Terrence Ross had himself a game on Monday night. The 25 year-old swingman erupted for 22 points in just 23 minutes during the Raptors easy win versus the Philadelphia 76ers, missing just three of his eleven shots and going three for five from beyond the arc for good measure.
While the 22 points were a season-high, it’s clear that now in his fifth season—and in the first year of his current three-year deal that will see him make $11 million per season— Ross is putting together his strongest, steadiest stretch of ball since being selected eighth overall in the 2012 NBA draft.
And few have taken notice more than Raptors head coach Dwane Casey, who praised the improvements Ross has made during an appearance on SN590 the FAN Tuesday morning.
“He had one of those nights where he couldn’t miss,” said Casey, “But the main area where I judge Terrence is his defensive focus and doing his job on that end of the floor. The main area I see his consistency is in his defence—his rotations and being where he’s supposed to be [and] on time.”
The defensive consistency has certainly been noticeable, as Ross appears more active and engaged on a regular basis this season compared to any before.
“I was talking to Bryan Colangelo after the game about how Terrence is becoming more consistent,” Casey continued, referencing the former Raptors GM who drafted Ross out of the University of Washington four years ago, “That’s almost been his middle name: Terrence Inconsistent Ross. But he’s becoming more consistent, more mature as man and it’s all pulling together for him.”
Despite the defensive strides, what stands out above all is Ross’ shooting, which is currently in fairly elite company.
On the season he is currently shooting 50.8 per cent from the floor, 44.8 per cent from deep, and 94.7 per cent from the free throw line, making him a member of the prestigious 50/40/90 club.
Only seven players in the modern era have finished the regular season as a bona fide club member, and it’s pretty lofty company: Larry Bird, Mark Price, Reggie Miller, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry.
Now, it’s extremely premature to suggest Ross will wind up with those percentages by the time the season ends, or for that matter if he’ll even take enough shots to qualify given his current status as a scoring option off the bench, but it speaks to what he’s been able to contribute on a fairly regular basis this season.
While he still has work to do to completely shed the ‘inconsistent’ label that has followed him throughout his career, he’s reached double figure in scoring in eight of his last 13 contests, and appears to have settled in nicely to his role. It’s a major plus for a Raptors team that badly needs reliable shooting from its second unit.
Strong, consistent play from Ross also gives the Raptors more flexibility in terms of resting starter DeMarre Carroll, who has been most excellent of late, yet may still require nights off to ensure he’s fully healthy come playoff time. That means relying on young, emerging players such as Ross, something Casey acknowledges is a reflection of the roster makeup.
“We have a young team,” he said. “Sometimes we don’t think so, but [our roster] is not long in the tooth in terms of experience in the NBA. So Terrence is growing right before our eyes.”
