The Toronto Raptors are Looking to Take the East by Storm
Although it may be too early to pick favorites for the NBA championship, it is clear that some teams have taken it a step ahead early on this season. One team in particular, the Toronto Raptors, have made it their mission to keep themselves in the conversation for 2019 NBA champions throughout the entire season.
The Toronto Raptors have started the season with a strong 12-3 record and have no desire to lose their momentum. They currently hold the best record in the Eastern conference and are tied with the Golden State Warriors for the most wins overall in the season.
The Toronto Raptors have had a long streak of starting the season off strong, but finishing with a lackluster playoff performance. They hope to change their jinx this year with their best looking roster to date in an open Eastern conference where any team has the chance to win big.
Even though the Raptors have been around the top of the Eastern conference for years now, their entire system changed this past July in free agency. In early July, the Raptors traded their all star shooting guard Demar Derozan for a dissatisfied Kawhi Leonard from the San Antonio Spurs. This trade completely shocked the league, and so far Kawhi has fit in just fine in Toronto while averaging around 24 points per game and solidifying himself as one of the best perimeter defenders in the league.
Besides the major superstar trade, the Raptors also fired their head coach Dwane Casey after the Raptors’ weak 2018 playoff run. Even though Casey won the 2018 NBCA Coach of the Year award, he was used as a scapegoat for the team’s returning failure during the playoffs. Since the firing of Casey, the Raptors have been doing just fine with promoted head coach Nick Nurse, who has, so far, been able to show the potential that the roster has with him coaching them through the season and into the playoffs.
Even though Kawhi Leonard may be getting all the attention from the media due to his move from San Antonio to Toronto, he’s not the only one putting in the effort for the team. All star point guard Kyle Lowry has been quietly putting up stats similar to Steve Nash’s 2007 MVP season-- 16 points per game and 11 assists per game. Key role players such as Serge Ibaka, Pascal Siakabm, and OG Anunoby have been efficient on both offense and defense while playing for long stretches in order to help the starting lineup rest more. Starting shooting guard Danny Green and starting center Jonas Valanciunas have also played a major role on the offensive end to give Leonard and Lowry more options for scoring.
The Toronto Raptors hope to keep their consistency going throughout the whole season in order to secure the first seed in the Eastern conference. Nick Nurse has also made it a priority to rest Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Lowry when needed due to their injuries in the past.
As the Raptors move up in the standings however, teams such as the Bucks, Pacers, Celtics, and 76ers are quickly catching up by racking up big wins against one another. It may be too early to pick the Raptors as a definite winner for the finals or conference champions, but there is no doubt that they have the talent and personnel to take them there this season and possibly for more seasons to come.
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