Raptors: Despite Vote of Confidence, Casey Must Deliver for Toronto
Despite receiving a vote of confidence from general manager Masai Ujiri this week, Toronto Raptors head coach Dwane Casey needs to deliver in Round 1.
A new franchise record for wins in a season, the highest winning percentage in a season for any Toronto sports team, the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. The list of accolades achieved by Dwane Casey’s Toronto Raptors this year is impressive, but let’s face it, it will all be forgotten if they suffer another early exit in the NBA Playoffs.
This team is far cry from the one that was swept by the Washington Wizards 12 months ago, however. Aside from James Johnson‘s sporadic playing time, just about everything with the Raptors is different.
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Kyle Lowry is a bona fide threat on every possession, DeMar DeRozan‘s game has evolved from a jump-shooter to a more complete scorer, Norman Powell has developed into a serviceable option, the rotation is more set in stone. To sum it all, the Raptors’ have grown up.
Very quietly, though, head coach Casey has experienced the most growth this season. After last year’s first-round exit, Casey decided to shake things up by changing his assistant coaches. Out were Bill Bayno and Tom Sterner, in were Andy Greer, Rex Kalamian and Jerry Stackhouse.
Looking back on it now, that move has paid dividends for both Casey and the Raptors. On the court, we witnessed the growth of Lowry and DeRozan this season. Once considered to be only an above average backcourt, the duo is now described as one of, if not the best, backcourts in the Eastern Conference.
Casey most certainly deserves some credit for this. Elevating your best players into superstars is no easy task. Look at Alvin Gentry in New Orleans. He was supposed to elevate Anthony Davis this year, much like Steve Kerr did with Steph Curry and the Warriors. Things didn’t exactly go as planned in the Big Easy, though.
Meanwhile, in Toronto, Casey has not only helped the development of Lowry and DeRozan, he’s also helped develop the team culture and chemistry. This team plays hard every night and has been a joy to watch, which is another thing Casey deserves credit for.
The sad part about all this of however, is if the Raptors lose to the Pacers in Round 1, all Casey’s great accomplishments this season will be forgotten. Fans will call for his removal and his seat will become extremely hot.
Fair or not, professional sports is a bottom line business. That’s why it’s time for the 58-year-old Indianapolis, Indiana native to deliver for the Raptors.
He’s helped the Raptors develop into one of the most consistent teams in the Eastern Conference, but now it’s on him to find a way to translate that consistency into postseason success.
Next: Winning is the Only Thing for the Raptors
His players respect him, general manager Masai Ujiri has publicly given him a vote of confidence, and he’ll surely be a Coach of the Year Candidate. Now it’s time for Casey to show why he’s the right guy for the Raptors.