Welcome to the Weekly Rap, a resource for getting you caught up on what went down and what’s on the docket in Raptorland.
Best. Start. Ever.
Literally.
For the first time in franchise history, the Toronto Raptors have won six of their first seven games, and they’re showing no signs of slowing down.
The Raptors currently boast the league’s third-best offence (109.4 points per 100 possessions), seventh-best defence (99.9 points points allowed per 100 possessions) and third best net rating (9.5).
Impressive numbers for sure, but—as scary as the thought is for the rest of the league—there’s still room for improvement for this club.
Offensively, the ball movement hasn’t matched the level of whipping precision that it reached last season, a fact reflected in the team’s assist percentage of 51.1—a seven-percent drop from 2013-14. The Raptors have also been off the mark from beyond the arc more often than last season, shooting 31.5 percent from deep this year as compared to their 37.2 percent 2013-14 mark.
On the defensive end, Toronto could stand to tighten things up even more as they’re still allowing teams to shoot 46 percent from the field, a slight bump from the 45 percent they allowed last season.
The club appears to improve with every game, and there’s good reason to believe that these issues will get resolved. So you’d better get used to seeing the Raptors at the top of the standings.
Record
6-1 (1st in Atlantic Division, 1st in Eastern Conference)
What happened?
What was learned?
Amir is Toronto’s anchor: In case it wasn’t obvious before, Amir Johnson is Toronto’s defensive anchor. In the three games he’s been forced to miss this season, opponents shot 51.2 percent from the field—a figure that has plummeted to 37.1 percent in Toronto’s last two games with Johnson back in the lineup. Johnson is both the team’s best rim protector and pick-and-roll disruptor, so it’s absolutely imperative that the Raptors keep him fresh. The lighter minutes load he’s seen since returning should help.
The Raptors know how to handle adversity: Last season, Toronto was one of the healthiest teams in the league, only losing an estimated 49 man games to injury. This season, they’ve already lost four man games, but have responded well in those contests. Before the season kicked off, coach Dwane Casey mentioned the true test for his team will be how it handles adversity. Considering the results so far, it’s pretty safe to say the Raptors are passing.
Upcoming slate
- Tuesday 7:30 pm – TOR vs ORL
- Thursday 8:00 pm – TOR vs CHI
- Saturday 7:30 pm – TOR vs UTA
Storylines to follow
Terrence Ross’s blooming confidence: Terrence Ross hasn’t had a great start to the season, but in his last two contests, the third-year man out of Washington appears to be picking up steam. Scoring 18 and 17 points, respectively, and shooting a scorching 61.5 percent from deep in those two games, Ross has been fantastic offensively, giving him renewed energy on the defensive end, where his best value still lies.
Will the Raptors be able to fight human nature? The Raptors current seven-game homestand features three games worth circling on the calendar. The first resulted in a 103-84 win over the Washington Wizards on Friday night, while the second and third are Toronto’s upcoming dates with the Chicago Bulls and Memphis Grizzlies. The Raptors will have no problems getting revved up to play those marquee matchups, but before those two games they host the Orlando Magic and Utah Jazz—teams that, on paper, the Raptors should handle. Will Toronto be able to fight human nature and stay focused on the task at hand against the Magic and Jazz?