The one piece the Toronto Raptors were missing in years past was a dominant center. Head coach Nick Nurse would run lineups with two larger forwards as the team was in need of a five. Toronto was able to strike a deal at the trade deadline and reacquired Jakob Poeltl from the San Antonio Spurs. Against the Magic last night, Poeltl became the third player in league history with 30 points on 85 percent shooting and no free-throws made.
In just three games so far with the team that drafted him back in 2016, Poeltl’s offensive abilities have grown since his time with the Raptors. He was always known for his defense, but his offense has taken a leap in his short time back with the team.
Last night he had one of the best all-around performances in his entire career so far. He helped lead the Raptors to a 123-113 victory vs the Orlando Magic. NBA betting sites have the Raptors at (+15000) to win the Finals this season.
Jakob Poeltl is the 3rd player in NBA history with 30 points, 85% FG pct and 0 FTA in a game, joining Klay Thompson in 2019 and David Robinson in 1995. pic.twitter.com/wUrEHKWUh1
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 15, 2023
Poeltl had the second-most points of his career in a dominant performance vs the Magic
Toronto’s newly signed center Jakob Poeltl had one of his best individual career games last night in a 123-113 win vs the Magic. He finished the game with 30/9/2 along with one steal and six blocks. He went 15-17 from the field as well for 88 percent shooting for the game.
His 30 points were the second-most of his career and he lead all scorers from both sides of the game. Along with that he joins Hall of Famer David Robinson and future Hall of Famer Klay Thompson as the only players in league history with 30 points, 85 percent shooting, and no free-throws made.
P🚫ELTL pic.twitter.com/LNj4jDjuOw
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) February 15, 2023
Reports around the locker room have been extremely positive since Poeltl joined the team. They’ve had some success and seem to be playing free again. This likely comes as a surprise to most as the Raptors have been well documented this season with in-house issues and players being unhappy with where the team was going. As of now, Adding Poeltl and a two-game win streak has somewhat changed that.
