Raptors on a roll with Cavaliers in town
The Raptors had just won by the biggest margin in franchise history, continuing one of their most impressive runs ever, but all anyone could really think about was Monday’s home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The defending champs, a reeling group with three straight losses, are looking to make a statement against the team it beat in the conference final back in May.
Raptors head coach Dwane Casey had a laugh when questioned post- game Saturday about whether he liked the reality check the Cavs surely will provide coming now, while his club is riding high, pulverizing every opponent on offence.
“Is that a question? No. I’d rather be playing Toronto university. The schedule gives it to us. It’s coming. It’s going to be here. The schedule goes on,” Casey said.
“We’ve got some tough teams coming in and this team is tough, so you can’t relax in this league.”
Sure enough, instead of celebrating victory No. 6 in a row, a 128- 84 thrashing of the Atlanta Hawks, Casey went home and pored over tape of the Cavs late Saturday night.
“There’s a thin line between the penthouse and the outhouse in this league. It’s something that I never forget — I’ve been in it too long, seen too much, to understand what it takes and where things can go,” he said.
The demolition of Atlanta moved the Raptors up to third in the league in net rating (points scored per 100 possessions versus points allowed) behind only the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers. The team is scoring 113.8 points per 100 possessions, one of the gaudiest marks in years, and the defence has crept back up to the middle of the pack (16th, all stats before Sunday’s games).
“We’re increasing our defence. I feel like our defence has ( been) leading to offence,” Raps forward DeMarre Carroll said.
“We’re trusting each other and our bench is tops around. We got really good guys — Cory ( Joseph), T-Ross ( Terrence Ross), Pat (Patterson). Any given night you can’t just key in on DeMar ( DeRozan) and Kyle ( Lowry) and think you can beat the Raptors. We have numerous guys and that’s how you win basketball games — as a team, not just individually.”
All of a sudden, Toronto has become a true team, as Carroll says. Everyone is contributing, the isolation game has not been as prevalent, the ball is moving beautifully and the defensive positioning at the other end has been on more of a string as well.
We’ll see if that keeps up against a much better opponent — Atlanta was missing Paul Millsap, the Los Angeles Lakers were down two starters, the Memphis Grizzlies were missing most of the team, the Philadelphia 76ers didn’t have Joel Embiid, etc.
“They’re going to be a desperate team, we’re a desperate team, we’ve lost to them twice this season and we want to, kind of, show we’re a top team so we just have to get ready for the battle for Monday,” Carroll said.
I FEEL LIKE OUR DEFENCE HAS (BEEN) LEADING TO OFFENCE.