Week five saw the Toronto Raptors finish with a strong 3-0 record as they faced off against three Eastern Conference opponents. What five Raptor performances stood out the most from this week?
With what looks to be the last week the Toronto Raptors will be without Serge Ibaka, players had one more week to show that they can be key contributors to the team with the extra touches and playing time.
Their first matchup was against the Charlotte Hornets, a team that many people declared the worst team in the NBA heading into the regular season. However, despite their minimal expectations, the Hornets are 6-11 and have proven to be a gritty, hard-working team capable of making life difficult for their opponents. The Raptors, however, made quick work of them, defeating them by 36 points.
Their second matchup was against a familiar foe in the Orlando Magic. A matchup that has witnessed the Raptors win their last five contests, dating back to the 2019 playoffs. A few unfortunate breaks hit the Magic as both Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon suffered sprained ankles and were sidelined for the rest of the game.
Their final matchup was against the Atlanta Hawks and 21-year old phenom Trae Young. Without John Collins, the Hawks still gave them a valiant fight, but in the end, the Toronto rallied and won the game late in the fourth quarter.
So yet another week has gone by and the Raptors have looked more and more impressive. This 3-0 week now pushes their record to 11-4, tied for second in the Eastern Conference. With the way this team has been racking up wins, big performances have not been hard to come by this season.
With that being said, what were the top five Raptor performances from week five?