Fred VanVleet is hardly known for his outbursts. Although the Toronto Raptors guard scores nearly 19 points per game, he yields the points. VanVleet has never scored 40 points in a college or NBA game on Tuesday. He did not even need a three-quarter to cross that threshold, as Vanvleet posted the best offensive play in his career.
VanVleet scored 54 points in Toronto’s victory over the Orlando Magic, an explosion that represents much more than just his own career highlight. With his last bucket, he breaks both DeMar DeRozan’s team record of 52 points and the Hall-of-Famer Moses Malone’s league record of 53 points of an undefeated player.
VanVleet also had another big NBA record in his sights. He shot 8-out-9 in the first half from behind the arc and put himself on the pass to also break the record for most 3-points in a game. The record is currently held by Klay Thompson, who made 14 in a 2018 game against the Chicago Bulls. VanVleet made three three-pointers in the third quarter, which gave him a chance at the record, but then only tried one in the fourth quarter. He missed it and thus even set Donyell Marshall’s team record of 12.
Raptor coach Nick Nurse removed VanVleet with 2:37 left in the game, ending the chance for further history or a 60-point night. VanVleet will have to manage to experience the most fruitful night in the history of the Raptors, and also help his team to play within one game of the Charlotte Hornets and the number 8 in the Eastern Conference.