Despite their current struggles, the Raptors only need to look to the 06-07 campaign for inspiration.
The current Toronto Raptors season bears a striking resemblance to a previous campaign that started poorly and ended with a division title. The question is, can the Raptors repeat the feat this season after an inauspicious start compared to high pre-season expectations?
Remember back at the start of the 2006-07 season? It was Bryan Colangelo's first full season as President and GM. He had retooled the entire roster including drafting Andrea Bargnani with the first overall pick. Similar to this season, expectations were high. This season, however, there was no 7-1 exhibition record as there was in 2006-07 to push fans hopes to a higher level. Fans were told that it would take some time and while some in Raptor nation are disappointed by the current 6-7 mark, there is still time, if some things fall into place.
Back in the division title winning campaign there was a slow start where the Raptors lost five straight on a west coast swing to slip to six games under .500. There were whispers about changes as they returned home and sputtered to a 7-14 record after the first quarter of the season before turning things around. This season has started the same way and the question is 'How do they turn it around?' Two words come to mind, effort and focus.
But there are also some differences in this team that are in stark contrast to the divisional title squad. For the about face to happen it is going to take a tough minded approach and maximum effort from the entire team. One of the main contributors with some of the attitude to lend to the mix, Jermaine O'Neal, is currently hurt, the same way Chris Bosh was in the early part of December 2006. The turning point in 2006 came with Bosh out of the lineup thanks to some key wins by the Raptors without their star. How did they do it? Mental resiliency and aggressive play proved to be the answer. But this time around the guy with the determination to lead the charge doesn't have the ball in his hands the way T.J. Ford did a couple of seasons ago, and that is where some players are going to have to find it in themselves to perform at a high level consistently.
Jose Calderon is now the man in charge. He not only has to improve his play defensively but he must present the impression that he is willing to attack opponents relentlessly with a ferocity bordering on mental instability. If you want a "take no prisoners mentality", then all you have to do is look at Kevin Garnett, whose intensity was such that with a double figure lead for the Celtics in the second half Sunday, he came out of a timeout and went and put his chest on Chris Bosh some 92 feet from the ball. Toronto was inbounding at the other end of the floor, yet KG bellied up on Bosh to defend him as if Toronto was about to travel the length of the court for a possible game winning shot. From a leadership standpoint, Calderon needs to help Bosh and O'Neal and do his share for teammates and the entire NBA to witness. He is standing squarely in the glare of the spotlight.
The Raptors still have reason to be optimistic looking back at 2006-07 as the example.
"This has nothing to do with the coach. The players need to hold themselves accountable," remarked a scout from an opposing team Sunday leaving the Air Canada Centre after watching and taking notes on the humbling loss suffered by Toronto at the hands of the Boston Celtics. "The Celtics are the top team in the NBA and Toronto is still in the mix in the east. We're not even a month into the season."
"There's Boston, then Cleveland and Detroit. Toronto is in the next group from (positions) 4-10 that have a chance to be a very good basketball team by the end of the year," he continued. "They have good players, a good coach and they are capable of going on a long winning streak at any point during the season."
In some cases when things are going poorly it's simply case of working harder. This may be one of those times for Toronto. While they are not going to win the division title as they did two seasons ago, this could turn out to be a case of déjà vu for Toronto with one caveat. A strong finish to the season only happens if the team demonstrates some grit and mental toughness.
