Raptors aiming to change playoff fortunes

TORONTO is trying ng to rewrite history, Cleveland has re-tooled e-tooled through trades and Boston’s s cooling off as the NBA enters the final nal seven weeks of the season following ng the annual AllStar break.

The Toronto Raptors aptors lead the Boston Celtics eltics in the Eastern Confernference by two games, mes, while the Houston Rockets sit atop the West with the best record in the league at 44-13.

The NBA regular ular season resumes today after ter Sunday’s entertaining All-Star Star Game which saw LeBron James score 29 points, including ng the goahead layup with h 34 seconds left, as his handpicked team rallied ied to beat Team Stephen n 148-145.

James’s Cleveland Cavali e r s s q u a r e o f f against the Wash Washington Wizards in one of six gam games today.

The Cavs are seeking to make the NBA finals for the fourth consecu consecutive season as they appear ap to have resurrected urre following a m i d - F e b r u a r y roster overhaul through trades. “C h a m p i o n - ships is wha what I play for,” said James, who is looking for his eighth straig straight finals appearance. “We jus just added four new guys before th the break, and we have a lot of w work to do. “Winning ch championships is what it’s all about about. That’s what this league is all abou about, and hopefully at the end of the road roa then I have the Cavs there to be in a fin finals representing the East.

“So that’s my goal. G Getting back,” he said at the All-Star Gam Game in Los Angeles at the weekend.

“I’m looking forward to getting back to our guys. I know they’re excited, and that’s going to be my mindset.”

The Raptors were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs last season after making it to the conference finals the year before.

In 2015 and 2014 they didn’t get past the first round.

Raptor ‘evolution’

“It’s an evolution of growth and making us a better team,” said Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan (pictured, AFP). “So I love it. Obviously it’s showing, and we’ve been winning at a high level this year.”

DeRozan said another reason for their success is the play of their younger guys coming off the bench.

“Our bench is everything,” he said. “Our bench gives us older guys an opportunity to not play in the fourth quarter and to rest.

“It’s great to be able to sit back and cheer those guys on while they go out there and pull out victories.”

The Celtics are 18-15 in their last 33 games after starting the season 22-4.

Veteran Al Horford, 31, said on Saturday in Los Angeles that the Celtics can’t afford to get ahead of themselves.

“What I try to emphasise to [teammates] is embracing the now,” centre Horford said.

“So I just think it’s embracing and taking advantage and doing the best you can with the group that you have.”

In the West, Houston has the best record in the league but sit just a halfgame ahead of the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors.

“We set a goal,” Rockets star guard James Harden said. “We wanted to be the best team and come out this year with the championship.

“We got the right group around us. You can’t guard us.”

The Rockets went into the All-Star break on a 10-game winning streak and this marks the first time in franchise history Houston is on top at the break.

“We got a long way to go but we are going to continue to try to get better and continue to grow and make a run in the playoffs,” Harden said.