GRADEY DICK: A
Hey now, suddenly Dick is playing like one of the best rookies in his class. The 13th pick has shot 50% from beyond the arc in February and he has hit 52% of his corner three-point attempts on the season. Opponents are now running out at Dick and he has shown an ability to put it on the floor and to rebound. Dick’s not going to hit all four of his outside shots every night or go 7-for-9 overall, but now opponents are starting to worry that he will come close and they’re getting nervous when he gets the ball.
JAKOB POELTL: A-
Poeltl hurting his left ankle again was a real shame considering he has been playing his best basketball of the season lately, including in this one. He has been fantastic since the break (and even a bit before then), and it would be a gut punch to the Raptors if he has to miss some time. Poeltl outplayed three quality centres during this win streak.
B+ for RJ Barrett
Barrett didn’t appear to be experiencing any pain in his knee. He made a big three-pointer (and two of three overall in the game), went downhill when he wanted to, and once more, made the majority of the appropriate plays as a playmaker. I’m not sure what’s going on with his free-throw shooting (53% in February compared to 64.3% in January after being around 80% in the first three months in New York), but for the most part, Toronto’s top scorer is hitting his marks.
IMMANUEL SPEAKER: B-plus
Quickley was acquired by the Raptors because they thought he would make a good starting point guard in the future. Has that moment come yet? At least that’s how it appears. Quickley is a blur, scoring 10 points in the paint and 11 points off the fast break. He also has great shooting ability, shooting 40% of the time overall on the season, including 43% with the Raptors. Although he only had two assists in a game where the Raptors had 35, he was more focused on getting his own baskets in this one. Nevertheless, Quickley has proven he is capable of both a scorer and a facilitator.
KELLY OLYNYK: B+
Olynyk is exceeding expectations. He looked for his shot less in this one and was more in creator mode. Olynyk isn’t in the class of a Nikola Jokic or a Domantas Sabonis, but like those gifted 7-footers, he also thinks like a point guard at times. Olynyk handed out five assists, many of them precisely placed, leading to four layups and Barrett’s crucial three-pointer in the fourth quarter.
OCHAI AGBAJI: B
Coming off his best outing as a Raptor, Agbaji again played well. His defence stood out more than his offence, but he was also aggressive, getting to the free-throw line four times and he had a couple of assists, again looking quite comfortable with the team’s newly effective bench unit. Agbaji is a good cutter and gets open a ton, which suits his teammates quite well. So far Agbaji is looking like a shrewd pickup.
BRUCE BROWN INC
First place: Scottie Barnes
2. Mathurin, Bennedict
3. Gradey Dick
HM: Pascal Siakam, Jakob Poeltl, and RJ Barrett
