'He's probably our most valuable player right now': Fred VanVleet on Thaddeus Young

Raptors guard Fred VanVleet discusses the team's 3-point shooting and how important Thaddeus Young has been since Pascal Siakam's injury.

Video Transcript

FRED VANVLEET: We've had some good performances. I thought some guys have played well in their minutes. And it hasn't translated to 8 wins, but 4 and 4, you take it. And you try to squeeze a couple more wins out here before Pascal gets back.

- It hasn't cost you an awful lot going forward, for [INAUDIBLE].

FRED VANVLEET: Yeah.

- --best player in the play-through. So that's got to be a little bit heartening.

FRED VANVLEET: Yeah, I mean, we just take a big picture approach to the season in general, and not get too high or too low in November, and understanding where the league is, and where everybody is, that the teams that are in front of us, I think we feel pretty good about. It's not really that many dominant teams right now. There's a couple at the top. And everybody else is kind of within striking distance.

So I feel good about the group that we have. It hasn't looked the greatest at times this year. But I'm confident that we'll get there.

- On the big picture basis, when you're looking at your 3-point shooting-- not just yours, but the team's, the last four games, I think it's, like, 25%. The first four or five games, you were 40% as a group.

FRED VANVLEET: Yeah.

- When you're in one of those drops, do you kind of look at stuff, or you just kind of accept that this is such a variable thing, it comes and goes?

FRED VANVLEET: Yeah, you never accept it fully. But I think you understand where you're at, and understand the schedule, understand not having a big primary initiator out there to create open looks for guys. You look at the tape, get in the gym, shoot better. That's kind of the formula, you know what I mean? So look at the tape, get in the gym, work on your shot, try to get better shots, but understanding everything that goes into it, and knowing that there's highs and lows, and you can't get too up or too down.

- How important has Thad been through Pascal's absence?

FRED VANVLEET: Oh, he's been great. He's probably our most valuable player right now. He's been holding down the fort.

As Christian is learning his way up and down, Thad's been giving us about 35 a night now. So it's really impressive to be in his 16th season, the leadership, the experience, the tough play, the rebounding, and just making plays every night. He's been key for us.

- Does [INAUDIBLE] get to the point?

FRED VANVLEET: Yeah, he can make plays. He definitely knows how to pass. He knows the game. He just is a big pressure release, in just helping guys get in their spots. He's one of the ultimate guys that's just out there helping everybody.