Toronto Raptors improving but still building towards championship level
Toronto Raptors coach Dwayne Casey and President Masai Ujiri know the team have been improving, but not at the level they want to be at yet.
Sitting third in the Eastern Conference with a 15-7 record, the Toronto Raptors have made noticeable changes to their playing style this season and it has translated to more success.
Despite that, Dwayne Casey and Masai Ujiri know that there is still work to be done if the team wants to take the next step.
The Raptors head coach spoke with the media after practice and was asked about the challenge Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol presents and about the team’s recent play. Even though Toronto is on a four game winning streak, Casey was quick to point out that the Cleveland Cavaliers’ streak has reached 13 games.
Casey prefers to avoid talking about the Cavs, but he also knows that they are the measuring stick for any team in the East. The Raptors have been looking for consistency in their play and once they find that, then maybe their can be concrete discussions around competing.
The bench has been the biggest improvement this season, the starting lineup is starting to get things going thanks to the addition of OG Anunoby. Jakob Poeltl and Pascal Siakam are settling into their roles, while DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry have bought into moving the ball around.
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The big discussion this past offseason was the Raptors’ lack of success from beyond the arc especially in the playoffs. Casey and Ujiri preached that the team needed a culture reset and it has started to come through.
“Everybody talks about the three-ball,” Ujiri said in an appearance on Sportsnet 590, “but it’s more a concentration on moving the ball and man movement. We all know when the playoffs come the game slows down and you have to have other options.”
“We had to change it up. We had tried stuff for a few years, and we had some limited success. But especially with the young guys coming, with habits and how you want them to grow, this is the way to go.”
While there is no telling if the Raptors style of play will translate to success in the playoffs, seeing them make the necessary adjustments in the early stages of the season is a good start, which should please Ujiri.
The Raptors’ President said in the interview that he is encouraged by the progress made so far this season, but he knows the mentality needed to win a championship is to never be satisfied:
"“One of the things when I said culture reset was complacency. We can’t be complacent. We’re not good enough. We’ve not done anything to be complacent. We haven’t achieved anything. The goal is a championship and to build towards that. Not to make the playoffs, or be at the top of the East. Last year there was a level of complacency — from all of us … We have overcome that, and need to go out and challenge and compete.”"
This is a clear message that should motivate this group when things get tougher, later in the year. If they manage to win against Cleveland in the regular season, they should remember LeBron James can flip a switch and take over at any point.
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What do you think about the Toronto Raptors play this season? Is there reason to be optimistic, or is there some doubt about them being able to match up against the top teams in the league? Let us know in the comments.