Depending on who you ask, the general consensus is that this year's Toronto Raptors have surprised many with their results so far. However, I’d argue there was also a lingering sense that they were built to surpass initial expectations. This is especially true considering the perceived openness of the Eastern Conference and the Raptors’ bold move to acquire Brandon Ingram. Plus, their significant investments in key players like Jakob Poeltl and Immanuel Quickley were clearly aimed at driving success.
So here we are, with the Raptors holding the fifth seed in a constantly topsy-turvy Eastern Conference. While I’m hopeful that Toronto will keep riding this wave of momentum toward the playoffs, I can't ignore the fact that the competition across the East has gotten a whole lot stronger since the trade deadline.
Rising East competition makes Toronto’s playoff path more demanding
Teams like the Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics, and New York Knicks were already pretty intimidating when we talk about threats in the Raptors' realm. All three made moves at the deadline that can help their dominant playoff cases, adding Kevin Huerter, Nikola Vucevic, and Jose Alvarado, respectively.
The Raptors, however, opted for a small-scale Trayce Jackson-Davis acquisition to address depth and get under the luxury tax. As noted here on Raptors Rapture before, maybe Jakob Poeltl’s return will turn out to be Toronto’s biggest win after the deadline, but we’ll have to wait and see.
Then there’s a team like Cleveland, whom the Raptors have had their number this season with a series sweep. But that version of Cleveland is different from who they could face in the playoffs. James Harden, as unpredictable and volatile as he can be, is now part of the mix. They also added Keon Ellis and short-lived Raptor Dennis Schroder, while Darius Garland, Lonzo Ball, and De'Andre Hunter are gone. We’ll see how that core shapes up come playoff time.
Furthermore, I still believe the Raptors have them beat, but I wouldn’t count out teams like the Atlanta Hawks or Charlotte Hornets either. Both are hungry to fight their way out of the play-in race and into the solid playoff team category, especially the Hornets who have been steamrolling as of late, going 9-1 in their last 10 games. Did I mention, the Cavs have also gone 9-1 in their last 10 as well?
Looking ahead to next year, the Raptors are likely to continue their pursuit of a coveted playoff spot once again. But there's the thought of Jayson Tatum returning for the Celtics, Tyrese Haliburton coming back for the Pacers, or how about a team that recently caught the eye of LeBron James — the Washington Wizards, with their uncertain star tandem of Trae Young and Anthony Davis?
I might be getting a little ahead of myself here, and maybe I am selling this Raptors team a bit short, but there are so many factors at play in the East that will shape Toronto's ambitious vision moving forward. The silver lining for Raptors fans, though, is that their team has already shown it can surpass expectations.