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Toronto Raptors Trying To Seize Eastern Conference

By Ti Windisch

Feb 24, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry (7) celebrates after making a three-point shot against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Timberwolves 114-105. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 24, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry (7) celebrates after making a three-point shot against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Timberwolves 114-105. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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They don’t have the experience, the star power, or the respect they deserve, but the Toronto Raptors are closing in on the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Toronto Raptors get no love. Toronto is currently one game behind the Cleveland Cavaliers, with a better conference record and a better record in their last 10 games.

The Raptors also have the edge in the head-to-head record, winning two of the three games these two teams played. That hasn’t stopped the general NBA community from assuming that the Cavaliers will represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals.

Having LeBron James in the postseason is a huge advantage that will help Cleveland, but this regular season is vitally important to the King. Losing their home-court advantage to Toronto is a worst-case scenario for the Cavaliers.

Having to play that extra game in an away arena in any town is tough, but having to go to an entirely different country takes things to another level. It’s not just the North though–these Raptors have come to play this year.

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That starts with Kyle Lowry. Lowry has been the best player in the Eastern Conference this season according to wins added and value over replacement player, and he’s having by far the finest season in his 10-year career.

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Lowry is averaging 21.9 points, 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds and an NBA-leading 2.2 steals per game this season. He and Stephen Curry are the only players in the Association to average 21/6/5 and shoot 39 percent or better from three-point territory this season.

Curry is obviously the better shooter, but Lowry’s defense is far and away better than Curry’s. And despite Curry being the obvious NBA MVP, Lowry has been very nearly as important to the Raptors as Curry is to the Golden State Warriors.

Lowry may be the most important Raptor, but he isn’t the only one doing work. DeMar DeRozan is having the most efficient season of his NBA career, and like Lowry he’s scoring more per game than he ever has.

DeRozan is averaging 23.8 points, 4.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game. Toronto’s leading scorer may be entering unrestricted free agency this summer, but DeRozan has made it clear that he’s looking to stay with the Raptors.

Lowry and DeRozan have quickly emerged as the NBA’s best bromance, and the second-best backcourt. Those two are the only Raptors to score more than 12 points per game this season. They’ll be the key to Toronto’s success–or failure–this year.

Feb 2, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Toronto Raptors center Bismack Biyombo (8) blocks the shot of Phoenix Suns guard Sonny Weems in the closing seconds of the game at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Raptors defeated the Suns 104-97. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 2, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Toronto Raptors center Bismack Biyombo (8) blocks the shot of Phoenix Suns guard Sonny Weems in the closing seconds of the game at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Raptors defeated the Suns 104-97. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Although DeRozan will likely stick around with the Toronto Raptors, teammate Bismack Biyombo is more likely to test the market. Biyombo was signed to a bargain one-year deal with a player option, but with the salary cap and Biyombo’s stock as high as they both are there’s no way he’s opting in.

Biyombo is offensively limited to say the least, but he’s a terrific rebounder and defensive center. As the failed Greg Monroe signing in Milwaukee demonstrates, that kind of center is more likely to thrive in the modern NBA.

Traditional paint-clogging, low-post centers change the flow of the game. For a high-flying team like the Raptors, having an efficient monster on both ends opens the floor for DeRozan and Lowry to let loose.

Biyombo is the that guy–he’s currently sitting with an offensive rating of 117 to go along with his defensive rating of 101, both top-five marks on the overachieving Raptors.

The crazy thing about Toronto is that they’ve been this damn good without two starters for significant chunks of the season. DeMarre Carroll was the Raptors’ big addition this offseason, and he’s played just 23 games this year.

Jonas Valanciunas is one of just four Toronto Raptors to have a better offensive rating than his backup, Biyombo. Unfortunately Valanciunas is also fighting injuries, again, and has played in 48 of Toronto’s 69 games.

The good news for Toronto is twofold. The Raptors have been nearly as good as the Cavaliers this season, even without those key contributors.

Even more importantly, both of those players seem likely to return to action sometime this month. Getting Valanciunas and Carroll back into the fold before the postseason will be huge for Toronto, although it looks like the Raptors seed will be determined mostly without those two.

Cleveland has the easier schedule of the two teams going forward, but Toronto seems to hold the momentum. While constant stories about problems in the Cavaliers locker room have surfaced recently, Toronto has been quiet.

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The Toronto Raptors probably don’t mind that too much. They’ll continue to let their play do the talking as they try to erase the pain of last postseason’s sweep at the hands of the Washington Wizards.

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