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Have the Toronto Raptors fallen apart after hitting a high level as a team, or were they just not that good in the first place? That's the question they need to ask themselves after completing a season that was superficially historic for their franchise, but more muddled beneath the surface.
For a while, it looked like Toronto, not Atlanta, would step into the East's power vacuum. The Raptors raced to the top of the East standings in November and maintained their pace in December despite DeMar DeRozan's injury. In their first game after the All-Star break, they stormed into the Hawks' arena and blew them out by 25 to move to 37-17.
But Toronto collapsed down the stretch, going 12-16 to finish the year and only beating one winning team (Houston, without Dwight Howard, Donatas Motiejunas and Terrence Jones). All-Star starter Kyle Lowry wore down and is recovering from a back injury, DeRozan kept flinging errant mid-range jumpers and Jonas Valanciunas failed to develop. The roster looks a lot like last year's, but the feeling is different.
Luckily, the Raptors were gifted a kind playoff draw: A Wizards team they've dominated the last two years, followed by a Hawks team they beat three out of four time. Can they regain their early-season form, or are they just not that good? More importantly, how much should management even weigh the team's postseason result when answering that question?
How they beat you
With an explosive offense featuring shot-making guards, excellent floor spacers and wings that can work inside for free throws. Their ball screen game is difficult to stop. Lowry, Greivis Vasquez and Lou Williams are all threats to pull up from anywhere and are equally good spotting up off each other. They usually get screens from Patrick Patterson or Amir Johnson, both of whom are crafty and turn themselves into threats when they roll to the rim or pop to the perimeter (Patterson's specialty). None of these players are scheme-busters like Stephen Curry, of course, but collectively they can demoralize a defense in five-possession spurts.
The Raptors have added more misdirection and motion into their offense over the years. You wouldn't have seen something this free-flowing as often in years past.
