Raptors Discuss Fred VanVleet's Off Night: 'He Certainly Was Out of Sorts'

The Toronto Raptors aren't worried about Fred VanVleet despite the All-Star guard looking 'out of sorts' Friday against the Philadelphia 76ers

Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

By now, Fred VanVleet has earned the benefit of the doubt.

It's why the Toronto Raptors stuck with him so long Friday night against the Philadelphia 76ers even as his shots clanked off the front of the iron one after another. He's an All-Star, let's remember, the leader of the team, and a bonafide shotmaker who had gone 77 straight games with at least one three-pointer made. 

“I mean, that happens," said Pascal Siakam following VanVleet's one-point outing that saw him shoot 0-for-11 from the field. "We’re not really worried about the shot-making because he has done that at a high level and we know he can do that. Probably one of those nights."

Raptors coach Nick Nurse said he checked in on VanVleet several times to see if he was doing OK.

"He said that he was every time, but he certainly was out of sorts," Nurse added. "There's no doubt about it."

After failing to covert a two-on-one opportunity in the third quarter, VanVleet air-balled his final shot of the night, a lightly-contested corner three-pointer. 

On the other end, VanVleet was a little up and down defensively. He doesn't deserve all the blame for Tyrese Maxey's 44-point performance, despite being his primary defender. On Maxey's first three-pointer, for example, VanVleet was in perfect defensive positioning, right in Maxey's face when the 76ers guard rose up to nail the bucket. VanVleet then made a pair of strong closeouts on both Maxey's second and fourth three-pointers of the game. His biggest defensive blip came in the second quarter when the speedy Maxey went right around VanVleet, using a light screen from Montrezl Harrell to beat VanVleet for a layup.

VanVleet didn't speak Friday night but with a practice likely scheduled for Sunday expect to get a little more clarity on whatever was ailing the Raptors guard when he speaks later this week.