effect.
This new-look Raptors team has struggled to find chemistry, which has unfortunately led to more losses than expected. A lengthy list of injuries and games missed due to the COVID-19 protocol can create more unorganized lineups from Nick Nurse. Whether it’s the new roster or several players missing games, the rest of the Raptors 2020-2021 season is very uncertain. They could barely edge into the playoffs if there is a drastic change in the team’s performance, but it seems as if an early exit is the more likely outcome as the Raptors have not been able to consistently win games. So can the Raptors keep consistent lineups, and improve their winning rate as the regular season comes to a close or is the hope for a playoff spot slowly fading away?
Sources:
“Pascal Siakam Stats.” Basketball, www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/siakapa01.html.
“Fred VanVleet Stats.” Basketball, www.basketball-reference.com/players/v/vanvlfr01.html.
“OG Anunoby Stats.” Basketball, www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/anunoog01.html.
Undefined. “Gary Trent: Stats, Age, News: Basketball.” TheScore.com, TheScore, 10 Apr. 2021, www.thescore.com/nba/players/60234.
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