Five things we’ve learned from the Toronto Raptors first half

Shocking to some, the Toronto Raptors sit third in the Eastern Conference halfway through the 2019-20 season. Here’s what we’ve learned.

The Toronto Raptors ended the first half of their season with a 29-14 record and the second-best defense in the NBA despite being healthy for about 10-percent of their games.

I was joined by Adam Corsair of the

South of the 6ix

podcast to discuss the five things we’ve taken away from the season thus far:

1. The Raptors have already exceeded this season’s expectations (25:30)

Coming into this year, no one really knew what was coming for the defending champs. With Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green finding their ways to the two teams in Los Angeles, it was easy to see the Raptors falling off.

However, with Pascal Siakam taking a leap forward, Kyle Lowry playing as if he’s 24 instead of 34, and the rest of the team rounding into form, they haven’t seemed to miss them all that much.

It’s safe to say that their record and place in the standings would be surprising even if they’d been fully healthy up until this point.

They seem destined for a top-four seed in the East and are even priming up to contend for the coveted number two spot.

2. This year’s Raptors team is more fun than last years (27:44)

Yes, the Raptors aren’t considered favourites for the championship this season. Yes, a team competing for a championship is inherently more fun to follow than a team just outside of that bubble.

However, there’s something more enjoyable about this iteration of the Raptors that just wasn’t there last season. The “prove you wrong” mentality, the rejuvenation of Lowry, the blossoming superstar in Siakam. There’s just a loveable magic to this team that wasn’t really present last season.

There’s no overlying anxiety that your team’s best player is going to leave in the offseason because there are three inches of snow on a mid-January afternoon.

3. The Raptors probably shouldn’t make a move at the deadline (31:30)

As you’d expect around this time of year, there’s plenty of rumours going around that “Team X” is trying to trade for “Player Y”. The Raptors have been one of the most talked-about teams in that regard.

Whether it’s the big men in Kevin Love and Andre Drummond or the wing 3 & D specialist in Robert Covington, the Raps seem to be tied to it all.

In theory, getting a player who can bolster this team’s offense seems like a good idea. But, how much better can it really get without sacrificing too much on the defensive end?

If the team’s looked this good when facing all the injuries they’ve faced, they should be more than fine when everyone’s back and on the same page.

4. Pascal Siakam is turning into a superstar (39:15)

He’s not quite there yet. But, he sure is as close as it gets.

Earlier in the season, Bill Simmons ranked him seventh on his “best players in the NBA” podcast. While as a Raptors fan, it’s hard to disagree, he’s simply not there yet.

He’s a perfect wing player in the modern NBA and only seems to be getting better as his career progresses. However, he still struggles at getting to the rim and his shot selection at times, but that will come with more experience.

He’s running in the right direction and is primed to jump into that “superstar” category in the very near future. Just look at the All-Star voting, he’s already getting the much-deserved fan support.

5. Nick Nurse is already one of the very best coaches (47:10)

Maybe he’s not on the same tier as the Gregg Popovich and Erik Spoelstra’s of the world, but Nick Nurse is approaching that level.

Fans may not agree with his obsession with Patrick McCaw, but what he’s been able to do with this Raptors team under these circumstances is impressive.

Whether it’s finding ways to motivate guys like Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Terence Davis or calling high school-esque defensive sets, he seems to be getting the most of the talent on this roster.

Nurse should be leading the discussion for the Coach of the Year award.