Raptors Review: Top 5 Players Ranked This Season

Arguably this season was a better one for the Raptors. Read on as Bodog shines a spotlight on the top 5 players this season.

Let’s be blunt: this season was a massive improvement for the Toronto Raptors compared with the veritable car crash we saw in 2020-21. We can say that through the safe lens of hindsight, but it’s nothing that wasn’t already said as the brakes were failing, and the season veered off the road.

With the engine purring again, Canada’s sole NBA team finished 5th in the Eastern Conference for 2022, with a respectable 48-34 record that placed them ahead of the Nets, whose long-time favourite status for the championship in NBA betting fell off the cliff altogether.

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With a spot in the playoffs secured, Raptors fans hoped they’d see a repeat of the 2019 postseason which saw the team’s – and Canada’s – first NBA Championship win. But, as we all witnessed, this wasn’t to be.

Instead, paired against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round, the Raptors were 3-0 down and needed a sporting miracle to turn it around. And soon those saints came marching in, because Toronto came from behind in Game 4 to snatch the 110-102 victory that would mark the beginning of a comeback.

The 103-88 win a few days later gave Raptors fans permission to hope, but this ship sailed when the 76ers managed a decisive victory in Game 6.

But here at Bodog, we’ve been reviewing the Toronto Raptors’ season not with a sword, but to piece together what went well and from what foundation Nick Nurse can build upon for next season if he wants better NBA odds and another straight shot at the championship.

Leaving aside strategy and cohesion, it was evident that much of the Raptors’ improvement this year has been in the calibre of players themselves, some of whom have been the best Canadians in the regular season. Among their ranks are some world-class superstars, with these five standing out as the best.

Pascal Siakam

Spicy P is the Raptors’ biggest asset. After being picked up by the team as the 27th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Siakam spent a year in the G League where he helped the team to the 2017 title and earned himself MVP. Success continued, with an NBA Championship under his belt just two years later.

During this year’s regular season, Spicy P has topped the Raptor’s stats for points per game, minutes per game, and rebounds per game, and was second only to Fred VanVleet in assists per game. He maintained much of this into the playoffs, averaging 43.3 minutes and 22.8 points per game.

Those eye-catching stats nearly weren’t the case, however. In the early part of the regular season, with Siakam returning from shoulder surgery, the Raptors looked set to have another dismal season. But Siakam turned up the heat and he turned it around for both himself and his team, showing why Spicy P is the best-paid NBA player north of the border.

He will be hungry to return the Raptors to the top of the NBA next season and if he can keep up this year’s performances, he may manage it.

Fred VanVleet

Fred VanVleet has had a similar journey as Siakam. He went undrafted in 2016, but signed with the Raptors shortly afterwards, before spending a year in the G League where he helped the Raptors 905 to win the title. He’s been on the Raptors’ roster since 2017/18 and was part of the championship-winning team in 2019.

The 2012/22 regular season was one that marked a multitude of personal bests for VanVleet; starting 65 games, spending more time on the court, and surpassing 20 points per game. He was almost on par with Siakam in just about every metric, but he missed his chance to outshine his teammate by sitting out the last two games in the playoffs against the 76ers due to injury.

VanVleet’s pulled hip flexor isn’t his first injury: the American has been plagued with them in recent months. This resulted in him missing several matches in the regular season because of separate problems with his knee and groin. He’ll need to stay out of trouble if he wants to help the Raptors return to glory.

Scottie Barnes

Scottie Barnes was one of the most visible players in the Raptors’ 2021/22 roster, having started all of the 74 matches he played in.

The American was the fourth overall pick in last year’s NBA Draft after a stellar performance during his single year at college. His talent quickly saw Barnes move into a starting position as a small forward, a place he’s likely to keep.

Barnes also made a big contribution during the playoffs, making four appearances and three starts to average 12.8 points and a team-best 9 rebounds per game. His performances have earned him NBA Rookie of the Year in recognition of his phenomenal debut in the biggest basketball league on the planet.

Barnes has a long and promising career ahead of him and could be a valuable asset in helping the Raptors to another championship next season.

OG Anunoby

Originally from the other side of the pond, Ogugua “OG” Anunoby is a British small forward who’s been a part of the Raptors’ squad since 2017. He was the 23rd pick in that year’s NBA Draft following two strong years at college.

Anunoby moved into a starting position during the 2019-20 season and has set new personal bests each year since. 2021/22 also saw Anunoby’s best postseason performance to date, with 36.2 minutes per game, 17.3 points per game, and .750 on his free throws.

Alas, as has been the common story for the Raptors this season, Anunoby has suffered injuries. In the first few months of 2022 he sat out games due to a finger fracture and deep thigh bruising, and that came off the back of a hip pointer in late 2021.

He’ll need to shake his injuries off if he wants to help mount a title challenge in 2022/23, but all the ingredients for greatness are there.

Gary Trent Jr.

Gary Trent Jr. is a newcomer to the Raptors. After being picked by the Sacramento Kings in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft, he signed for Portland before being acquired by the Raptors in March 2021.

He’s hit the ground running, making 70 appearances in the regular season and starting all six playoff games. He became the team’s third-highest scorer, behind Siakam and VanVleet to cement his position on the roster.

Having bedded into the team well, and working seamlessly with the other big hitters around him, Trent will be an invaluable asset for the Raptors next season as they pursue the NBA Championship.

Toronto is back, baby. With almost all the star players returning from injury, you can expect the Raptors’ betting odds to be strong when the futures markets open for next season in the coming weeks. Keep your eyes peeled and your senses keen to swoop up those odds the moment they drop.

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