Raptors forward Alan Anderson celebrates a three-point basket against the Pistons at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ont., Dec. 19, 2012. (MIKE CASSESE/Reuters)
TORONTO - Toronto’s run of good fortune — back-to-back losses aside — has coincided with the return to the lineup of Alan Anderson.
Anderson provided an unexpected boost late last season, when he earned a contract after originally coming aboard on a 10-day stipend.
Now, he is helping power a three-point-reliant offence (Anderson leads the club with 1.9 makes from outside per game) and is helping lead a bench unit that has mostly outplayed the starters over the past couple of weeks.
In all, since Anderson’s Dec. 14 return from a foot injury, Toronto has won 8-of-11 contests.
Though field-goal percentage is not a strength (he shot just 38.1% in December), Anderson is currently sizzling, shooting 47.5% over his past three games (averaging 17 points).
With starting small forward Mickael Pietrus struggling with his offence, the case can be made that Anderson deserves the spot, but head coach Dwane Casey prefers keeping Anderson with the group he has excelled with.
