Toronto Raptors Need To Avoid Late-Season Slump

By Justin Rowan | Feb 29, 2016

Feb 8, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Toronto Raptors head coach Dwane Casey during the first quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /

Momentum can be a powerful ally, or a crippling anchor on your heels. The Toronto Raptors must avoid another late-season slide.

Last season the Toronto Raptors got off to what was the best start in franchise history at the time. Despite the absence of DeMar DeRozan midway through the season, the team stepped up and found a way to continue their winning ways. But after the All-Star break, things weren’t as sunny in the 6ix.

Worn down from the responsibilities he was carrying, Kyle Lowry‘s play dropped off dramatically as his points, assists and field goal percentage tumbled; his net rating went from plus-5.7 prior to the break to minus-2.7 after it. The team struggled to find continuity and their record of 36-17 heading into All Star weekend was followed by a 13-16 end to the year.

At the end of that disappointing stretch was a sweep in the opening round of the playoffs at the hands of the Washington Wizards, who managed to find their stride at the right time of the year.

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Now there was more to the Raptors’ playoff loss than how they closed out the season, but there’s no denying that the team looked disjointed and was not playing with the harmony required to excel in the postseason. Looking at the remaining games, it appears that the team will be facing a test down the stretch.

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Of the 24 remaining games, the Raptors will face 14 teams with winning records and six games that are in back-to-back situations. The Raptors will need to walk the fine line between resting players down the stretch to preserve their health, and jeopardizing the momentum they have built to this point.

The team only needs to go 11-13 to achieve the franchise’s first 50-win season, but it’s doubtful that the team would like to have a repeat of last season’s lackluster final stretch.

One of the most important things that the Raptors must do in order to close out this season on a strong note is to get back to the formula that’s given themselves so much success this season. Solid defense and a good offensive attack. Offense hasn’t been an issue lately, as in their last 10 games the Raptors have put up an impressive offensive rating of 113.5, first in the NBA over that time.

It’s their defense that is drawing reason for concern over that stretch, as they are 23rd in the league in defensive efficiency over their last 10 games. The team is starting to mimic who they were last season and are simply just trying to outscore the opposition. With their schedule becoming more difficult, this is not a formula that is conducive to a strong finish.

The team must rediscover its defensive identity and rededicate itself to a balanced style of play. If they cannot do that, they risk another slow finish to the season that could result in the team being vulnerable once the playoffs start.

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With the team having the best season in franchise history, it cannot risk leaving itself susceptible to another disappointing playoffs. They must show a sense of urgency in correcting their troubling habits that haven’t caught up to them yet, before they lose the momentum they’ve worked so hard to build.

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