50-win season a worthy target
Considering loss of Lowry, reaching goal would boost morale going into playoffs
It was a year ago this week when the Toronto Raptors made franchise history by reaching 50 wins for the first time in 21 years.
The feat meant the world to DeMar DeRozan, the NBA all-star said at the time. And it was a good step for the franchise, coach Dwane Casey added. The Raptors finished with 56 regular-season victories in 2015-16.
Fast forward 12 months and the Raptors, with a 45-29 record after Monday’s win over the Orlando Magic, aren’t quite there yet. It’s still a target, though.
“It’s always good to win 50,” Casey said. “Hopefully more than that, but 50 is good to have. But the main thing I’ve always said is our improvement. We still have a ways to go, rhythm wise, offensively, guys recognizing stuff on the fly, new guys.”
The Raptors have eight games remaining to reach 50, with five against Eastern Conference teams currently holding down top 10 spots.
But given the injuries that have riddled the team this season, Toronto sees even being part of the 50-win conversation as something of an accomplishment in itself. No team in the East has reached that mark yet this season — Boston has 48 wins, Cleveland 47. Golden State, San Antonio and Houston have all surpassed 50 in the West.
“I think the organization’s been doing a great job building over the years and you can see it again this year, especially with everything that’s gone . . . we’re still right there to be a 50-win team,” guard Norm Powell said.
“The guys are playing together, the new guys are fitting in really great — P.J. (Tucker) and Serge (Ibaka) — so you can see how our team is still building with Kyle (Lowry) out. It’s just going to show how much better we get when he comes back.”
It was a month ago Tuesday that Lowry had surgery to correct a right wrist issue, which was expected to keep him out until the playoffs.
Casey said on Monday that the guard was “working his butt off” but wouldn’t get into what exactly Lowry was working on or where he is at in his recovery.
“That’s for him and the medical people to announce,” Casey said.
It will be a challenge to get Lowry time with his teammates as the Rap- tors have a number of days off coming up that are mandated by the collective bargaining agreement.
“We’re going to have to be really creative as far as getting some practice time and getting some ways to (have Lowry) practise with the team before he plays,” Casey said.
Monday’s weak defensive performance aside, the Raptors have had an impressive run without Lowry, prompting many to wonder what heights the team can reach once he is back in the rotation.
Casey is focussed more on the development of such players as secondyear guard Delon Wright and rookie big man Jakob Poeltl.
“I’m more worried about maintaining the play of our young guys,” he said, “because they’ve been up and down.”