Raptors Get Glimmer of Hope as Search For Bench Consistency Continues
To quote Fred VanVleet, consistency helps.
But why, I asked Fred VanVleet about a month ago, pushing him to go a little deeper into his thoughts on the Toronto Raptors' inconsistent rotation. Talk in the NBA is always about staying ready. No matter what happened yesterday, anything is possible tomorrow. VanVleet knows it. It's how he made his name years ago when he first broke into the league as a back-of-the-bench guard who took advantage of his limited and inconsistent playing time.
"We're creatures of habit, routine, flow, energy. Basketball is a rhythmic game," he continued, reluctantly explaining the nuances of what he meant. "There's so much that goes into the mindset and just knowing things and knowing when your shots are coming and where they're coming from, the time you've got out there there's so much planning ahead that you've got to do for every game."
This season, the only thing consistent for Toronto has been inconsistency. Through 39 games, the Raptors have used 18 different starting lineups and hundreds more bench configurations. So far, nothing has proven reliable. Virtually everyone has at one point been given a chance to prove himself off the bench only to squander that opportunity.
The numbers are alarming: Pascal Siakam, O.G. Anunoby, and Fred VanVleet are all averaging over 37 minutes played per game this season and rank two through four in the category across the league. The plan to keep VanVleet and the starters rested for the stretch run has disappeared as Toronto has opted to squeeze every ounce of competitive energy out of its starting group.
"He's tried," VanVleet said, crediting Raptors coach Nick Nurse for attempting to limit his minutes this season. "We've had our fights about it, but I trust coach and I trust what he's doing."
If the Raptors are going to right the ship this season it starts with more from the bench. Sunday's game was a small step in the right direction as an 8-0 run to start the second quarter from a Gary Trent Jr.-led unit bought the starters a six-minute break. But as Nurse has learned this season, one game proves nothing.
And so the balancing act for Nurse and the Raptors will undoubtedly continue. On one hand, Toronto needs wins and every minute without the starters this season has been perilous. On the other, pulling the plug on bench units too only further continues the cycle of inconsistency.
"It's a tough spot. They’ve got a tough job to do with a little leash and coach is tough," VanVleet said last week of Toronto's bench players. "If you don't play well, as soon as you check in then you know [your playing time is] gonna be cut short."
That's not what Nurse wants. It shouldn't be a couple of minutes and you're out. The franchise can't function that way, not for the starters, and not for the development of secondary players. But what is there to do when an eight or 10-point run with the VanVleet or Siakam on the bench puts the Raptors in a bind?
Eventually, though, it's just going to take some sticktoitiveness. The constant churn off the bench hasn't led to any sustained success and pushing the starters to the breaking point simply isn't the answer. The inconsistency in performance isn't going to change overnight but some consistency in rotation should help a little.
Further Reading
Pascal Siakam is unfazed by trade deadline chatter: 'Literally doesn't concern me'
Fred VanVleet addresses contract rumors: Mutual decision to wait on extension talks
Scottie Barnes shows aggression Toronto has been looking for as Raptors knock off Blazers