SR – NBA Bubble Breakdowns: #4 Toronto Raptors

As we get closer and closer to the NBA Restart, we move on to #4, the 2nd seed in the Eastern Conference, the Toronto Raptors. Being the reigning NBA Champions, it only seemed fitting to have the Raptors in our Top 5. The many headlines regarding the Raptors at the beginning of the season claimed them to be a mid-tier team with the loss of Kawhi Leonard, but the team has been able to blow all expectations out of the water by currently withholding the 2nd seed in their conference. The Raptors were very much considered to be an underdog team despite having notable names such as Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, Serge Ibaka, and Marc Gasol. These players all provided a huge contribution in their successes this season, and hope to carry that same momentum into the NBA Restart.

Despite having had the choice, the Raptors’ players had chosen not to opt-out of the NBA Restart, having their fully entire roster in Orlando at this time. They’ve been participating in the scrimmages up to this point and seem to be gaining their footing back after many months without basketball. Although this may be true, navigating through the NBA Playoffs as we know is an entirely different beast than the regular season, a beast that admittedly the Raptors have struggled with in years past prior to Kawhi’s arrival to the 6ix. Of course we can’t solely base these claims on history, for the team had developed a new go-to option in former Most Improved Player Pascal Siakam. As seen below we can see that Siakam has been making strides in his young career, jumping up in his averages from year to year. With this, if Siakam is able to perform at the level he’s been playing at, alongside other up and coming names like Fred VanVleet, the Raptors stand a better chance than some may give them credit.

Honestly, I personally would like to see the Raptors make a solid run in the Playoffs again this season. I do wonder, as I’m sure many fans leaguewide are as well, if the improvements that the Raptors made this season be enough to fill the shoes of Kawhi Leonard? In contrast however, this team has the experience and the know how in order to win an NBA Finals, Kawhi or no Kawhi, which may have been just enough to prepare them for whats to come very soon.

Raptors’ Season In Review: (46-18, 2nd in East)

There is and there isn’t much to be said regarding the Toronto Raptors during the regular season. In the most simplest of terms, as previously stated, they’ve managed to meet and surpass any and all expectations set upon them at the beginning of this season. A team that was expected to be towards the middle of the seeding in the Eastern Conference has earned their spot as the 2nd in the East only behind Milwaukee. The players on this team were willing and able to accept the challenge to fill the void of their loss during the off-season last year, but their ultimate test truly begins come Playoff time.

Like most teams towards the top of the seeding, the 8 games ahead have no real impact on them other than fighting for positioning. Their schedule however is not an easy one by any stretch of the imagination, having to face the current best in the West in the Lakers, and many of the potential future opponents in the Eastern Conference match-ups such as the Heat, Magic, Celtics, Bucks and 76ers. Come July 31st begins a second title run for the defending NBA Champions, the Toronto Raptors.