Raptors: Toronto starting to regress in latest NBA power rankings

The Toronto Raptors have had a bone to pick with the NBA power rankings during the early portion of this season. While most had them dead and buried after their 2-8 start, some outlets weren’t even ready to declare them one of the league’s best teams despite the fact that they managed to shoot up to the No. 4 seed in the crowded Eastern Conference.

The Raptors’ rapid rise to the top has been blunted over the last week, however. Not only did the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat take them down in games that reminded them how far they have to go before they can truly be considered contenders, but their season has been halted due to the league’s health and safety protocols.

Toronto has also seen the division rival New York Knicks leapfrog them in the standings, which has unfortunately seen them take another hit in the power rankings. Very few majors sites have the Raptors ranked in the Top 10.

NBA.com dropped the Raptors down to 14th overall, a decline from 12th in last week’s rankings, while CBS dropped them down from seventh to 14th. ESPN actually bumped them up to 13th this week, while Bleacher Report, the most complimentary outlet for Toronto, put the Raptors at 11th in the rankings.

The NBA power rankings say the Raptors are sliding

The Raptors lost against Philadelphia and Miami, but they did manage to take down the lackluster Houston Rockets despite playing that game without Pascal Siakam and a good chunk of their coaching staff. Despite those obstacles, the Raptors took the Christian Wood-less Rockets behind the woodshed.

Toronto could’ve used their game against the Chicago Bulls, another contender for the postseason competitive East, as a way to put their poor run of form behind them and overtake some competitors. Due to the league’s health protocols, unfortunately, that opportunity will have to wait.

Toronto has a game against the Detroit Pistons next on the docket before ending the first half of the season with a game against the rival Boston Celtics. While a win against lowly Detroit and a sliding Boston might not get them back into the Top 10, it could show that their losing ways are behind them.

Distancing themselves from their competition in the East is a difficult task, especially when the Raptors don’t normally win with tons of bluster and flair. It looks like Toronto will have to overcome plenty of doubters to establish themselves as contenders.