Who are the Toronto Raptors biggest competitors for seeding this season?

The Rest

The teams previously mentioned are the main contenders to Toronto, but teams such as the Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers, and Brooklyn Nets will likely be in the playoffs as well, and if all of the stars align, could always make a push for a top-4 position.

The issue with most of these teams is an overall lack of depth and big game experience, and the only real circumstance in which one of these squads could finish higher than the Raptors would be if Toronto is met with serious health issues throughout the course of the season.

Brooklyn seemingly has the highest ceiling out of this tier of teams, but their success will come down to Kyrie’s ability to put a team on his shoulders, and considering he wasn’t able to get it done in Boston (with a much better surrounding cast), the odds of Brooklyn making a push for the top of the standings this season are low.

The Verdict: Although the Magic, Pacers and Nets (and the Pistons to a lesser extent) are solid teams, they don’t pose much of a threat in terms of seeding for the Raptors. As long as the Raptors take care of their own business and remain healthy, there shouldn’t be much of an issue.