The NBA’s unconventional 2020-21 season is all set to begin Tuesday night. As the Toronto Raptors gear up to play their first game Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans (7:30 p.m., TSN), the sports media in the U.S. seem cautiously optimistic of the Raptors’ success this season.
Here are some opinions from the experts down south:
ESPN has the Raptors ranked No. 11 heading into the season, predicting a 42-30 record in the shortened 72-game season.
It is remarkable to think back to how Toronto was perceived before winning the title — back when it was jokingly referred to as “LeBronto” after numerous losses to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs,” Tim Bontemps writes. “Now, Toronto is seen as one of the league’s most mentally tough and resilient teams. To remain in the mix atop the East, they’ll need all that, and then some.
Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today gave the Raptors’ chances a solid B, hinting at a possible Lowry trade in the near future if the team stumbles:
Toronto was intent, for the most part, on running it back with Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby and (Fred) VanVleet while adding on the edges. The Raptors will see how the season starts and then determine what moves are necessary — try to make another deep run in the playoffs or look to trade assets such as Lowry, who is entering the final season of his (contract).
Jonathan Tjarks of The Ringer said he was confident OG Anunoby, who signed a $72 million contract extension Monday, will be the player with the biggest breakout season in the NBA:
If we shouldn’t have written off the Raptors after losing Kawhi Leonard, then we definitely shouldn’t write them off after losing Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol. Let’s not forget their best lineups in the playoffs were with Anunoby at the 5 . . . he’s finally playing at his natural position in the modern game. Sounds like a breakout season to me.
Sopan Deb of the New York Times wrote that the Raptors might be the toughest team to peg:
Pascal Siakam’s stock took a dive after his performance in the playoffs, and replacing Ibaka with the combination of (Aron) Baynes and (Alex) Len might not be enough. Kyle Lowry turns 35 this season. Toronto was knocked out of the playoffs in the second round and didn’t upgrade much in talent. Even so, the Raptors are never to be counted out.
Danny Leroux of The Athletic pegged the Raptors’ over/under win total at 41.5 wins in this shortened season, or about 47 wins in a regular year:
The Raptors were one of the league’s best regular-season teams a year ago, and while losing Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol hurts, they are still talented and well coached. Expect the Raptors to handle the bottom-feeders and take their fair share against strong teams too, so this over is my favorite on the East board. Toronto’s offensive shortcomings make a Finals run less likely, so hammering the over is likely better than shifting some resources in other directions.
Sam Quinn of CBS Sports has the “over” on 42.5 wins:
Yes, the losses of Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka hurt the interior defense. Yes, Kyle Lowry is another year older. Yes, the Raptors are the only team not playing in their home city this season, and yes, their bench is full of players you’ve never heard of. But do you really want to be the person to bet against the Raptors? Again? Toronto has hit its over nine years in a row. Vegas has never properly appreciated Lowry. It has no way of properly appreciating Nick Nurse.
Nick Crain of SlamOnline raised big questions about Raptors’ centre rotation and Siakam’s ability to pull through:
The Toronto Raptors are only one season removed from winning an NBA championship. While the roster looks a bit different now, they still have the talent to be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. The big questions are:
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- How productive will the center rotation be? After losing Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol, that rotation will be completely new.
- Can Pascal Siakam shake off the rust we saw in the bubble? As good of a player as he has the chance to be, that wasn’t his best stretch of basketball. How close is he to his ceiling?
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2020-12-22 14:38:54Z
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