Fred VanVleet offers advice to benched Raptors' teammates
Toronto Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet has been playing a lot of basketball recently.
In each of the Raptors’ last five games, VanVleet has played 40 or more minutes, and he remains atop the NBA leaderboard in minutes per game with 38.1.
VanVleet has been in conversations to make the All-Star game this season, with good reason: he’s posting career highs in points (21.8), assists (6.8), and rebounds (4.8) per game under his heavy usage.
But on the flip side, the Raptors’ extreme reliance on players like Fred VanVleet has forced many of his teammates to be glued to the bench.
Recently, the conversations have centred around four players frequently being listed as a “did not play ā coach’s decision” on the scoresheet: Dalano Banton, Malachi Flynn, Svi Mykhailiuk, and Yuta Watanabe.
Over the last five games, Watanabe has played 23 minutes total, while Mykhailiuk has played 20 minutes. Banton has played a hair over five minutes over that stretch, while Flynn got in for precisely 1:16 of game action in a loss against Detroit.
The Raptors are 1-4 over that stretch, with three of their losses being by five points or less to Phoenix, Miami, and Dallas, all of whom sit in the top five of their respective conferences.
“I’m not really into moral victories,” VanVleet said last night after Toronto’s 102-98 loss to Dallas. “I think all of these games have been winnable… but it takes a lot more to win in this league. And we’re learning that as a team.”
The lack of consistent bench scoring from the Raptors has been arguably the Raptors’ biggest issue all year. Toronto has been averaging just 23.7 points per game from their bench players this season, the lowest in the league.
For the most part, the Raptors have recently been sticking to a seven-man rotation reminiscent of an intramural team.
When asked about advice for his teammates looking to work their way back into head coach Nick Nurse’s rotation, VanVleet emphasized the need for a persistent mentality.
“I think you’ve got to show a lot of guts and confidence, and on your off days, you keep working to continue to get better,” VanVleet said. “And when you get your next chance, you go out there, and you let it fly, and you play like your hair is on fire and play like it’s your last opportunity.”
For Nurse, part of the problem should solve itself with time.
Khem Birch (broken nose) and Gary Trent Jr. (ankle) are set to return to the roster at some point over the next two weeks, with Trent returning possibly as soon as this Friday against Washington.
- You might also like:
- Adidas launches Toronto-inspired Kyle Lowry collection
- Raptors rookies offer Gary Trent Jr. hilarious birthday serenade (VIDEO)
“I would imagine when we get Gary and Khem back, they will play for sure,” Nurse said candidly. “I think we’re playing great [with a short rotation]. Our guys played their guts out here tonight against a team that’s 10-1 in their last 11.”
But whether they’re playing like their hair is on fire or playing their guts out, it’s clear that Nurse and the Raptors will need more from their bench players during the second half of the season if they’re hoping to remain in the fight for a playoff berth.
“All of those guys are capable,” VanVleet added. “We’re searching, and we’re gonna need more help along the way. I’m confident that any one of those guys can step up.”
Whether that search for help comes through internal promotion or making a move at the trade deadline, only time will tell.