For months, the Toronto Raptors have found themselves embroiled in an elaborate will they-won't they dance with regards to selling off a few members of their core, including Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, and even Pascal Siakam. Nevertheless, the Raptors decided to add a legitimate rim protector instead, swinging a trade for former Raptor Jakob Poeltl to fill their dire need for a solid interior presence.
On Tuesday night, Poeltl proved just how valuable he could be after a historic monster effort to lead the Raptors to a 123-113 win over the Orlando Magic at home.
In 37 minutes of action, Jakob Poeltl dropped 30 points, nine rebounds, and six blocks on 15/17 shooting from the field (88.2 percent). And in doing so, he became just the third player in NBA history to score 30 or more points on 85 percent shooting or better from the field without attempting a single free throw, per ESPN Stats & Info. Poeltl joined Klay Thompson (2019) and David Robinson (1995) as those who have accomplished the feat.
Klay Thompson achieved the unthinkable on January 21, 2019 against the Los Angeles Lakers. Thompson scored an incredible 44 points in just 27 minutes of action, shooting 17-20 from the field (85 percent) including 10-11 from deep.
Meanwhile, legendary center David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs accomplished the feat during his MVP season in 1995. On April 8, 1995, Robinson put the Golden State Warriors' defense to the sword, scoring 36 points on 18-21 shooting from the field to go along with seven boards and five rejections.
Some fans grew confused following the Raptors' decision to add Jakob Poeltl; even after their win against the Magic, the Raptors still find themselves three games below .500 with a 28-31 record. They might currently be in a play-in spot at the moment, but teams with that kind of win-loss record usually make moves with an eye towards the future.
Nevertheless, Poeltl proved that he could be an incredible piece for the Raptors as they try to retool following a tough 2022-23 campaign. His partnership with another impending Raptors free agent, Fred VanVleet, also shone brightly. VanVleet dropped a season-high 15 dimes as a result.
If the Raptors continue this strong play, it may not be too far-fetched to think that they could challenge for the eighth spot to give themselves two chances to make the postseason via the play-in tournament.
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