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Lowry, DeRozan headline the Raptors’ NBA 2K16 ratings

By Kevin Nimmock

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By now, NBA 2K16 has been played by most gaming hoops fans. Beyond providing a chance to take to the court as your favourite players, the game also offers somewhat of a predictive look ahead at the upcoming season. To start, every player is given a rating out of 100, based on how the game developers perceived their skills in a variety of areas. The players that receive the highest grades are thus deemed most likely to succeed. So, it is nice to know the Toronto Raptors have three players who rank in the top 10 at their various positions.

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Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan and DeMarre Carroll each received solid scores by 2K. While the game correctly noted that the Raptors do not have a superstar on the roster, the team does have a solid group of meaningful contributors. This means that balance will once again be the name of the game for the Toronto Raptors, as they look to advance past the first-round of the playoffs after two years of brutal losses.

In the game, Lowry received an 83 overall rating, pitting him 9th among point guards. This is probably fair for the pugnacious guard, considering the league’s wealth at the position. Directly above him on the list sit Derrick Rose (84), Mike Conley (85) and Damian Lillard (86). Despite his solid ranking, Lowry has a legitimate chance to increase his league-wide reputation this year. He has slimmed down over the summer, giving him the body of an All-Star. Plus, with DeMarre Carroll in the folds, he now has another great passing option to build up assists.

DeMar DeRozan earned an identical grade. His 83 overall put him 6th among shooting guards, indicative of how shallow that position is in today’s NBA. Admittedly, this grade may be a tad friendly, with DeRozan posting slightly worse stats this past season than the year before. Still, it is hard to argue that he isn’t better than the guys below him. Monta Elis (81), Victor Oladipo (80) and Bradley Beal (80) round out this list. After suffering the most significant injury of his career last year, this season marks a great opportunity for DeRozan to get back into the All-Star conversation with his fellow guard.

Finally, DeMarre Carroll earned a 79 overall, giving him the last spot on the top 10 list of small forwards. This also seems to be a fair rating for Carroll, who has never had the chance to truly shine. That will change this year, when the gritty forward takes on a major role within the Raptors’ rotation. For now, he is stuck behind Giannis Antetokounmpo (79), Andrew Wiggins (80) and Rudy Gay (83).

Going into the regular season, the Raptors are going to be looking to exceed expectations, which certainly dipped after last season’s sweep at the hands of the Washington Wizards. Among the players, Lowry, DeRozan and Carroll will be the team’s leaders on and off the court.

Do you think the 2K ratings are fair?

Next: Eastern Conference look ahead

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