Quote:
Originally Posted by Antithesis
It's cray that even in the midst of this run they are on, the Raptors haven't really separated themselves from the teams in their immediate vicinity.
Over the last 10 games, they have:
Gained 1 game on Chicago
Stayed even with Brooklyn
Gained 1 game on Washington
It has been a real blast to watch this team recently. Definitely looking forward to seeing how they can perform in the playoffs.
|
Yeah, I see this as being a great pressure situation for them, having a bunch of teams chasing them and playing at a high winning percentage, forcing them to never take a game off the rest of the way. Given that Toronto has a relatively easy schedule, they could otherwise fall into some bad habits.
Also, my take on likeability of individual Raptors:
DeRozan: I'm not a fan of his game, but his effort level and commitment to self-improvement is tremendous.
Lowry: My favorite guy on the Raptors, and possibly my favorite Raptor ever. His effort level has never been less than 100%, but he's understanding how to turn his effort level into a winning style of basketball.
Ross: Articulate, smart guy. His potential as a 3-and-D guy makes him one of the true 'championship pieces' on this team.
Valanciunas: His growth is a little slower than I hoped (although playing great since the all-star break and is beasting again today). But I don't see how Canadians can't love a basketball player who loves icefishing and bison meat.
Johnson: Gritty, lunchbucket guy who plays through more injuries than anyone else on the team, I suspect. His love of the city he plays in enough to make him likeable.
Fields: Meh. Nice guy, but is pretty-much broken as a player right now, due to factors beyond his control.
Hansborough: I don't really like him, but he's masterful at drawing fouls, and I love having that skillset on the team (wish Casey would take advantage of it more).