Toronto Raptors: Best Season In Franchise History

The Toronto Raptors are tied with the Memphis Grizzlies as the second-youngest NBA franchise. Their inaugural campaign was the 1995-96 season, making this the Raptors’ 20th year in the league. Only the 13-year-old New Orleans Pelicans are younger.

Saying that this is the Raptors’ best season in franchise history may not carry quite as much weight as if that same statement were made about the Boston Celtics, but the best season in 20 years for any team is nothing to sneeze at.

To fully appreciate what the Raptors are doing this year a little historical context will help.

The Raptors are:

One of 11 teams that have not won an NBA championship.
One of nine teams that have not won a conference championship.
One of six teams that have not won their division more than twice.

The Raptors have:

The fourth-lowest winning percentage all-time (.425).
Qualified for the playoffs six times. Only New Orleans has qualified for the playoffs fewer times (five).
Made it to the second round of the playoffs once (2000-01).
Never won 50 or more games in a season.

Information from Basketball-Reference.com.

History In The Making

Kyle Lowry is just the fifth Raptor to be named an All-Star. Even missing fellow All-Star DeMar DeRozan for 21 games, Lowry has led the Raptors to their best start ever through 53 games. They are an astounding seven games better than any other past season.


Rk	Tm	Season	G	W ▾	L	W/L%
1	TOR	2014-15	53	36	17	.679
2	TOR	2001-02	53	29	24	.547
3	TOR	2006-07	53	29	24	.547
4	TOR	2007-08	53	29	24	.547
5	TOR	2009-10	53	29	24	.547
6	TOR	2013-14	53	29	24	.547

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 2/16/2015.

Last year’s 48-win team—which set the Raptors’ record for wins in a season—was 29-24 at this point. If the Raptors somehow managed to lose every single one of their remaining 29 games, it would still be the eighth-most wins in franchise history. In the awful East they might even still make the playoffs.

However, there is no foreseeable reason for the Raptors to go on a bizarre losing streak. Heading into the All-Star break, the Raptors have won eight of their last 10 and are in sole possession of second place in the Eastern Conference.

If their current winning percentage holds, the Raptors would win between 19 and 20 of their remaining 29 games. That would easily allow them to cross the 50-win threshold and finish with around 55 or 56 wins.

If the Raptors tail off the second half of the season and don’t win at the same pace, they would still only need to go 14-15 to post the first 50 win season in Toronto Raptors history. That is definitely happening.

The Raptors are also going to win the Atlantic division for the third time in their short history. This doesn’t count for as much as it could since the Atlantic Division is probably the worst division in the NBA. The Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks have won 22 games combined and Danny Ainge would prefer the Boston Celtics miss the playoffs.

Amazingly the Brooklyn Nets at 21-31—who put most of their team on the trading block—are only a game behind the Miami Heat for the last spot in the East. The Atlantic will probably be the only division that sends just one team to the playoffs.

May 4, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) comes off the court after a loss to the Brooklyn Nets in game seven of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at the Air Canada Centre. Brooklyn defeated Toronto 104-103. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports /

Postseason History?

Last year, the Raptors lost to the Nets in a seven-game first-round series. It was the first time Lowry had played a significant role in the playoffs. He averaged 38.7 minutes and 21.1 points per game, but struggled shooting the ball at 40.4 percent from the field for the series, per Basketball-Reference.com.

Lowry had a chance to win Game 7 in Toronto and send the Raptors to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since Vince Carter.

Even though Lowry was blocked by Paul Pierce and the Raptors lost in the first round, making the playoffs and standing up to Brooklyn’s veteran team galvanized both the organization and the fan base. “We the North” became not only a rallying cry for Raptors fans, but the “mentality” of the organization as Raptors’ CEO Tim Lieweke explained in an interview with USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt.

The offseason following that loss, Kyle Lowry re-signed with the Raptors for four years and $48 million. According to an interview with Grantland’s Jonathan Abrams, he had been “very open to leaving” and playing elsewhere, especially Houston. The sense of history as well as an appreciation for the love he received in Toronto was what convinced him to stay.

