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Toronto Raptors 2017-18 season forecast: another uphill battle

By Brian Boake

TORONTO, CANADA - OCTOBER 10: Toronto Raptors stand with arms locked what National Anthem is sung before the preseason game against the Detroit Pistons on October 10, 2017 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA - OCTOBER 10: Toronto Raptors stand with arms locked what National Anthem is sung before the preseason game against the Detroit Pistons on October 10, 2017 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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It’s finally here – the Raptors begin their 23rd season at home against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night. Here’s what we fans can expect.

The new NBA season opens for the Toronto Raptors tomorrow night. What can we expect from our gang?

The club’s President, Masai Ujiri, didn’t need to shift to Plan B in the summertime, because Plan A worked. The veteran players he wanted back, Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka, rejoined. As a result, a teardown forced upon him by free-agent defections wasn’t in the cards.

With those two and DeMar DeRozan on board, Masai’s core is in place. That’s a fine start, but not enough. Our leader knew the roster needed more shooting, and he brought veteran gunner C.J. Miles to town. It’s anyone’s guess as to whether he or Norman Powell will start at small forward. My preference would be Powell, because he’s younger, a remarkable athlete, and on a reasonable contract for the long haul.

The last starter is at center, where incumbent Jonas Valanciunas appears to have retained his role.

In short, the Raptors have three excellent veterans, a respectable placeholder, and a question mark as starters. Compare that with so many teams in the Eastern Conference, and we look robust.

The East is least

Who our team plays against most is critical. If the Raptors were in the West, they would be hard-pressed to grab the seventh or eighth seed. The Warriors, Thunder, Rockets, and Spurs are all going to be bashing their heads against each other, while upstarts like the T’Wolves, Blazers, Nuggets, and Clippers bang on the door.

In the East, there are five teams in contention: Cavaliers, Celtics, Wizards, Raptors and Bucks. Every one of those squads has a serious chance to sweep their season series against sad sacks like the Nets, Knicks, Pacers, Hawks and Bulls.

The Raptors record will be artificially inflated as a result. If our veterans perform as they should, i.e., piling up big leads against bad teams, two positive things will result: our elder statesmen like Lowry and Ibaka should enjoy sufficient rest, and our bench guys will receive considerable minutes.

TORONTO, CANADA – OCTOBER 10: Kyle Lowry
TORONTO, CANADA – OCTOBER 10: Kyle Lowry /

Bench – Lots of questions, not many answers

To me, that’s the key for this year’s Raptors. Can the bench hold up their end of the bargain? There’s not a lot to inspire confidence. Who are our top rotation guys at the moment? The useful but still raw Pascal Siakam, the shaky-shooting Delon Wright, a sophomore question mark named Jakob Poeltl, a rookie with significant health issues in OG Anunoby, Miles (assuming he doesn’t start), who can shoot like a dream but can be exploited on D…hmmm. For coach Dwane Casey, it’s not like the happy times of calling on Patrick Patterson or P.J. Tucker.

The second unit shouldn’t have to win games; a plus-minus of zero on many nights should suffice.

There you have it – a team with an enviable starting corps and an unproven bench. In this Conference, that looks like a record of 48-34, and a #4 seed. This isn’t going to be a championship season. Instead we can anticipate a solid 82 games, and a couple of playoff rounds.

What’s most important to me is which one of our kids emerges. If the Raptors can uncover a youthful star on the rise, next year’s forecast will be a lot more fun to write.

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