Toronto Raptors
The 2020-21 Toronto (er, Tampa) Raptors season can be defined by the fact that for the first time in a long time they did not overachieve.
What did we learn?
It’s tough playing over 1,300 miles away from home. (No surprise there.)
Pascal Siakam got off to a very slow start, the complete opposite of the beginning of the 2019-20 season when he looked like a potential MVP candidate and earned his first All-Star selection. This time around, Spicy P was mild, a continuation from the bubble where he struggled mightily. The league has figured out that putting smaller defenders with speed on Siakam is the way to stymy him.
The loss of not one but two backbones in Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka in free agency did have a considerable impact on this team. Spacing is required to maximize Siakam and OG Anunoby, who are somewhat limited scorers in the half court, at their best in transition. The floor spacing and shooting options were also narrowed without 3-and-D bigs Gasol and Ibaka, and the defense took a drastic step backward from 2nd in the NBA last season to 15th this year. Less stops on D equaled fewer transition opportunities. The Raptors in the half court were no bueno.
Nick Nurse was figuring things out in February, commencing the month with an 11-3 record by playing more small-ball. Then a run in with the protocols halted ALL momentum. Positive ‘Rona tests sent a bunch of the coaching staff (including Nick Nurse) into isolation and contact tracing put key cog starters Siakam, Anunoby and Fred VanVleet on the shelf for nearly three weeks. The Raptors won one game in the entire month of March. That’s right. ONE game.
It turned into a lost season for the Raptors real quick. But even lost seasons have their bright spots:
There was the random Tuesday night in early February when Freddy V dropped a new-franchise record 54 points on the Magic that included an immaculate 11-of-14 shooting from 3. VanVleet was once a Kyle Lowry protege, but sometimes the student becomes the master.
Speaking of big booty, Kyle Lowry was not traded by Masai Ujiri even though we all thought he would be, including Lowry himself. In his last game of the season — and in what could still be his last in a Raptors uniform — Lowry dropped 37 points (without FVV, Anunoby and Chris Boucher) on the Lakers in LA on a Sunday night in early May, stunning Staples Center in a game the Lakers really needed to win.
Chris Boucher… bonjour! Boucher led the entire team in Win Shares this season despite only playing 24 minutes per game. We could not figure out why it took Nurse so long to start him. Boucher’s Net Rating was off the charts, 16 games (out of 60) with a plus-minus of +10 or more.
OG Anunoby’s offense has continued to improve every season he’s been in the league. We previously mentioned Anunoby as somewhat limited in the half court, but he’s expanding those limitations in a big way, hitting 39.8 percent from 3 on 6.1 attempts per game was a huge step in the right direction.
There was the 53-point shellacking the Raptors handed the Warriors in early April, letting out all of their March demons at once, followed up by Gary Trent’s buzzer beater to take down the Wizards the very next game.
When Nick Nurse rolled out those small-ball lineups that really worked in February, DeAndre’ Bembry saw a lot more playing time as a helpful contributor off the bench and fill-in starter when needed.
Malachi Flynn, hello! They got something there. Man’s can shoot and likes to! A walking heat check off the bench is never a bad thing to have around.
There is a ready-made core here that can compete next season: FVV, Siakam, Anunoby and Boucher (and Flynn!). Add in the #4 pick, bring back Gary Trent Jr. and with an excellent coach in the Eastern Conference, Toronto should back in the playoffs in no time.
So even if it was a lost season for the Raptors, there is plenty of reason for optimism as they finally head back home to strike back and become invigorated overachievers once again.
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Did our preseason Over/Under prediction hit?
Over 41.5 wins. The Raptors always overachieve!
Raptors 2020-21 Record: (27-45)
Nope, our preseason Over/Under prediction did not hit. The Raptors did not overachieve this time around.
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What’s Next?
The Raptors were due for some good fortune and moved all the way up to #4 in the lottery. Rumor has it they will likely either move up or down, but put us in the camp that believes that Jalen Suggs would suffice just fine.
Kyle Lowry, should he stay or should he go? It really might just be best for everybody to move on. But if he stays, that’s great, too! Lowry will forever and always be a Toronto Raptor.
A restricted free agent, retaining Gary Trent Jr. should be a priority for Masai Ujiri. Speaking of, Masai is in the last year of his contract.
The Aron Baynes Experiment was a failure with a capital F, but the Khem Birch acquisition at the deadline was a grand success. Hopefully Raptors fans enjoyed getting to yell, “KHEM BIRCH!!!” A Canadian native, Birch on the Raptors makes too much sense. We recommend waiving Baynes and re-signing Birch.
Siakam underwent surgery on a torn labrum in his left shoulder at the beginning of June which will likely keep him out of training camp and cause him to miss the beginning of the season.
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Favorite Raptors Highlight from the 2020-21 Season:
From undrafted to NBA Champion to franchise-record holder and most points ever by an undrafted player, what a glow up it has been for the man from Rockford, Illinois.
