Why Raptors' success this season hinges on use of two-starter lineups

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If the Raptors want to make meaningful noise in the playoffs, they have real problems to address. But their early-season struggles revealed an important development: Two-starter lineups will be the team’s bedrock for winning. (LouisZatzman)

The results -- as you can guess for a team with a 6-9 record -- have been mixed. But if the Raptors are going to dig themselves out of their current hole, it will have to be on the back of at least one or more of the groups that pair one of Lowry or VanVleet with one of Anunoby or Siakam.

In that sense, Anunoby acts like a bench player on the offensive end. His usage rate is only 15.7 per cent, ninth on the team, andin the entire league. Though Anunoby is an efficient offensive player and an elite defender, he doesn’t change the texture of the group like a regular starter does. Lowry’s transitional group thus simulates the Lowry-plus-bench groups that have been such powerhouses for so many years.

That ability to create efficient two-pointers is the main reason why the Lowry-plus-bench groups have worked for so long. He has been the team leader in creating two-point attempts for teammates every year since NBA Advanced Stats started tracking the stat in. And he’s been Toronto’s leader in teammate field-goal percentage on those created two-pointers in three of those seasons.

 

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