In first game of NBA playoffs, Fred VanVleet made franchise history for the Raptors
The pressure-packed NBA playoffs began Monday, as did the big-time shooting of Fred VanVleet.
After playing a crucial role in helping Toronto win the NBA championship last summer, the former Wichita State All-America selection scored 30 points and was 8 of 10 on three-pointers as the Raptors opened their title defense Monday with a 134-110 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
VanVleet also had 11 assists with just one turnover, becoming the first player in Raptors history to finish with at least 30 points and 10 assists in a playoff game. VanVleet’s 30 points and 11 assists were both playoff career-bests for the Rockford, Illinois native.
“Whether it’s true or not, I feel I can get my shot off at any time,” VanVleet told reporters afterward. “Especially the way that defenses are playing me.”
According to StatMuse, VanVleet is one of just four players in NBA history, joining Chris Paul, Damian Lillard and Steph Curry, to finish with at least 30 points, 10 assists and eight threes in a playoff game. Per Elias Sports Bureau, VanVleet, who made 11 of 15 shots, became one of just six players in NBA postseason history to finish with at least 30 points, 10 assists and shoot 70% in a game, joining the likes of Hall of Famers such as Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler and Walt Frazier.
Although they lost 2019 Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard this year, the Raptors returned 10 players from their championship team. VanVleet was promoted to full-time starter this season and responded with his best season to date, averaging a career-best 17.6 points and 6.6 assists and knocking down 39% of his three-point attempts.
The 30 points scored by VanVleet Monday were a career-best in the playoffs, topping what he did in Game 6 of last summer’s NBA Finals, when he scored 22 points off the bench to help the Raptors close out the Golden State Warriors. VanVleet played some of his basketball on the biggest stage for Toronto, averaging 14 points off the bench and drilling 53% of his three-pointers in the last nine games of last season’s playoffs.
Toronto, which finished with a 53-19 record and in second place in the Eastern Conference, plays the Nets in Game 2 of the opening-round series at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The game will be broadcast on NBA TV.
This story was originally published August 17, 2020 at 7:21 PM.
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