A new look, some key defensive acquisitions, 50+ wins, 2nd round aspirations and potentially three players that could play in the first ever All-Star game in Toronto. The Toronto Raptors had some extremely lofty expectations placed upon them heading into this season and for good reason. However the reality is they’re sitting 9th in the East.
This is a much needed reality check for this team. The Raptors aren’t a team with overwhelming superstar talent to carry the load. This is a team comprised of solid players who are willing to outwork their opponent. They say that ‘hard work beats talent’ – this is not the case for the Raptors…yet.
After starting the season a blistering 5-0 with convincing road wins against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks – the Raps showed to the world that they can compete with the best. Since that time they’ve taken a complete 360-degree turn and lost 6 of their last 8 games dropping their record to a meagre 7-6.
FACT: No team has won the NBA championship after playing just 16% of the season – there’s PLENTY of time for a turnaround.
The problem isn’t with their record being one game above .500 – it’s with how they got themselves in this position. Two three-game losing streaks within the first 13 games of the season is definitely a red flag. The Raps have had tough losses to the Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors and most recently the Utah Jazz. The common denominator with most of these losses has been the painstakingly slow starts and the even more infuriating fourth quarter collapses.
What’s different from last season, is that they can hang their hats on their defence night in and night out to keep them in the game. This blistering positive is what continues to give me hope for this team. For as long as their defence can stay consistent, than their offence will eventually catch up.
Last season the Raptors were 18-13 in games decided by 5 points or less. They had a dedicated shot-maker in Lou Williams who they willingly gave the ball in these late game situations and more times than not – it worked out. However those games could’ve just as easily had been losses if it wasn’t for Lou’s miraculous ability to hit the clutch shots.
This season they’re currently 1-4 and things could get considerably worse if they don’t get out of this slump. The Raptors made moves this offseason to improve the team – and they did. They wanted to incorporate players who can operate in a ball-movement heavy system – and they did. Yet in every loss (with exception to the Heat) the Raptors team oriented style vanished in favour of 1-on-1 isolations for DeMar DeRozan or Kyle Lowry.
Welcome back to basketball mediocrity.
The schedule ahead for the Raptors is really what’s going to be their measuring stick for the team this season. The next 10 games for the Raptors could change everything if things don’t get better. Masai Ujiri isn’t the type to be content with a situation that produces average basketball at best.
Many excuses can be made for why the Raptors have been struggling. You could blame it on the fact that the Raptors are trying to incorporate 4 new players who play significant minutes, or on the injury to DeMarre Carroll, the loss of spacing with the absence of Terrence Ross, the lack of bench production apart from Cory Joseph or the offensive decision-making by Dwane Casey. It’s the Toronto Raptors so the list of excuses can and will go on.
The Raptors next 10 games look like this:
@Los Angeles Lakers/ @Los Angeles Clippers/ vs.Cleveland Cavaliers/ @ Washington Wizards/ vs. Phoenix Suns
@Atlanta Hawks / vs. Denver Nuggets / vs .Golden State Warriors / vs. Los Angeles Lakers / vs. San Antonio Spurs
With the way the Raptors are playing they’ll be lucky to come out of those next 10 games with a 5-5 record. If the Raptors keep failing to execute in close games, things could get really bad really fast. The only game the Raptors should put away is their game against the Denver Nuggets. No matter how terrible the Lakers may look on paper, if Kobe Bryant is suiting up against the Raptors – you just can’t count them out *cough* 81 points *cough*.
This stretch of games is by no means a walk in the park. Every team they’re set to play has improved since last season and the Raptors aren’t considerable favourites in any of these match-ups. This is the time for the Raptors to dig deep and prove that they have the ability to execute down the stretch and stay composed. How many times must we watch the Raptors look frantic in their late game ‘sets’ only to force up a bad shot or commit a turnover – then complain about it?
In order to keep the peace in Raptors land, the Raptors need to hit 10 wins before they reach 10 losses. Or at least come away from these next ten games with a .500 record.
I’m not saying that 10 games out of the season will prove if this team is legit, but I’m saying that the next 10 games will prove if this team is legit and whether they should remain a unit for the rest of the season.
So is it time for the Raptors to panic? Not yet…but we’ll see.
