Toronto may not be the mainstream media’s favorite team, but their quiet rise in key NBA metrics makes it hard to stay under the radar.
Since the 2025-26 campaign is still in its early stages, fluctuations in stats are expected. Not long ago, the Raptors led the NBA in team assists, and now they sit in third place behind the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks, who are tied for first. Being among the top in that category highlights the Raptors' ability to pass effectively, showcasing their unselfishness and abundant playmaking talent. However, another notable statistic stands out, seeing as the only other time Toronto achieved it was during their most iconic season.
At the time of writing, the Toronto Raptors are tied for fifth in the NBA in team field goal percentage at 49.8 percent, sharing the spot with the San Antonio Spurs. Ahead of them are the only four NBA teams surpassing the 50 percent mark: the Minnesota Timberwolves in fourth, the Milwaukee Bucks in third, the Los Angeles Lakers in second, and the Denver Nuggets leading the league with a 50.6 field goal shooting percentage.
As the team's PR team highlighted in a recent game notes release, the last time Raptors Nation saw their beloved team boast such a dominant percentage was at the start of the 2018-19 championship year. Also of note is that Toronto is one of eight teams shooting 49 percent or above this season.
Raptors' early shooting performance harks back to renowned 2019 year
Good news for Raptors fans is that Toronto does not seem to be slowing down on that front either, seeing as the release came before their November 15 showdown against the Indiana Pacers. With another strong win in the column, the Raptors finished the night with a 55.2 percent team field goal percentage. This definitely helped keep the team steady among the league's best in that category. As a matter of fact, in the Raptors' last three contests, all of which have been winning affairs, Toronto has a field goal percentage of 53.4 — only behind the Atlanta Hawks, who lead in that category at 53.8 percent.
With scoring threats from top to bottom, whether it's their starters or efficient bench cast (shout out Jamal Shead, Mamu, and the rookie CMB), things certainly look great, but it might not exactly be 2019 déjà vu. All things considered, Toronto still seems some significant steps away from raising another Larry O'Brien trophy.
However, when it comes to giving fans hope for a brighter future, Toronto has something strong going for them once again. The hope is that they can keep building on this momentum and aim for even bigger and better results.