Deep Sixed: Raptors eliminated from post-season, but optimism is high

It was intended to be a season of building, without lofty expectations.

And when the clock ticked down on Toronto’s season on Thursday, done in by a horrible 132-97 rout by Philadelphia in Game 6 of their opening-round playoff series, the Scotiabank Arena crowd serenaded the Raptors with chants of “Let’s go Raptors!” and a standing ovation.

Optimism is high among fans for a young squad that showed flashes of brilliance. The team, which was playing with house money after digging a 3-0 playoff series hole, is optimistic as well.

“It’s weird to be in such an up-in-the-air season where nobody thought you were going to be any good, but you know you are good, it was kind of free basketball so to speak,” veteran guard Fred VanVleet said.

Added guard Gary Trent Jr.: “We’re barely scratching the surface of what we can do, what we can become.”

After losing perennial allstar Kyle Lowry to Miami last summer, most picked Toronto for a play-in berth at best.

But building around two allstars in VanVleet and Pascal Siakam, and bolstering the lineup by drafting rookie Scottie Barnes, a superstar in the making, the Raptors won 48 games in the regular-season to clinch the No. 5 seed, and won a league-best 14 of 18 games down the stretch.

VanVleet said the team will carry loftier expectations into next season.

“Well, it’s time. It’s time now,” said the 28-year-old, who missed Games 5 and 6 with a strained hip flexor. “That’s about as much building as we all want to do. We have the pieces and now how do you put those pieces together? Can you add a few pieces around the board and then how do you make it work?

“I think we can definitely get better within without adding anything.”