3 Toronto Raptors who have exceeded expectations in solid start
By Mike Luciano
Pascal Siakam and the Toronto Raptors came into the season with the expectation of being a playoff team that could escape the entropy festival known as the play-in tournament, and that is exactly where Nick Nurse’s team finds themselves after 16 games.
Toronto stands at 9-7 despite multiple big names sustaining some serious injuries in the face of one of the league’s most grueling schedules. Even with names like Dalano Banton starting multiple games, the Raptors have found a way to keep reeling off wins.
While rivals like the 76ers and Nets are sputtering out of control thanks to some injuries and friction, Toronto has been able to pull off some victories against teams like the Heat despite so many players being impacted by injuries or a poor run of form. Given the circumstances, Toronto is doing alright.
These three Raptors, in particular, are doing much better than most of the preseason prognosticators guessed they would have been at this juncture. If this level of play can be replicated in what looks like a very trying portion of the schedule, Toronto should continue to make itself known as a legit force in the East.
3 Toronto Raptors who are exceeding expectations.
3. Christian Koloko
When Koloko was drafted, not a single soul would have been surprised if he was sent down to the G League to marinate until this coaching staff deemed him ready to produce. While injuries are part of the reason he’s stayed in the rotation, his post play has been exceptional at times.
Koloko has averaged 4.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game in his first few handfuls of NBA action. While that’s impressive enough by himself, his most important and influential accomplishment actually doesn’t show up in the box score.
Christian Koloko has been better than the Toronto Raptors expected.
Koloko has been such an effective rim protector that Toronto can afford to be as aggressive as possible, making their length and tenacity even more difficult to stop. Once the lightbulb turns on offensively, Koloko will really kick things up a notch.
With Banton now scoring 27 points in certain games, Masai Ujiri’s status as an elite drafter is only going to grow stronger with time. Koloko is off to a promising start for someone who was considered a project that wouldn’t see any minutes with the big club.