Hoops Habit
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NBA Teams Getting Hot at the Perfect Time

By Maxwell Ogden

Mar 1, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets Kemba Walker (15) celebrates with guard Courtney Lee (1) after a score in the second half against the Phoenix Suns at Time Warner Cable Arena. The Hornets defeated the Suns 126-92. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 1, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets Kemba Walker (15) celebrates with guard Courtney Lee (1) after a score in the second half against the Phoenix Suns at Time Warner Cable Arena. The Hornets defeated the Suns 126-92. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 14, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry (7) talks with forward Patrick Patterson (54) and guard DeMar DeRozan (10) and guard Norman Powell (24) and forward Jason Thompson (1) during the first half against the Chicago Bulls at Air Canada Centre. The Bulls beat the Raptors 109-107. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 14, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry (7) talks with forward Patrick Patterson (54) and guard DeMar DeRozan (10) and guard Norman Powell (24) and forward Jason Thompson (1) during the first half against the Chicago Bulls at Air Canada Centre. The Bulls beat the Raptors 109-107. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /

Toronto Raptors

Record: 47-21

Last 10: 8-2

Key Statistic: 26-6 since Jan. 4 loss to Cleveland Cavaliers

Current Streak: 12-3

It hasn’t been spoken about enough. While LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers seemingly have control of the Eastern Conference, the Toronto Raptors are just 2.0 games back of the heavy favorites for the No. 1 seed.

You can credit Toronto’s recent stretch of 12 wins in 15 games for it’s resurgence, but it’s been playing at a contending level for quite some time.

Toronto is No. 1 in the NBA in points via drives per game, and by a massive margin. Behind the efforts of All-Star shooting guard DeMar DeRozan, who’s No. 1 in the NBA in points via drives per game by a player, the Raptors have been able to exploit the opposition’s interior defense.

Toronto is also No. 3 in the NBA in free throw attempts per game, and shoots a highly efficient 78.6 percent from the charity stripe as a team.

That ability to create penetration and get to the free throw line should prove invaluable come the playoffs. It’s also worth noting that Toronto ranks in the top half of the NBA in 3-point field goals made per game, is No. 3 in 3-point field goal percentage, and checks in at No. 5 in points allowed per game.

So long as Kyle Lowry shows up and plays at his current level, the Raptors should be able to make it out of the first round for the first time since 2001.

Next: The Late Push, Part I