Sitting at 27-15, the Toronto Raptors are officially over the half way point of the 82 game season. On the surface, winning 27 out of 42 games is quite a feat and projects to a pretty great record at the end of the season. Unfortunately, projections do not take into account their torrid start and their recent lapses. As a long-time Raptor fan, I would love to see them win 54 or more games. Nothing would make me more happy than having them top the Eastern Conference, but realistically, I expect them to end up with 50 ± 1 wins.
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With the Dinos doing fantastically well up until a small blip a few weeks back, what really happened? The team is still the same, if not a lot better now that DeMar DeRozan has returned. The coaching staff hasn’t changed, and as far as we can tell, there is no disconnect in the locker room. My theory involves the Western Conference road trip from December 27 – January 4, in which the Raptors went 2-3 (I am not counting the game against the Chicago Bulls because of the Christmas holiday immediately afterwards).
The Western Conference road trip was the first real test the Raptors have had to face. With the World Junior Hockey Tournament occupying the ACC, the Raptors had their first long road trip. Plus, it was against quality Western Conference opponents. The trip started out well, with a big win against the LA Clippers, followed by a win against the Denver Nuggets on the tail end of a back-to-back. Spirits were high and even major sports media outlets were proclaiming that the Raptors were for real.
Then came a heartbreaking loss against the Portland Trailblazers, a game that saw the Dinos leading until near the end, a big loss against the Golden State Warriors, the best team in the NBA, and a final loss against the Phoenix Suns. Before this road trip, the Raptors were doing exceptionally well (22-7), but despite the record, there was always an asterisk due to the weakness of the Eastern Conference and the team’s heavy home schedule (17 of the 29 games up until this point were at home).
So, what has happened? This is all conjecture at this point but I fear that the issue with the team is all mental. Until the Western Conference road trip, the Raptors had their fair share of naysayers, but it wasn’t until the losses against quality opponents that the team started believing what is said about them. That they are a good team, but by no means are they exceptional. Since the road trip, they have gone 3-4, giving up leads late in the game or playing with a very flat and more iso-heavy strategy. The game on Jan. 19 against the Milwaukee Bucks, although entertaining, should not have been that close. The excitement on the face of James Johnson when Lou Williams stole the ball to end the game speaks to the necessity of the win.
Will this win turn the page on what has been a difficult month? For the Raptors to succeed, they need to play solid defense, an area the team has regressed in dramatically since last season. They must also continue piling on points through ball movement. The Raptors have been most successful when everyone is contributing. We do not possess a superstar, and we do not need one. What we need is to rediscover the chemistry and consistent effort that made us such a threat AND joy to watch.
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