TORONTO — In a perfect world Dwane Casey would fly so far under the radar the hype machine would need sonar to find him. His Toronto Raptors would be the objects of no buzz, no undue attention, no notice until the job was done.
Normally, that’s not a problem. The Canadian border and the fact Raptors appearances on U.S. television are few and far between help make sure of that.
Even as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, even with two all-stars in their lineup and even having hosted the NBA All-Star Game just two months ago, there is little fear of the Raptors being swept away on a wave of external expectations.
In the Eastern Conference there are LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, the always sexy Miami Heat, and the rest. The Raptors are firmly ensconced among the rest.
The truest test of where the greater basketball world view the Raptors?
When the NBA announces its playoff schedule you can bank on Toronto and whoever it plays being relegated to the first game of the post-season Saturday afternoon, airing before anyone who is not a Raptors fan has figured out the playoffs have started.
They might end up playing Detroit or Indiana or even the Charlotte Hornets, who the Raptors handled 96-90 at Air Canada Centre Tuesday night, a game made closer when Charlotte finished on a 16-6 run in the game’s final 3:32.
But it won’t matter who they play, really — the Raptors will be in the early playoff game, far from prime time.
Oh, and no one is happier about this than Casey. There is not a coach alive who relishes the role as favourite, of being the hot pick. Casey abhors it more than most.
Are the Raptors being overlooked a little bit given what they’ve accomplished this season so far?
“I hope so,” said Casey. “If you go to Vegas I don’t think anybody is going to have us favoured to win the East or how far they have us going, I don’t know. We’re going in as underdogs.”
Well, Vegas does have the Raptors’ title hopes at 25-1, which isn’t bad when you think about it.
Regardless, those in the know might be getting closer to calling Casey’s bluff. The Raptors’ standing in NBA circles may or may not have taken a significant jump when video of Casey’s post-game conversation with Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich began making the rounds on the Internet Tuesday after San Antonio’s hard-fought 102-95 win over the Raptors on Saturday.
According to The Spurs Zone Twitter account and countless online analysts, Popovich leaned in and said to Casey: “I think you guys are going to the Finals. I swear to God. No bulls—.” Or some version of that. There is little debate about the “I swear to God. No bulls—” part.
The rest is open for debate.
The essential words are spoken into Casey’s right ear, blocked from the camera’s view. Popovich could have said, “I think you guys are going to be late for your flight,” or, “I think you guys are frauds, frankly.” I mean, I can’t tell for sure. And of course Casey wasn’t shedding any light on anything. Why would he? If Popovich did endorse his team as the best in the Eastern Conference, what good does it do anyone? It could be construed as hype. Attention might be drawn. You can almost see Casey shudder at the thought.
“I don’t know what the conversation was about, ” said Casey, who was part of the conversation. “It was more us congratulating each other, ‘good luck,’ I don’t remember anything about us being in the Finals or whatever and if he did I’m sure he was pulling my leg if he said it, but that wasn’t the conversation.”
Fine. But what Popovich said is almost irrelevant. That his supposed comments could spread across the Twitterverse and elsewhere like a fast-moving brush fire is the significant part.
No one laughed. People splashed out quick context explaining why Coach Pop might be onto something about these upstart Raptors, and not all of them dwelled entirely on the fact that the Cleveland Cavaliers are a wannabe dynasty built on shifting sand and the always shaky Kyrie Irving.
But the Raptors can’t help it. Keep playing like they are and people are going to talk.
Their record, now 52-25, is one thing. But there is no doubt the likes of Popovich and anyone else watching closely would have to appreciate the way the Raptors are handling their business lately.
Against the Spurs they pushed the best or second-best team in the NBA to the limit on the second night of a back-to-back while sitting both DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry.
The win over Charlotte meant the Raptors have won the season series against six of the seven Eastern Conference teams currently in a playoff spot with a chance to make it a sweep of all seven if they win over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night.
Their longest losing streak all season is three games. They can defend. They can shoot. They haven’t let up even with their playoff position basically locked in for the past month.
“It’s consistency,” said Casey. “I think we’re taking steps towards playing a certain style of play each and every night where you don’t have to worry about being on this emotional roller coaster. We’re finding our identity on the defensive end. Are you going to stink some nights? Yes. Is it going to look good some nights? Yes. But we’re trying to get to that level where you can expect a certain style of play.”
Charlotte came into Toronto as one of the hottest teams in the league, having just finished going 12-3 in March. The Raptors were never really challenged. They were uncharacteristically abysmal from the three-point line, shooting just of 6-of-23, but it didn’t matter.
They held Charlotte – a vastly improved offensive club, though missing the play-making of Nic Batum (knee) – to just 37 per cent from the floor and led 26-16 after the first quarter, built their lead to 16 after three quarters and then held off various Hornet mini-surges down the stretch. That was bolstered by a 12-point fourth quarter by Kyle Lowry, who seemed fresh enough after watching his alma mater Villanova win the NCAA championship in Houston Monday night.
It was a pretty clear message sent to a team that could still end up as one of the East’s top-four seeds: The Raptors are prepared for all-comers.
It wasn’t all that different than what the Raptors did against Atlanta last week as the Hawks – the best defensive team in the NBA since the all-star break and the likely No.3 seed in the East – gave up 105 points to Toronto.
Their win against Charlotte improved the Raptors to 16-6 against the East’s playoff-bound teams and gave them their franchise record 30th win at home. They have a winning road record, too.
Casey is doing his best these days to seem unimpressed. He’s got no problem being an underdog.
“No question I’m comfortable with it,” he said. “Because we are.”
Sure coach. Even if Popovich didn’t officially blow the Raptors’ cover, it’s one that’s getting harder to keep all the time.