Toronto Raptors dominant November key to season-long success

Outlier Performances

There were some performances from the Toronto Raptors in November that could be considered outlier performances, for either good or bad reasons. One good outlier performance was when the team defeated the Sixers 101-96 in Toronto. The biggest reason they were able to secure a victory was their spectacular defense on Joel Embiid.

Embiid scored zero points in 32 minutes on the floor, missing all of his on 11 shots and turning it over four times. Beyond Embiid, the entire Raptors defense had a great night against Philly. Toronto held the Sixers to 40-percent shooting and caused 16 turnovers.

Another game that was outlier performance for the team was when they lost to the L.A. Clippers 98-88. Even though the Clippers are a favorite to win the West, the Raptors had every chance to earn a victory. Toronto managed to hold L.A. to 37-percent shooting from the field and 22-percent from three. They also forced 19 turnovers and had a lead going into the fourth. But in the fourth quarter, everything fell apart.

Toronto only scored 10 points in the final frame as the offense struggled to produce down the stretch. Yes, it was the second night of a back-to-back, but that is still a game that you can find a way to grind out. The Raptors are usually good at finishing games, but they seemed to run out of gas that night.

November has been a challenging, but a triumphant month for the Toronto Raptors. They overcame a rash of injuries, as the reserves stepped up and played extremely well. They finished the month with a record of 14-4 and now sit as the two-seed in the Eastern Conference. Another year, another fast start for the team up North.

It is important for the team to keep up the momentum as they head into December. If Toronto can get healthy and find their chemistry next month, they can really make an impact in the Eastern Conference.