Toronto Raptors: Big takeaways from first four games in the bubble
Humbling loss to Boston was a much needed hiccup
One loss through their first four games isn’t a reason to panic, but it might be a necessary hiccup for the Toronto Raptors.
The last time the Raptors lost a game prior to their Aug. 8 contest against the Boston Celtics came March. 1 in Denver. As you can tell it’s been a while since the team’s truly had a bad game.
It sounds strange to say, but there really isn’t a better time for the Raptors to take a gut punch like they did Friday and come back from it. These seeding games aren’t just an opportunity to get the rust off, they’re also an opportunity to have your flaws exposed and make sure all the holes in the ship are patched up before the postseason.
If this loss had come in the team’s seventh or eighth seeding game, it might be more cause for concern. However, everyone can take a deep breath and remain calm.
After Toronto’s loss Friday, head coach Nick Nurse shared his thoughts:
Nurse: "The only thing I learned (tonight) is we've got to get a couple of our guys playing a little better. I'm not really concerned about the main guys but there's a couple guys that need to play a little better since the restart. I'm glad we still have 4 games."
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) August 8, 2020
It sounds like as the team heads into its final four seeding games, now is the time to really vamp up the play. In our previous slide, we mentioned a trio of players who the Raptors need more from and they’re likely who Nurse is referencing.
If you thought the first four games flew by, well the next four will probably go by even faster. This is the time for the Toronto Raptors to continue to make mistakes, but also to really get locked in for the postseason.
The loss Friday against the Boston Celtics was ugly. However, it could prove to be a great learning opportunity in the long run.