GM Ujiri: ‘We’re not underdogs anymore’
Raptors will find any motivation to win first-round series with Washington
Masai Ujiri didn’t have to hurl profanities to fire back. He just gave a wink and a nod to the last time he did, when his Toronto Raptors were greener and perhaps less sure of themselves; when he dropped that infamous f-bomb to announce the team’s arrival as a playoff contender and demand the respect of the NBA world.
One year later, here he was, general manager of the best-performing Raptors team ever, answering to disparaging comments from their firstround opponent’s veteran superstar, Paul Pierce of the Washington Wizards.
“I honestly don’t have enough money to respond to him,” said Ujiri, referring to how he was fined $25,000 for his “F--- Brooklyn” rallying cry last spring.
“But if I did have enough money,” he continued with a wry smile, “I think everybody knows how I would respond to it, and how the whole of Toronto would respond.”
The team GM spoke at a pre-playoffs news conference on Thursday, a sort of state of the union whose thrust was that, this time around, the Raptors are more confident, more experienced and readier for the first round, which begins with Game 1 against the Wizards at the Air Canada Centre on Saturday afternoon.
The Raptors wrapped up the regular season on Wednesday with their 49th win of the year, marking a new franchise victory record.
And while Toronto swept the Wizards in three games this year, the playoffs are a different beast altogether, as many members of this team now know, having fallen to Brooklyn in seven games last year, Ujiri said.
“Just being in the playoffs, it’s such a different season, the intensity and what’s at stake,” he said, adding that he believes team leaders like Kyle Lowry, Amir Johnson and DeMar DeRozan have a better understanding of that post-season mindset.
“Last year we were underdogs,” Ujiri said. “We’re not underdogs anymore.
“We want to play and we hope, going forward, this is normal for us and we’re excited about this time of the year.
“I love these guys. They’re fearless. They want to play. They want to go out and compete.”
Terrence Ross, Toronto’s starting shooting forward, is one of the players Ujiri said can be expected to perform better than the playoffs last year, when he averaged just five points per game and converted only 16.7 per cent of his three point shots.
“It must be one of the toughest things to go through as a young player, and Terrence went through it,” said Ujiri, referring to the hyped up atmosphere and intense pace of the playoffs. “We just want him to make a jump.” Ujiri added he hoped centre Jonas Valanciunas would also elevate his game against the Wizards’ formidable frontcourt, which features Marcin Gortat, Nene Hilario and Kris Humphries.
Another perceived challenge for the Raptors will be their ability to stop the speedy Wizards backcourt, anchored by point guard John Wall and linemate Bradley Beal.
Lowry, who addressed reporters after Ujiri along with DeRozan and coach Dwane Casey, said Wall is one of the most athletic point guards in the league, and that the series will bring added pressure on himself and DeRozan. “We got great teammates and they’re going to do their jobs and do what they have to do, but at the end of the day things are going to go through me and DeMar,” said Lowry.
One of those teammates that DeRozan readily praised was Lou Williams, who is regarded as a key difference-maker in his first season as a Raptor and could very well get the Sixth Man of the Year.
“It’s been incredible,” DeRozan said, describing the veteran as a much-needed scoring threat off the bench for the team.
“You’ll never see him down, and that’s a sign of a great vet. He keeps everybody’s spirit up . . . It makes you want to have fun.”
And so looking ahead to Saturday’s game, DeRozan said the team will come together and use any bit of motivation, whether it’s negativity in the press or chirps from their opponents.
“It’s just 15 guys and the names on our jerseys, and we play with pride,” he said.