RAPTORS BLOG: Despite bad game against Bulls, Achiuwa has been a revelation

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Precious Achiuwa has been the biggest revelation so far in the second half of the season for the Raptors, who split a back-to-back on the road against two playoff teams.

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He’s growing before everybody’s eyes from an excellent rebounder who lacked any other massive strengths, to a guy who hits the boards, is an extremely versatile, mobile and effective defender and a legitimate three-point threat.

As a rookie in Miami last season Achiuwa took one three-pointer. This year, before the Bulls game, he had attempted 109, making 36.7% of them, which happens to be exactly the NBA average for accuracy. Yes, he missed all five against the Bulls to sink his numbers a bit, but If, and there’s a long way to go to prove this isn’t just a hot streak, this is the real Achiuwa, if he’s a league-average three-point shooter, well, that opens up a lot of possibilities for the Raptors moving forward. He’s gone from a rookie who took two thirds of his shots from 0-3 feet, to a player who can score from all over the court and needs to be guarded. He’ll still take some questionable shots, but he’s cut down on some of the bad decisions from earlier in the season. We haven’t seen him try to go coast-to-coast in a while, but that doesn’t mean he can’t do it.

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— Chris Boucher has been quite strong too in the second half of the season. He was a key factor in the win in Philadelphia. He brings a toughness that fits and he’s partially home-grown, having been nurtured in his MVP/defensive player of the year season with Raptors 905. Boucher followed that up with 19 and 10 against the Bulls. He, Siakam and Khem Birch were the three best Raptors in Chicago.

The Montreal big men Boucher and Birch will both turn 30 next season. Birch is signed for two more seasons, Boucher is a free agent. Thaddeus Young is also a free agent and will be 34 in June. Is there room for all of them if there are already three 6-foot-9-ish big men slated to play at least 35 minutes a night on the roster long-term?

OG Anunoby is only 24 and can’t opt-out for two more seasons; Achiuwa’s two years away from a potential pay-day, Siakam’s max deal expires after two seasons. The team will be far from the luxury tax this off-season with Bird Rights on Boucher and Young. There’s a way to bring everybody back and maybe it makes sense, considering Anunoby and Siakam have some history of injuries and since Barnes can play anywhere on the floor.

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— Siakam became the fourth member of the 2016 draft class to reach 6,000 points. Buddy Hield leads the way, but has a huge games played lead over the rest of the class. Brandon Ingram and Jaylen Brown are next. Jamal Murray would have gotten there already had he not been injured. Siakam trails only Domantas Sabonis in win shares.

— Young only scored two points against the Sixers and played fewer minutes than any Raptor save Armoni Brooks, but he was as solid as one can be with that kind of scoring/minutes load. Young grabbed seven rebounds, played pesky defence, including a nice steal off Harden and was utilized as a secondary ball-handler, distributing three assists, necessary on a night the team played without a real point guard.

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Unfortunately he probably had his worst outing as a Raptor the next night.

Brooks contributed too and you had to love his fearlessness in letting it fly. Brooks had only hit one of nine three-point attempts as a Raptor before going 2-for-3. But shooters shoot and Brooks hit 38% of his threes as a rookie in Houston, 43% in two NBA pre-seasons, 39% in the G-League, including 44% this season and 40% in college. With that kind of accuracy on a shooting starved team, maybe Brooks is a fit?

He had some interesting things to say post-game about life on 10-day contracts. He’s got a good attitude.

FORMER RAPTOR OF THE NIGHT:

DeMar DeRozan/Kyle Lowry:

DeRozan was clinical in beating the Raptors, while his pal Lowry was excellent (20 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 6 three-pointers) but Miami fell to a Philadelphia team missing its two stars.

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Which means it probably really wasn’t a tie, DeRozan is the choice.

CANADIAN OF THE NIGHT:

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander:

Yes, again. If you score 31 on the NBA’s best defensive team, including a surprising 4-for-4 on three-point shots, you get this honour. Period.

PICK WATCH:

Keeping track of the pick Toronto might be dealing to San Antonio (from the Thaddeus Young trade) and the pick they’ll get back from Detroit.

Before Tuesday’s games, Toronto would be sending the 17th pick to San Antonio and getting back either the 32nd or 33rd pick from Detroit. (as noted repeatedly, if Toronto is in the play-in and doesn’t advance to the playoffs it keeps the pick and sends another next year but still gets the Detroit second-rounder).

THREE STARS

1 Zach LaVine

2 DeMar DeRozan

3 Pascal Siakam

THREE STARS VS. SIXERS

1 Pascal Siakam

2 Precious Achiuwa

3 Tyrese Maxey