Raptors‘ Defensive Standouts: Top Steals Per Game Seasons
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the toronto Raptors boast a 31-year โhistory marked by 13 โขplayoff appearances and a championship โtitle,โ and throughout that time, โseveral exceptional defenders have patrolled the perimeter for the team. This article highlights the Raptors players โขwho have delivered the most impactfulโค single-season performances in terms of steals per game.
Doug Christie – 1997, 2.5โค Stealsโข Per Game
Doug Christie holdsโ the franchise record for steals per game in โฃa single season, averaging an remarkable 2.5 in 1997. This markedโ a meaningful leap for Christie, who had joinedโ the Raptors โฃmid-season in โ1996 and was now โขenjoyingโข his first full campaign with the team. Starting in 81 games, Christie’sโค defensive impact was undeniable, ranking second inโข the league in steals,โฃ trailing only mookieโฃ Blaylock’s 2.7โข SPG. โPrior to this season, Christie had never averaged more thanโฃ 1.4 โsteals per game, making 1997 a trueโ breakout year.
Doug Christie – 1998,โค 2.4 Steals Per Game
Building on his previous success,Christie continued to excel defensively in 1998. He elevated his offensive โคoutput to aโฃ career-high 16.5 points per gameโ while maintaining his disruptive defensive presence, averagingโค over 2.0 steals per game for a second consecutive โขseason.โ While Mookieโข Blaylock again led the โคleague in steals,โ Christie secured theโข third-highest total.
Doug Christieโฃ – 1999, 2.3 โSteals Per Game
Christie’s penultimate โseason โwith the raptors saw him โคmaintain a high level of play, averaging โค15.2 points โคand 2.3 steals per โคgame. This marked his thirdโฃ straight year finishing among the league’s top โfive in steals per game, placing behind Kendall โฃGill,โ Eddie Jones, Allen โคIverson, and Jasonโ Kidd. Despite Christie’s strong individual performance, the Raptors โfinished โฃsixth in the Central Divisionโฃ and missed theโค playoffsโ in the โคshortened 1998-99 season.
Alvin Robertson -โ 1996,2.2 Steals Per Game
A โveteran โฃknown for his defensive prowess, Alvin Robertsonโข made a significant impact inโ his single season โคwith the Raptors in 1996. Returning to the NBA after a periodโ away due to injury, the 33-year-old Robertson played โ77 games โขand averaged 2.2โ steals per game. This performance placed him fifth in โtheโฃ league in steals,behind elite โขdefenders like Gary Payton,Mookie Blaylock,Michael Jordan,and Jason kidd. Robertson, a three-time steals champion,โ currently ranks 11th all-time โขinโ career steals with 2,112 and boasts the highest career steals per โขgame average at 2.7.
Kyle Lowry – 2016, 2.1 Steals Perโค Game
The most recent player on this list, Kyle โLowry, โฃearned his place with a standout 2016โ season. Averaging 2.1โฃ steals per game, Lowry played aโค key โขrole in leading the Raptors to an Eastern Conference Finals appearance againstโ the โCleveland Cavaliers. His exceptional performance also garnered votes forโ both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, finishing fourth in the league in steals per game and securing hisโค second of six consecutive All-Star selections.