The Raptors are hunting All-Stars and Bigs

From Camden’s piece:

“Ingram’s impact is undeniable, the Raptors went from an 11th seed last year all the way up to the 4th seed so far this year, and peaked as high as the 2nd seed earlier in the year.

Ingram has raised the baseline of the Raptors. He’s the team’s leading scorer, and has done so through a masterful display of midrange shenanigans. Fading, turning, falling, wiggling, Ingram gets his buckets any way imaginable, sometimes even rising over two or three defenders at a time. Ingram is the third most efficient high-volume pull up shooter in the league, and this artistry hasn’t just been for show either. It’s led to some of Toronto’s best moments so far this season.

When he came to Toronto, doubts about his health clouded what should have been hailed as a homerun trade. But given the fact that he had only played 18 games that year, and hadn’t played over 65 games since his rookie season, fans and media were left to question whether this was the smart move to make. His health, and his relative lack of success in New Orleans, led people to question how good of a player Ingram really is. Sure he can hit the tough shots, and do so with the highest level of finesse, but can he impact real winning?

After the first 50 games, I’d say those concerns can be put to bed. Ingram has played in 96% of Toronto’s games this season, and alongside Barnes has driven this Raptors team to their best record in years. He’s bought into this system and has proven that he can be a key part of winning basketball. Ingram meets all the criteria of an All-Star, and while he wasn’t officially recognized as one tonight, he’s proven that he should be an All-Star.”