Before the season began, the hype surrounding the eastern conference focused on two teams: The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls. The returns of LeBron James to Cleveland and Derrick Rose to Chicago dominated the headlines, and many pundits and experts tabbed the two as the odds-on favorites to win the East. There was one team that they seem to have forgotten in the discussion, and that team is the Toronto Raptors.
As it stands, the Raptors are in first place with a 9-2 record. They most recently knocked off the western conference leading Memphis Grizzlies, and have found a balanced scoring attack that has them fifth in the NBA in points scored per game. DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry, Terrence Ross, Jonas Valanciunas, and Louis Williams are all averaging double-digits, with DeRozan leading the way at 21.2 ppg. This all begs one question: Are the Toronto Raptors the best team in the East?
The statistics seem to indicate that they are the class of the conference. Averaging 106 ppg and giving up only 96.4 per game, they are one of only two teams in the top 10 in both categories. The other team, the Portland Trail Blazers, are also among the best teams in the NBA. The Raptors do not turn the ball over, at only 11 per game, and are third in the league in that category. They are efficient on offense, even if they are only 28th in the league in assists per game. The combination of more possessions and a balanced scoring attack makes their offense extremely potent, even if one of their stars has an off night.
DeMar DeRozan has seemingly made a leap after his involvement in team USA’s summer gold medal at the FIBA World Cup. The effect that playing for team USA has on an individual career dates back to the original Dream Team, and DeRozan appears to have benefited in the same way. His game is more complete, and he is leading the way in points scored, second in assists, and first in steals on the team. He is at his best attacking the basket, where he draws fouls and gets to the free throw line a team-high 8.7 times per game. His overall improvement has given the Raptors an added dimension on the wing, and has directly impacted the play of some of his teammates.
Depth is also not an issue for the Raptors. Player efficiency rating is a common and effective way to standardize performance, and right now the Raptors have 11 different players with a PER of over 10. The production on the bench has been adequate enough to survive early injuries to Valanciunas, with guys like Tyler Hansbrough and Patrick Patterson picking up the slack. Overall, the second unit has been a positive for the Raptors, helping them to be one of the deepest and most complete teams in the league.
Finally, the Raptors are a team that does not know the meaning of the word “quit.” No matter how much time is left in a game, and no matter the defecit, the Raptors keep coming. In one of their two losses this season, they trailed the Chicago Bulls by 18 with five minutes left, but cut the deficit to five several times before ultimately losing by seven. Their intensity and refusal to quit makes them a dangerous team, always capable of rallying for a victory. With a raucous crowd behind them, the Raptors are an extremely difficult team to knock off at home, and they have proven to be capable of winning on the road.
The only way to tell if the Raptors are the class of the eastern conference is to actually play out the season. However, at this early stage their continuity and desire to prove themselves has them ahead of the ailing Bulls and unfamiliar Cavaliers. If they can jump out to an early lead in the standings, there is no reason the Toronto Raptors can prove that they are indeed the best team in the eastern conference.