The Toronto Raptors have had a tumultuous week as they figure out their new identity following the NBA trade deadline. The week started with a surprise win over the Indiana Pacers, balancing the ledger after losing returning Pascal Siakam the week before. That win last Tuesday was followed by two competitive games against the Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors that ultimately ended in double-digit losses.
Finally, the Raptors beat the Charlotte Hornets while playing without several key players, signaling their intent to continue fighting in every game down the stretch. There are 21 games and five weeks left in the regular season and will decide whether Toronto still plays or goes on vacation once the clock strikes midnight of the season.
Let’s take a look at everything that happened and some of the best things written about Raptors basketball from the past week. It’s Tuesday, so it’s time for Raptors News!
The Toronto Raptors owe a protected top-6 first-round pick to the San Antonio Spurs following the Jakob Poeltl trade, and if their goal was to try to keep that pick, they’d be going through some roster shenanigans and alignment for tanking. Instead, even shorthanded, the Raptors are clearly doing their best to win basketball games.
Will that be enough to make the playoffs? They are currently 3.5 games behind the 10th-place Atlanta Hawks, and they will need to get past Atlanta and the Brooklyn Nets to qualify for the Play-In tournament. They will have to take advantage of a beaten schedule that awaits them, and one way to increase their chances is that head coach Darko Rajakovic rely on this strategic decision in future games.
