don’t get stung
With the East up for grabs, Raps’ Casey sees opportunity, but can’t slack on the road
With the calendar about to flip to 2018, the 2017 NBA season has been a year of the streak, teams taking turns by running off a lengthy stretch of wins to create separation from the rest of the pack.
Boston began the year by losing two straight, compounded by the injury loss to free-agent forward Gordon Hayward, but then the C’s were red hot in winning 16 in a row.
A double-digit run of success would be produced by Cleveland, while the Raptors have been the best in the league when playing at home and defending home court.
Now comes a back-toback set beginning Wednesday in Charlotte, followed by a home and home featuring Philadelphia and the unusual start time of a 5 p.m. tipoff at the ACC on Saturday, before another back-to-back awaits with a Boxing Day matchup in Dallas and then in Oklahoma City on Dec. 27.
Toronto has done a nice job of keeping pace with the Cavs and Celtics and the only way to match wins is by taking care of business, which is obvious.
The schedule, road dominated as it has been, will eventually turn with the Raptors playing a better calibre of opponent, but the team has to maintain its focus by not playing down to the level of the competition.
Charlotte, for example, is in transition with its head coach deal- ing with a health issue.
The Raptors’ record in Charlotte hasn’t been good and Kemba Walker, who wasn’t available to the Hornets when Charlotte visited Toronto late last month, is back and his offence has always been an issue for the Raptors.
Dwight Howard has been flexing his muscles of late and even called out the team during an ugly stretch that has seen Charlotte unable to win close games.
“I said this earlier,’’ Raptors head coach Dwane Casey said following Tuesday’s practice. “The East is up for grabs. From first to eight and whether it’s us, Cleveland, Boston, no one can take a week off or you’ll be feeling the pressure. Every game is important, which makes it a great conference race.”
By extension, every possession becomes important knowing one failed trip on offence or one missed assignment on defence could loom as the margin of difference.
Casey did his best to impart to his players the need to stay focused and bring that necessary mind set into games such as Charlotte and the Sixers, regardless of record.
“Whether it’s home or away, you have to make sure to take care of business because these games now will tell a story come April and May,’’ Casey continued.
There was a defining win in Houston, currently on a 13-game win streak, when Chris Paul was unavailable and games the Raptors had a chance to win in San Antonio and against the host Golden State Warriors.