Toronto Raptors: 3 Raptors players who need big final stretch

1. Marc Gasol

How much of the final month of the season Marc Gasol even plays is an open question. The big man is currently not on the court, still nursing a left hamstring injury he suffered near the end of January. No timetable has been put on his return, although he was able to put in a workout before the Nuggets game.

Gasol’s first full season in Toronto wasn’t going particularly well, even before the injury. He turned 35 years old right after his injury, so perhaps the effects of age are finally showing on the Spaniard. He’s averaging a career-low 7.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, close to the bottom of his career. His saving grace is his ability to hit shots from deep, knocking down 40.3 percent of his threes.

Due to various injuries, Toronto’s lineup against the Nuggets featured no true centers and just one true power forward, Siakam. It’s a model the Houston Rockets are living and dying with this season and one Toronto can try to emulate if they feel the need to by the time the postseason comes around.

The Toronto Raptors hope they don’t have to follow that route. Marc Gasol played a critical role in last year’s title run, but the only way he can do that again is to get into gear during the final month of the regular season.