So, though it remains important that VanVleet continues to get point guard reps and grows as a playmaker – especially in the event that Lowry leaves and the Raptors don’t replace him in the off-season – the Raptors need to put him in positions to utilize his most valuable skill: Shooting.
But what makes a two-man game especially lethal is when each member of it can effectively attack a mismatch, making it harder for defences to switch the action or else they risk putting a big on a guard or a guard on a big. After all, not many teams have a mobile forward like Anunoby who can switch onto a guard without issue.
But Anunoby can be more than a big man who sets screens, hands off the ball, and occasionally turns the corner. He is so versatile that in the same game he can go from playing like a big to a wing. The Raptors have started to give Anunoby more reps as a pick-and-roll ball-handler recently, usually receiving screens from a big man to get some space for the pull-up jumper.
The reason VanVleet is so crucial to this action is not only because he’s a great screener for his position, using his bulky frame and smart footwork to consistently make contact with defenders, but also because he’s such a good shooter that he demands the defence’s attention.
Source: Law Daily Report (lawdailyreport.net)