The Toronto Raptors are about to end their best ever season. Forty-eight wins could yet become 49 if they vanquish the New York Knicks tonight, and the feel-good vibes were radiating in full force on Monday when DeMar DeRozan unveiled the franchise’s second-ever Atlantic Division Championship banner.
The basketball game that followed that spectacle saw the Raptors run the Milwaukee Bucks out of the gym without DeRozan, who was being rested by coach Dwane Casey.
It was a no brainer as DeRozan is tied for third in the league in minutes per game (38.4) and has played the second-most total (2994) behind Kevin Durant (3076).
The All Star is about to make his first appearance in the playoffs as the big dance returns to Toronto this weekend for the first time since 2008. It’s the reward for a season in which his team blew even the most optimistic projections away. And while a near 50-win season is great, it won’t mean anything by the time game one rolls around.
One gets the feeling that this group wouldn’t have it any other way.
| Rank | Team | Previous | |
| 1 |  |
This season has been a resounding success for a Spurs team that gets written off (relatively) every summer. Manu Ginobili has looked fresh after not participating in international play and the 36-year-old’s renaissance as the leader of his team’s elite bench has been great. He’s made people forget about his abject Finals performance last year. |
1 |
| 2 |  |
The Clippers have managed to fly under the radar despite boasting two legitimate MVP candidates and being one of the top three teams in the league. Getting Danny Granger back and having J.J. Redick settle in a bit more would be the cherries on top of the proverbial sundae. |
2 |
| 3 |  |
Title contenders? The Thunder lost to Tyreke Evans and a band of journeymen on Monday. Another loss Wednesday night against the Pistons could allow the Clippers to sneak into second place in the West. |
3 |
| 4 |  |
The Heat gambled by resting their stars in a loss against the Wizards, allowing the Pacers to grab the East’s top seed. Time will tell if it was a wise move so late in the season. |
4 |
| 5 |  |
The Rockets have home-court advantage against the Blazers, who they went 3-1 against this year. Houston has a better defensive system than their opponents and their stars shine brighter. This should be one of the more entertaining first-round series. |
5 |
| 6 |  |
Well, the Pacers got their wish and locked up the first seed in the conference. Their reward is a matchup against the Hawks, who have given them trouble. Indiana went 2-2 against Atlanta this year and needed six games to dispatch them in the playoffs last season. |
11 |
| 7 |  |
It’s been a tumultuous, but above-all successful season in Oakland. Win No. 50 was secured against Minnesota on Monday, leaving the Warriors on course to play the Clippers in the first round. |
6 |
| 8 |  |
The Blazers head to Houston for the first round and must like their chances. Patrick Beverley and Dwight Howard are far from 100 percent and they’re the Rockets most likely to draw Portland’s two best players. |
8 |
| 9 |  |
Tonight’s game against the Grizzlies is extremely important, as the loser will have the pleasure of playing the best team in the league, the Spurs, in the first round. Dallas recently went into Oklahoma City and eviscerated the Thunder, and you get the feeling that playing Kevin Durant’s group is their preference. |
7 |
| 10 |  |
The franchise record for wins has already been set but tonight’s tilt against the Knicks is important for securing the third seed. Playoff basketball returns to the city of Toronto this weekend. |
9 |
| 11 |  |
The unwavering belief in the Bulls’ locker room is admirable. Joakim Noah is convinced his team can win a title and who can begrudge him that? Some MVP votes and an All-NBA Team appearance await him. |
10 |
| 12 |  |
As mentioned earlier, tonight’s ‘winner avoids the Spurs’ game is must-see television. Get your popcorn ready. |
13 |
| 13 |  |
Mason Plumlee has done a great job but imagine, for a second, if Brook Lopez had stayed healthy. The Nets might not be looking at a five seed and a tough road series against the Bulls or Raptors. |
14 |
| 14 |  |
Chris Douglas-Roberts’ return to the league was one of the feel-good stories of the season. CDR hit a game-winner on Monday in Atlanta to keep the Bobcats rolling. Charlotte has won seven of eight. You’ve been warned, Miami. |
15 |
| 15 |  |
The Wizards look set for a date against the Raptors in the first round of the playoffs. John Wall and Bradley Beal playing against Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan should be quite entertaining. |
16 |
| 16 |  |
Take a bow, Phoenix. The Suns were the neutrals’ choice this season as most fans would have loved to see this group in the playoffs. A 47-win season is nothing to sneeze at, though, just ask the Eastern Conference. |
15 |
| 17 |  |
The Hawks snuck into the playoffs and won’t hate their chances against the Pacers. This is the seventh-straight season the Hawks have qualified for the big dance. |
17 |
| 18 |  |
If the Timberwolves beat the Jazz tonight they’ll finish 41-41, giving the franchise its first .500-or-better season since 2004-05—when a guy named Kevin Garnett was still around. |
20 |
| 19 |  |
Mike Woodson recently suggested that the Knicks’ season would have been different if Andrea Bargnani had stayed healthy, claiming the Italian was a “big piece of the puzzle.” An incomplete puzzle of a giant goose egg? |
18 |
| 20 |  |
The hoopla surrounding Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters and Josh Gordon overshadowed a rather dismal end to the season in Cleveland. But hey, at least Luol Deng is a good person, right? |
19 |
| 21 |  |
For the first time in more than a decade, the Nuggets won’t be appearing in the playoffs. It’s hard to remember that Denver had a franchise-record 57 wins last year. |
22 |
| 22 |  |
Tyreke Evans exploded for a career-high 41 points, nine rebounds and eight assists to help the under-staffed Pelicans roll over the Thunder on Monday. This was the player the New Orleans’ brass thought they were getting when acquired him in a three-team deal. |
21 |
| 23 |  |
DeMarcus Cousins is suspended for the Kings’ final game, but that shouldn’t spoil his spectacular season. Cousins’s coming out party and the news that the Kings are staying in Sacramento for the foreseeable future should give hope to a franchise that hasn’t had any in a long, long time. |
24 |
| 24 |  |
Tonight’s finale against Indiana might be a chance for the Magic to end their season on a winning note. Let’s just hope they don’t do this again. |
25 |
| 25 |  |
It’s been known for a while now that Joe Dumars’ last roll of the dice wasn’t a seven. In fact, calling it snake eyes would be a compliment. After failing to lead Detroit out of the basement, Dumars is out. And that should be great news for Pistons fans. |
26 |
| 26 |  |
A ‘Keep Pau Gasol’ chant reveberated through the Staples Center as Nick Young dropped 41 points to lead the Lakers over the Jazz on Monday. Mike D’Antoni then had to explain why his team went all out for a win in his post-game comments. One truly bizarre season comes to an end in Tinseltown. |
23 |
| 27 |  |
In a forgettable season in Beantown, it’s worth remembering the impact Jared Sullinger had. In just his second year in the league, Sullinger averaged 13.3 points and 8.1 rebounds and showcased an ever-expanding offensive range. |
27 |
| 28 |  |
The Jazz have had troubled scoring all season and it’s reflected in their 29th-ranked offence. They’ll be hoping an NBA-ready scorer, say Jabari Parker, is available when they pick. He’d fit right in with this group. |
28 |
| 29 |  |
A dismal season in Philadelphia will come to an end as the Sixers get the chance to record a win against a Heat team that will likely be without its best players. It would be their second win in a row, actually. Streak! |
29 |
| 30 |  |
As the lowly Bucks secure the most Ping Pong balls in the draft lottery, it’s worth remembering what their owner, Senator Herb Kohl, said ahead of the season. It was something along the lines of not tanking. He really fooled us! |
30 |