Toronto Raptors: Expectations for Raptors in 2020/21 season

What is the Toronto Raptors’ place in the Eastern Conference now?

The Toronto Raptors have been an elite team in the NBA’s Eastern Conference, finishing 2nd overall in the east the past two seasons. The Toronto Raptors’ dominance of the Eastern Conference appears to be at an end now.

The Brooklyn Nets have a healthy Kevin Durant and hopefully healthy and focused Kyrie Irving ready to compete. The Boston Celtics added Jeff Teague, a backup point guard, and Tristan Thompson, adding depth to a squad that was an Eastern Conference finalists in 2020.

The Miami Heat are likely to get better after an NBA Finals appearance in 2020. The Philadelphia 76ers have also made moves to strengthen their roster, adding Dwight Howard, Seth Curry, and Danny Green.

The Milwaukee Bucks have gotten better after a dominant 2019/20 campaign, trading for Jrue Holiday, while the Toronto Raptors have gotten weaker. Considering the changes made to the top teams in the Eastern Conference, the Toronto Raptors will be lucky to finish sixth in 2021.

This will mean beginning the 2021 playoffs on the road and a potential early exit in the first round. The one saving grace is that the entire 2020/21 season will be all road games for the Toronto Raptors playing in the Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay.

At least the team’s core members have the experience and know-how to overcome unfamiliar surroundings while trying to win games, and the 2020 NBA Florida bubble is an example. Unless the management team is willing to make more moves, such as trading Kyle Lowry,  to upgrade the team’s talent at other positions, 2021 and beyond could be a miserable time for the Raptors’ faithful.