This is part of a series of player review from the 2020-21 season. To find the remainder of the series, please click here
In a disappointing season for the Raptors, Boucher emerged as a standout player in a personal breakout season. Last season’s player review of Boucher had glowing remarks about his ability to carve out a role in the backend of the Raptors’ rotation. Boucher was able to take the next step and some this past season. While his role in previous seasons was to provide a spark off the bench when needed, his role this season developed into being more than a spark. Rather, he became a reliable rim protector providing instant offense off the bench. When it was all said and done, no matter whether or not Boucher started a game, he was often on the floor at the end of games during crunch time.
Boucher’s numbers are night and day from two seasons ago to last season. He saw massive increases in minutes (+11 MPG), scoring (+7 PPG), efficiency (+4% FGP, +6% 3P%), rebounding (+2.2 RPG), and defensive production (+0.9 BPG). Boucher has always been an intriguing player when he gets playing time. Even when he has not gotten much floor time, he has never lacked confidence, shooting at will when he comes into games. Additionally, his catapult-like shooting form and ability to block shots from any part of the floor have always made him a fun player to watch (as evident by the clip below). However, until last season, there were questions regarding whether his style of play was sustainable over the length of an entire season.
THAT'S VINTAGE CHRIS BOUCHER pic.twitter.com/0dA69HKOPT
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) May 11, 2021
Quick Start
Despite concerns over long-term sustainability, Boucher proved to arguably be the Raptors’ most consistent player this past season. He provided stability when the Raptors needed it to start the season, as the Raptors quickly learned that Aron Baynes was not the starting centre they hoped they were getting when they signed him in the offseason. As a result, Boucher saw his role on the team upgraded to being the go-to big man. For a fairly sizeable chunk of the season afterward, there was a legitimate argument to be made for Boucher to be in the running for both the Sixth Man of the Year and Most Improved Player awards.
During the team’s unforgettably horrific 2-8 start to the season, Boucher was getting called upon more and more and was still producing despite his team’s struggles. During this stretch, Boucher put up 14.3 points in 22.2 minutes per game on 58/47/73 shooting splits. Perhaps the most impressive stat was that Boucher emerged from this stretch with a plus/minus of +28. Considering his team was outscored by 14 points during the same stretch, this was very impressive. His success relative to his team’s failure made it clear early that Boucher was the superior option at centre between himself and Baynes. It was a stretch that left many basketball fans, not just Raptor fans, confused as to why Nick Nurse was still choosing to start Baynes over Boucher.
imagine not starting Chris Boucher.
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) January 11, 2021
Improved Floor Game
In Boucher’s best performance of the season, a loss to the Bulls, his full offensive arsenal was on display. He put up 38 points and 19 rebounds on 14/24 shooting (3/7 from three-point range) and was a plus-16. As seen below, the highlight pack from that game shows a multitude of his offensive skills. It displays his ability to attack and finish in the paint as the receiver on the pick-and-roll, fade to the three-point line for quick-trigger threes, take defenders off the dribble for pull-up jump shots, and use his length to attack the offensive glass for rebounds and tip-ins. It was a performance that showed everything there is to love about Boucher’s offensive game.
🦖 @chrisboucher becomes the first @Raptors player to record 35+ PTS, 15+ REB in a game since @chrisbosh in 2010!
Boucher: 38 PTS, 19 REB (career-highs) pic.twitter.com/YgRUBw3Ymq
— NBA (@NBA) April 9, 2021
Consistency is Key
Boucher must also be applauded for his consistency last season. This consistency refers to his play on the court and his ability to be on the court so frequently. As a player who had never played more than 14 minutes per game in a season before last season and who was recently coming off a shortened offseason, no one would have blamed him if he needed rest or sustained a few injuries. However, he managed to play in the Raptors’ first 59 games before being diagnosed with an MCL sprain. Before this injury, he was the last Raptor to feature in every game.
What to Expect From Boucher in the Future
It seems as though the Raptors see Boucher as a valuable piece, at least for next season. After his MCL sprain, he only featured in one of the team’s last 13 games, in part to aid the tank job that landed the Raptors the fourth overall pick in the upcoming draft and in part to ensure that he remains healthy for next season. Whether or not he sees another uptick in minutes or starts is unclear. He and Freddie Gillespie are the only centres signed for next season, and Boucher would almost certainly get the majority of minutes between the two if it remains that way. However, the Raptors may be hoping to land Evan Mobley in the draft or resign Khem Birch, which would likely mean that Boucher’s role would remain as is.
All in all, relative to the lack of success that the Raptors had last season, it was a tremendously encouraging season for Boucher. Many people previously wondered whether a player with his shooting form and body frame could have sustained success in the NBA. However, his consistency on the offensive end and his ability to stick with larger centres at the defensive end last season proved these people wrong. In previous seasons, most people (myself included) argued that he would need to bulk up considerably if he wanted to take the next step in his career. However, I now believe that this is no longer the case, as his play last season has proven that he could be a regular rotation player for any team in the league.
