Toronto Raptors: 6ix Takes – The Dinos bounce back after a tough stretch

TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 19: Head Coach Nick Nurse of the Toronto Raptors talks to an official during the second half of an NBA game against the Boston Celtics at Scotiabank Arena on October 19, 2018 in Toronto, 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. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 19: Head Coach Nick Nurse of the Toronto Raptors talks to an official during the second half of an NBA game against the Boston Celtics at Scotiabank Arena on October 19, 2018 in Toronto, 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. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors – Danny Green (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The Toronto Raptors are 16-4 and own the best record at the season’s quarter mark. All is good in Toronto…for now.

The NBA’s regular season, as we know, is an 82-game grind. Some teams battle all season long in hopes of sneaking into the postseason whereas others merely coast. The Toronto Raptors, if all goes well, will be able to slide into a top seeding in the Eastern Conference.

It’s been a remarkable first quarter of the season for Toronto. At 16-4, they possess the league’s best record and have done it with players constantly moving in, out, and around the lineup. It’s tough to find a deeper roster in the NBA at this point and hard to imagine Kawhi not wanting to be a part of this culture for the foreseeable future…… I know, still early…

However, putting the noisemakers and balloons down for just a second, last I checked, holding the league’s best record in November was a trophy-less accomplishment. Raptors fans should know more than most the importance of not putting too much stock into early season performances.

First place in the conference is great. Best record in the league is great. Home-court advantage is a thing, don’t let last season’s epic failure convince you otherwise (LeBron is gone, remember).

All that said, playing like the Showtime Lakers before Christmas is one thing, but Toronto’s final season grade will ultimately depend on whether they were able to dominate opponents once they began dissecting Toronto’s every move over the course of a seven-game series.

Then, and only then, will we know if this team truly was for real.