Toronto Raptors: Three Players who must step up in Orlando
By Jason Mills
The NBA season is set to resume in 10 days and the Toronto Raptors are the reigning champions. To remain the best in the NBA, the Toronto Raptors will need three players to bring their top game to the bubble in Orlando.
There are three players the Toronto Raptors will need to step up their games in Orlando when the NBA season resumes on July 31st, 2020. Its been a great followup season to their championship success in 2019 having lost the NBA Finals MVP, in Kawhi Leonard, and another starter, in Danny Green, both to free-agency.
In their absence, OG Anunoby has become a solid two-way player, Norman Powell has emerged as a productive sixth-man, and Terence Davis has been a positive revelation as an undrafted rookie. The team has suffered multiple injuries to all their key players, except for OG Anunoby, but the team kept finding ways to win amassing 46 victories against just 18 losses.
Often overlooked by the sports media in America, the Toronto Raptors have been a perennial contender for the NBA title for seven consecutive years including 2020. There is a real chance that the Raptors could repeat as the NBA Champion to many people’s surprise although the facts suggest it should not be shocking.
Four more wins, in Orlando, and the Raptors achieve a fifth consecutive 50 win season. 2020 could be the Raptors’ fifth consecutive season playing into the second-round or later in the NBA Playoffs.
There are flaws that the opposition could expose. The Raptors are ranked 14th offensively this season and were held to a season-low 76 points against the Miami Heat earlier this season. Injuries to almost every key player have been concerning, although the team is healthy now. A lack of size at the power-forward spot has been concerning as well. However, the Raptors persevere.
If their dominance is to continue this season, the Toronto Raptors need the following three players to step up in Orlando: