In the eyes of many, the Toronto Raptors should already be going into seller mode and writing off the 2022-2023 season. However, the main prospects did not give up at the beginning of a long journey to the American West.
With a record of 21-27, Nick Nurse’s men sit 11th in the Eastern Conference. You’ll have virtually no margin for error at the end of the season to aim for a playoff spot.
Before hosting the New York Knicks on Sunday, the “Raps” hadn’t helped their cause by losing three straight games. However, a 125-116 win over the Big Apple team allowed them to head down to Sacramento on a positive note.
The leaders of Canada’s only Silver Tour team are looking forward to the seven-game road trip that lies ahead.
“This is an opportunity for us to grow, improve and come together as a group to see where we are,” said Fred VanVleet, author of a daily 28-point performance against the Knicks. Toronto Star”.
“I’m excited. I think our group is moving in the right direction. We’re getting closer with every game. We’ve been playing good basketball in the last few days. We just need to win more games and I believe we’ll do it .”
Depth put to the test
The Raptors have not been spared from injuries since the campaign began. Pascal Siakam, Scottie Barnes, OG Anunoby and VanVleet all went through the infirmary in 2022-2023. This is also one of the main reasons for the Toronto team’s lack of consistency in the first part of the calendar.
‘Raps’ main players are practically all healthy now, but that hasn’t stopped Nurse from continuing to give his bench players quality playtime. On Sunday against the Knicks, he sent a quintet of Barnes, Gary Trent Jr., Precious Achiuwa, Juancho Hernangomez and Chris Boucher into the fight after three quarters while the deadlock between the two teams continued.
This strategy paid off: The Raptors then took control of the game and drove to victory.
Photo Credit: Getty Images via AFP
“I think the last few weeks have been particularly difficult for me [les joueurs de banc], but they worked really hard, concluded Nurse. They did a great job around the basket on both sides of the field.
The Raptors begin their road trip in California, where they meet the Kings in Sacramento on Wednesday and the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco on Friday.
This trip could be crucial for the future of Toronto’s Siakam, VanVleet, Trent Jr. and Anunoby, whose names are increasingly circling the rumor mill.
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