Toronto Raptors choose continuity to grow in 2017

Listen to the pundits talk about the Eastern Conference, and the Cleveland Cavaliers might as well punch their tickets to the Finals right now. The defending champions have all the momentum and all the star power to get back there and win. Watching them breeze through their first three games with lightness and confidence, it would be hard to argue.

The Cavaliers may very well waltz through the Eastern Conference again. The conference may have gotten better, but they are still the kings. Friday night though, served as a reminder that things will not be so easy. The Cleveland Cavaliers controlled the game throughout but could never pull away from the pesky Toronto Raptors.

The Toronto Raptors are more than pesky though. This is an established and strong team that has grown year after year, finally reaching the Eastern Conference Finals last season and pushing the Cavaliers to six games. In a league where so many teams made drastic changes and there is a sense that teams always have to “keep up with the Joneses,” the Raptors largely stood pat.

Toronto did not look at their Conference Finals run and decide, it is time to do something drastic to get over the top. They had faith in their core and their growth, and that they will have enough to overcome the Cavaliers and fend off the Boston Celtics and whoever else may come up.

That did not help them break through the narrative, so to speak. Nobody is willing to pick the Raptors over the Cavaliers. Maybe it will take another season of not taking that next step to bring change to the roster and discover their ceiling. Then again, it is hard not to watch the Raptors and be impressed.

Even in losing the Cavaliers — another team that made few changes to their roster after watching their competition make drastic transitions — the Raptors showed they were ready to stand up to their biggest rivals.

Toronto is already playing at a high level for this early in the season, and they will surely improve, particularly as they figure out who among Pascal Siakam and Jakob Poeltl can help fill the void Bismack Biyombo left behind.

The Raptors offense is humming like it did much of last year. DeMar DeRozan already looks in mid-season form, coming off screens and wedging his way into the defense with a strong mid-range game. He has scored 72 points in two games on 52.7 percent shooting, all without making a 3-pointer.

Jonas Valanciunas appears to have held onto the confidence he gained from the playoffs last year. Valanciunas neutralized Andre Drummond and kept the Pistons in foul trouble in Wednesday’s opener, and he was active offensively around the basket. Kyle Lowry has struggled from the floor — he is shooting less than 30 percent. Yet, the Raptors dominated the Detroit Pistons. And even with an average of just 92.9 points per 100 possessions against the Cavaliers, the Raptors still had a chance to win at the end.

Toronto is benefitting from the team’s familiarity. There were no major changes to the roster aside from losing Bismack Biyombo off the bench. They look like a team playing together and knowing exactly who fits where and when. That has gotten the Raptors out of the gate quickly and made them look every bit a threat to the Cavaliers. At least for now.

Continuity does have its advantages. It is not all about change.

You can see that in the way the Raptors work to get DeRozan efficient shots, despite his penchant for avoiding the 3-point line. You can see that in the way the Raptors get their shots and when they overwhelm their opponents. But that continuity shows itself most on defense, where Dwane Casey made his name with the Dallas Mavericks and helped the Raptors transform into a playoff team two years ago.

The Raptors entered this offseason facing the question of how does this team get better to get over the top? Conventional wisdom — particularly after struggling in the first two rounds — would have told them to push all in. Maybe even sacrifice a core piece for a more established star, gut some depth to bring in a third star or trade a young player like Valanciunas for an upgrade.

Toronto stayed the course though. The team believed in its players. It is easy to want to hit the reset button or get greedy and go for more. Trading away the future or giving up what works to try to be just a little bit better. The Raptors certainly expect — and should expect — to return to the Conference Finals this year and perhaps do a bit more. Should Toronto fail to do that, the questions about sticking with this group will arise. The team could face questions about what their ceiling is.

Perhaps that is the big question for this season. Can this unit be more than a mere Eastern Conference contender? Things always seem to be on the edge for the Raptors. DeRozan and Lowry are All Stars, but not considered elite players. Their struggles in the playoffs against the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat linger.

Toronto though trusts the team’s familiarity will get them to their goals again. They are trusting the individual growth and confidence from last year from DeRozan and Lowry will push them to another level.

At least they will know themselves better than anyone else. And that will help them navigate the season and improve. The Raptors are starting from a better place than a lot of the Eastern Conference contenders who made changes.

They know who they are. Continuity has its value.

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