Toronto Raptors: 4 things we’ve learned from the team’s slow start

Where is the bench mob?

Since the dawn of the Ujiri era, the Raptors have taken much pride in having one of the best second units in all of basketball. That’s why its current struggles are so surprising.

For years, the bench has been its own ecosystem, one that has encouraged growth and promotion. Former bench players like OG Anunoby and Fred VanVleet have passed through the hallowed cushioned black chairs on their way to becoming starters, but now that they’ve left their bench days behind, who will take their place?

For many Raptors fans, there were high hopes for Matt Thomas. Coach Nurse has increased his playing time, as the second-year pro out of Iowa State has played 15.3 minutes per game thus far, but the people want more.

Then, there’s the curious case of Malachi Flynn. After flashing brilliance during the preseason, the rookie has played a grand total of 1:16 this season, coming in for a brief stint in the team’s first game against New Orleans.

I understand that a veteran like Norman Powell has earned the right to try and find his footing out of the gate, but Nurse’s deployment of Stanley Johnson for 22 minutes against Philadelphia necessitates questions about the usage of the bench. Would the Raptors be better served by further exploring some of their in-house options?

A tale of two halves

This one’s pretty simple. The Raptors average 54.6 points in the first half. That number drops to 45 in the second half.

On the one hand, this is to be expected given the shortened offseason and lack of training camps. On the other hand, it is most definitely not a recipe for winning.

With the Raptors’ wealth of veteran leadership and playoff experience, their floor is high. But where is their ceiling? Can we honestly say that this group can contend with Brooklyn, Boston and Milwaukee for another division title?

They’re a long way off from the franchise-worst 0-9 start that plagued 2005-2006 team, but with the league only playing a 72-game schedule this season, each game means more.

Hopefully Lowry and crew can turn it around before this all-too-strange season passes them by.