Toronto Raptors
2015 Record: 49-33
Predicted W/L: 45-37
The Toronto Raptors appeared to be a team to be reckoned with when the 2015 season gathered steam. The Raptors had a young, athletic team and seemed to be versatile and deep enough to pose a real threat, especially in the Eastern Conference.
Kyle Lowry was the keys in the engine of a potent attack featuring two dunk contest contestants on each wing, a stretch-4 and one of the best young bigs in the Association.
DeMar DeRozan and Terrence Ross both bring shooting and finishing abilities, and the Raptors have about as good a 2-3 combo as any team in the East. DeRozan has been an All-Star, and Ross could be one too if he finds some form of consistency, though most of the talk so far has been about his “50-point game.”
Patrick Patterson has good range and is a functional role player at the 4 spot, while Jonas Valanciunas is reasonably every bit as valuable as guys who score more like Nikola Vucevic and Brook Lopez. The Raptors have a tough one in the middle, and he is going to be responsible for a lot of this team’s success.
But Toronto’s best players really are Lowry and Valanciunas.
DeMarre Carroll joins the picture, but it is easy to write off a lot of his signing on the basis of his 2015 postseason. Seeing Carroll give the Raptors depth would not be surprising, but expecting an All-Star season from the former Hawk is a bit lofty as well.
Bismack Biyombo could prove a rewarding signing, because he could eventually become the starting power forward, particularly if the Raptors go big. It also gave the squad enough confidence to part ways with Amir Johnson. Johnson had a huge impact on the Raptors, but going younger with a prospect only furthers this team’s chances to be sure.
The Raptors can rise pretty high on Lowry alone, who has flirted with becoming one of the best point guards no one notices (shout out to Mike Conley). Even as an All-Star, Lowry still has mostly flown under the NBA radar.
But if the Raptors are going to be legitimate contenders, it will be because Lowry has taken the step to being elite. He is hardly Chris Paul, but at times he does things even Paul cannot, not the least of which is taking over games defensively and grabbing key boards.
The Raptors have a lot of talent spread around the court, which ensures at least a .500 record, but is this really a team that can contend with Cleveland or Chicago?
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