Scottie & BI All-Star, Kyle Lowry Statue, and Jamal Shead’s Big Leap

Samson Folk & Trevon Heath detail the latest in the Raptors realm.

From Louis’ piece:

“If you go purely by the on-off numbers (which, you shouldn’t), Battle is the most impactful player on the team. He leads the Raptors in on-off differential per 100 possessions, both offensively and defensively. He leads the team in efficiency differential offensively and defensively, in free throw differential. He leads the team in at-rim frequency differential, in at-rim efficiency differential, in transition efficiency differential. All told, the team is 27.2 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor versus on the bench, which doesn’t just lead the Raptors; it leads the mother fucking league. 

But the team is only employing him in scenarios in which his ability to impact the game can be maximized. If he played 35 minutes a night, it would be questionable whether his on-off differential would be so pronounced.

“He’s a specialist,” said Rajakovic before the game. “He’s a player that brings instant firepower when he comes on the bench. He proved that so many times this season that he can come in the game and then change the game. And at this point that’s his role. He’s embraced that role. That’s why he’s so, so efficient in that.”

So what do the on-off numbers really mean? Really that he’s an exceptional specialist. He’s doing fantastically in his role. That role means sometimes he’ll play zero minutes, sometimes six, sometimes 16. (And, so far this season, he hasn’t played more than that.) He got real minutes in the double header against the Sixers because the Raptors missed RJ Barrett and Ja’Kobe Walter in both contests, opening up wing minutes.

“It’s kind of easy to go out there and play when you’re not on a scouting report, and then you come off the bench and everybody’s like looking at each other like ‘what does this guy do?’” said Rajakovic.”

Have a blessed day.

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