The Toronto Raptors have been one of the pleasant surprises of the National Basketball Association (NBA) season thus far.
As the league began its annual all-star break Friday, the Raptors sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings nine games above .500 at (32-23).
Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, Collin Murray-Boyles, Alijah Martin and A.J. Lawson will all be part off all-star game festivities while head coach Darko Rajakovic will coach Team World.
Rajakovic feels his team “made big strides compared to last season” through the first 55 games, especially compared to expectations heading in where many predicted the Raptors would be fighting for a playoff spot at this point in the season.
However, here’s where questions loom.
Against the top 10 teams in the NBA, Toronto has a record of (4-13). And If its record of (3-0) against the Cleveland Cavaliers is taken out of the equation, that record falls to 1-13.
“Unfortunately, we had the injuries that slowed us down. I thought the start of the year was really, really good for us, offensively and defensively, and I thought there was a lot of development going on for us from that point, hopefully following the all-star break, have everybody healthy so we’re going to be able to make next step for us,” said Rajakovic.
“I believe that our best basketball is ahead of us and not behind us. But overall, I think winning 32 games out of (the) first 55 I think it’s really good for us and something that gives us a lot of encouragement to continue building on it.”
Toronto leads sixth place Philadelphia by a game and half at the break, while it trails fourth place, aforementioned, Cleveland by two games, but the Cavaliers are the hottest team in the East at the break winners of six in a row.
Detroit, who leads the entire NBA with a (40-13) record, manhandled the Raptors 113-95 Wednesday night.
Defending champion Oklahoma City, led by Hamilton’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (currently injured), is the best in the west at (42-14).
The Thunder lead second place San Antonio by three games, but the Spurs have won six in a row at the unofficial midway point.
Toronto returns from the all-star break next Thursday against Chicago.
The Raptors opponents over their final 27 games of the regular season hold a combined .504 winning-percentage.
So will they continue their promising play, or come back down to earth where most so called experts and pundits predicted they would be at the start of the season?
Only time will tell.
“I told players they should recharge their batteries, disconnect for a moment, mentally and physically, and then all of us are really excited to come back and to continue building what we have going on, but it’s gonna be a really good refreshment for us,” Rajakovic added.
Rod Mawhood is a lifelong Niagara native who has had the pleasure of working in all three mediums – Radio, Print and TV – for over 20 years. His first announcing gig was with the then St. Catharines Stompers. Since then he’s worked in radio and TV in Toronto, and currently is the announcer for the Niagara IceDogs and Niagara River Lions.
Rod also covers the Buffalo Bills for FOX Sports and the Buffalo Sabres for NBC Sports.
