Toronto Raptors: Fred VanVleet has hilarious quote about unlucky 2020

Fred VanVleet and the Toronto Raptors are currently buying a drink at the Last Chance Saloon, as their chase for the play-in tournament is hanging by a thread after a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Perhaps the most frustrating thing about this season is the fact that the Raptors have come agonizingly close to a much better record.

VanVleet, who is seeing his scoring reach new heights this year, hasn’t been able to rescue the Raptors from the nearly impossible situations that they have been thrust into this season. The league’s only Canadian team playing in Tampa has ruined one of the best home-court advantages in the sport.

The Raptors still have a positive net rating, meaning that they are scoring more than they are allowing. Somehow, they have converted that into a 27-39 record that will in all likelihood end up with them picking in the Top 10 in the NBA Draft. VanVleet knows that the Raptors are better than what the record says.

After the Clippers game, VanVleet called the Raptors “the best worst team of all-time.” The Raptors might miss the playoffs, but the stats show they are not as dysfunctional as some teams with similar records.

Fred VanVleet knows what bad luck the Toronto Raptors have had.

The Raptors have an expected win-loss record of 34-32 this season, a record that would currently be good for eighth place in the East and one game out of sixth place. Instead of gearing up for the postseason, Toronto is one loss away from seeing their playoff hopes completely evaporate.

The Raptors have seen Pascal Siakam replicate his solid performance on offense once again, watched the likes of VanVleet, Malachi Flynn, and Gary Trent Jr. become quality scorers, and helped Khem Birch become a starting center in this league. Against all odds, that hasn’t translated into a ton of Ws.

Toronto ranks 18th in points scored and 13th in points allowed this season, which is not bad by any stretch given the tidal wave of bad luck that crashed ashore of the Tampa Bay waters this season. This team should be around .500 when you look at their numbers, but a few bad bounces here and there have ruined them.

VanVleet knows that playing home games in Tampa, losing several star players at one time due to COVID-19, and all of the other assorted trappings of this very unusual season have ruined Toronto’s chances of being successful this year. Hopefully, with a return to normalcy, the Toronto Raptors put an end to this nightmare next year.