Vanvleet feeling impact of demanding season
This Covid-19-marred NBA season has been a grind for every player, but for many, it has been a frustrating slog too, extremely taxing both physically and mentally.
Count Fred Vanvleet amongst that latter camp. Only two players have averaged more than Vanvleet’s 36.2 minutes per game this year and even though he’s missed a bunch of games due to injury and COVID-19 protocols, he’s still in the Top 50 in total minutes, with one of the most demanding roles in the league, seeing as how he not only directs Toronto’s offence (along with Kyle Lowry), but also usually defends the league’s premier point guards.
Which is why it wasn’t surprising to hear the always candid Vanvleet tell the media post-game Tuesday following a loss against Brooklyn how he’s feeling physically.
“Like s__,” Vanvleet said. “I try to lay my body on the line every night, sacrifice for the team and get a win, but I wasn’t very good tonight. Not in the excuse making business so I will leave it at that, but definitely a rough night all around the board for me,” he said.
Vanvleet shot just 4-for17, including misses on nine three-point attempts and like most of his teammates, just didn’t appear to have anything left in the tank in the fourth
quarter of the back-to-back closer.
“Just couldn’t find a flow or rhythm or feel good at any point of the game. I sucked tonight. My body sucked tonight. That’s probably one of the reasons why we lost,” said the man who leads this group, along with Lowry.
Vanvleet is always one of the smallest players on the floor, yet plays fearlessly, attacking the rim and getting right up on opponents. It leads to various ailments, but it’s all he knows.
“I mean, I’m certainly not trying to hurt myself. But, yeah, I could change the way I play for sure, it’s what got me this far (though),” he said.
“So, it’d be something to revisit in the off-season and add more mids, floaters, runners and stuff in the paint. I’m gonna be who I’m gonna be and we’ll revisit that as a franchise this summer, I’ll talk (to head coach Nick Nurse). I’ll talk to management and see if there’s any suggestions on me switching my play style but I don’t plan on changing any time soon.
“It’s got me to this point and I definitely can get better, there’s a lot of room for improvement and I plan to keep getting better each day and each year.”