One-and-a-half players away.
That's how one NBA insider with a thorough understanding of the Toronto Raptors put it.
Not just one player away.
And that mystical half player is what has placed the Raptors in a truly devilish quandary as they straddle the blurry line between good team and who-knows-what-more-they-could-become.
It also makes for a fascinating study of what it's like to be considered a contender in an era when the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors are such heavy favorites to meet in a third consecutive NBA Finals.
The hope is real. The contending isn't.
It's too bad, because the Raptors make for a lovable underdog.
They've got two self-made stars in Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, guys who work for everything they have and whose drives are evident in the Raptors' 23-10 record—especially in the plus-145 scoring differential Toronto has accumulated during the fourth quarter this season thanks to the 13.6 points the two have combined to score in the quarter.
The two stars also love each other, which is the surest sign to believe in a team ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Kevin Ding
Raptors Dream Big, but NBA Reality Says Toronto’s Title Hopes May Be a Fantasy
January 3rd, 2017 by Kevin Ding Leave a reply »
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