Lowry’s offseason conversation with Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri about Toronto versus Houston from Abrams.

“Kyle, what a place,” Ujiri said. “The momentum, if we ever got good here — it would be crazy. This place could be wild and you could be the start of that. Why would you want to go be one of three guys — a third guy — when you can start something big here?”

Spurred on by last season’s success and the unmet desire from losing in such a disappointing fashion, the Raptors have forced their way into the title contention conversation. They have the second highest offensive rating in the league according to Basketball-Reference.com, but their resume is far from perfect.

Defense is their most glaring weakness. Currently, they rank 20th in defensive rating. That doesn’t fit with the “defense wins championships” adage. In fact, only the championship winning 2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers made it to the Finals with a defensive rating worse than 17th, per Basketball-Reference.com.

While they might need to make a move at the trade deadline to shore up their defense, how far could they get just as they are?

On the surface of it, being the second seed in a weak Eastern Conference would give the Raptors a good chance of advancing to at least the second round and possibly their first trip to the Conference Finals.

However, their postseason history-making chances become a bit worrisome when you consider who their first round opponent would be.

As it currently stands, the Raptors would face the seventh seeded Charlotte Hornets in the first round. Match-ups are important in the playoffs and recent history suggests that the Raptors don’t match-up well against the Hornets.

Going back to last year, the Hornets have had the Raptors number.

	Team	Opponent
Rk	Date	Tm		Opp	Result	FG%	3P%	FT	FTA	FT%	PTS	FG%	3P%	FT	FTA	FT%	PTS
1	2013-11-06	TOR	@	CHA	L 90-92	.443	.438	13	15	.867	90	.493	.200	17	30	.567	92
2	2013-12-18	TOR		CHA	L 102-104 (OT)	.427	.231	14	20	.700	102	.457	.533	22	34	.647	104
3	2014-01-20	TOR	@	CHA	L 95-100	.411	.345	7	10	.700	95	.492	.563	27	33	.818	100
4	2015-01-08	TOR		CHO	L 95-103	.398	.323	19	25	.760	95	.477	.250	15	22	.682	103

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 2/16/2015.

Granted these games could each be dissected in detail, but the final result of every one of them being a loss for the Raptors is concerning. The Hornets are almost the exact opposite of the Raptors. Their defensive rating is seventh in the league, while their offensive rating is 29th, per Basketball-Reference.com.

The Raptors and Hornets have three games remaining against each other this year. There is still a lot of time before playoff seeding is set, but these matchups between the Raptors and Hornets may be worth monitoring:

If Toronto plays poorly in their remaining games against Charlotte and they happen to meet in the playoffs, a tough first round series could be looming, potentially an upset.

How much regular season success and failure against specific teams translates to the playoffs is debatable. The 2011 Grizzlies were accused of tanking their last two games to face the San Antonio Spurs because they had some regular season success against the Spurs and felt they matched-up well. The Grizzlies wound up completing the upset and winning the series.

If something similar occurred between the Hornets and Raptors it wouldn’t be completely unprecedented.

Feb 11, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry (7) shakes hands with guard Lou Williams (23) against the Washington Wizards at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Wizards 95-93. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /

Conclusion

The Raptors may have a fatal flaw in their defense. They might match up poorly with their potential first-round opponent. Historically they’ve never accomplished much. Despite their second-best record in the East and pushing their way into the title conversation, not many people outside of Toronto expect them to actually make the Finals.

So what is Lowry’s attitude about his season and the Raptor’s chances?

From Abrams,

“If you come to [a] game and you’re bringing your son — he might have never seen a basketball game — and you guys are sitting in the nosebleeds, I want your son to say, ‘Whoever No. 7 is played his hardest.’ Every single time. And he might have only seen me one time, but that one time he seen me, I’m going to play like it’s my last.”

“Why not us?” Lowry asks. “Why not go out there and play your butt off every night? Just give it your all.”

The Raptors are making history this year. How much history? That remains to be seen.

Next: The Greatest Player in Every Franchise's History

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