Due to his failing game, Chris Boucher lost its stripes on head coach Nick Nurse’s team, just 20 games after the Toronto Raptors kicked off the season.
The 28-year-old Montrealer therefore reviewed his good and bad moves, thanks to video footage. The less glowing sequences enlightened his thinking.
“I watched the matches in which I did not perform [et j’ai dit] show me why I’m not playing, ”he said after his family’s victory on Sunday against the Washington Wizards.
“Sometimes I ask myself ‘Why am I not playing?’ and then I watch the videos, and that explains it. So I’m trying to correct the reasons I’m not on the court, because I can help this team the way I play. “
Boucher had become an important cog for the Raptors and he expected to continue on that path this season. However, his efficiency rate on three-pointers has dropped dramatically, from 38.3% last year to 18.5% this season.
His 14-point performance Sunday in the 102-90 win over the Wizards was his best game of the season. His energy was one of the hallmarks of a productive evening for the reservists on the team.
He didn’t hit the mark on the only three-point shot he attempted, choosing instead to focus on what he knew he did well: some nice offensive breakthroughs to get some “good shots.” dunks », After good passes by rookie Dalano Banton.
“I know I can throw, but I’m not showing it right now,” said Boucher.
“There were shots where the ball entered and then left the basket […]. But if I just take the opportunities when they arise, it’s a lot better. There are a few things I can do on the court that made me kind of forgot to correct my three-pointers. “
Boucher says he reviews the footage twice a day. He added that he meditated ahead of Sunday night’s game. Accustomed to meditation, Boucher had never taken part in this exercise before setting foot on the field. It was the physical trainer, Ray Chow, who suggested it.
“I just have to be the Chris I always was, and to get there I had to clear my mind before the game,” he explained.
“Ray told me that he thought I was playing like someone who thought about too many things. So, he suggested that I do a little meditation, and that helped me a lot. This surge of confidence allowed me to believe in my own abilities. “
Boucher initialed a two-year offseason deal in 2020 worth US $ 13.5 million. It is the most lucrative contract in NBA history for a Canadian who was not drafted.
The Raptors (11-13) will host the poor Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday in Game 5 of a seven-game home series, the longest streak of the season at Scotiabank Arena.
On Thursday, the Memphis Grizzlies pulverized the Thunder 152-79, setting a new mark for the biggest winning margin in an NBA game.