The signs have been there all season, but you’re starting to feel it now. With Kyle Lowry’s career winding down, the Toronto Raptors are Fred VanVleet’s team.
A model of consistency since he earned his “Steady Freddy” nickname as an undrafted point guard off the bench, VanVleet has elevated his status along with his contract in 2020-21 by improving on both ends. Tuesday night was the culmination of that.
In a 123-108 win over the Magic, a game that became secondary to Fred himself, VanVleet scored a Raptors franchise record 54 points on 17-for-23 shooting — including 11-for-14 from three, one make short of Donyell Marshall’s franchise record from 2005.