Raptors' Malachi Flynn making most of expanded role during team's slump

With the Toronto Raptors at 15-19 and facing several injuries throughout the young season, coach Nick Nurse has been experimenting with the lineup.

One thing that’s remained consistent: the gradual increase of trust for backup point guard Malachi Flynn.

Flynn has been with the Raptors for three seasons now, but he’s finally starting to carve out a consistent role for himself, going from 7.3 minutes per game in October and 13.5 in November, to becoming a fixture in the rotation with 21.3 minutes per game in December.

On Thursday, Flynn discussed his role expanding amidst the team’s slump in an interview on The Raptors Show with William Lou.

“I feel like I've had a lot of growth throughout this year,” said the 24-year-old guard. “At first it’s definitely challenging, but just getting more games, doing the same thing, you get a rhythm to it, and then you know what to expect.”

Flynn has always been buried by the many options the Raptors have had at point guard, with Fred VanVleet — and Kyle Lowry before him — dominating the playtime at the one throughout his career, and earlier this season competing against Dalano Banton for backup minutes.

But his consistency led to more minutes, and more minutes has led to more consistency.

“I've always been a good shooter, but continuing to get those reps and being more consistent when you're in a position where you come off the bench and you got to make that first shot — that was a little bit of an adjustment,” said the Raptors’ 29th-overall pick in 2020.

“Working on those things and being confident and knowing, trusting the work that you put in is going to pay off, that’s all I’ve been doing.”

Aside from being a good shooter, Flynn is making his presence felt on the defensive end, where he’s always excelled (winning Mountain West Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2019-20) but never had the size to replicate it in the NBA.

“I'm six-foot, there's only so much you can do at that size, but I can do it in other ways,” Flynn said. “Try to make guys uncomfortable, put a little ball pressure on him, trying to stay in front, fight through screens, be there on rotations, find a way to get a steal here and there. That's kind of where I can show my value on defence.

“I can use my quickness — use my smarts to get ways around [size mismatches].”

In the eight games he’s played in December this season, Flynn has averaged 8.9 points on 44.3 per cent from the field and a team-high 48.5 per cent from long distance.

Though the young guard is not focused on his individual counting stats. As far as Flynn is concerned, his role has remained the same; do everything possible to get the win.

“That's the biggest thing while I'm out there, everything else goes out the window when you're on the court,” said Flynn. “And we desperately need some [wins] right now.”