Toronto Raptors: 3 factors that could determine team’s success

As we get closer to the start of the 2020-21 season that will have its challenges, here are three things to watch with the Toronto Raptors.

As we prepare for another Toronto Raptors season, there are many factors that will determine how the team’s success.

There will be some new faces and similar challenges for Toronto going into this season and we break down three key things to watch for that will be crucial to the team’s success and potential failure.

Adjustment of playing in Tampa

As most know by now, the Raptors won’t be playing their home games in Toronto this coming season due to the Canadian government’s restrictions on travel because of COVID-19.

The alternate location that has been chosen is Tampa Bay which poses some questions. The first and foremost to me is the team not being able to take advantage of the amenities that come with playing at home. By this, I don’t mean the fans in the arena.

Most teams won’t have fans present, and even the ones who do aren’t likely to swing a game too much if at all. I’m more talking about everyday life. Things like living spaces, are players going to have to buy or rent a place in Tampa?

What about players who want to see their families, they likely won’t be able to have some of their closest family members make the trip. Even little things, like leaning on their favourite Toronto food spots, or activities, home amenities etc. all won’t be available to them.

That in my opinion will be an adjustment. The living situation in Tampa will also be interesting. How close is their living space to the practice facility? Or the arena? These things are more concerning to me than the lack of “home court advantage” that fans traditionally view as the on-court advantages that come with playing in their own arena.