"There is no clear go-to guy on the Toronto Raptors. That could be viewed as a big problem; without an obvious No. 1 option, the hierarchy of a team can get jumbled. But it can also be considered an advantage, because the Raptors have plenty of capable scorers, as we saw in their season-opening win on Wednesday night. Brandon Ingram had 16 points, Gradey Dick had 21, Scottie Barnes had 22, and RJ Barrett led the way with 25."
"How many other teams in the East have five legit contenders to lead the team in scoring (if you include Immanuel Quickley, who scored 13 tonight)? Zero! That doesn't make the Raptors the best team in the East by itself - again, they don't have a top-end, No. 1 star. New York, Cleveland, Milwaukee, and Detroit all do, and the Knicks and Cavs specifically have some real depth outside of their stars, too."
"But the Raps might have four No. 2 guys, and that's pretty dang good in itself, especially if they're going to dish out 36 assists every night like they did in the opener. They likely won't, because that would smash an NBA record, but it's a good start regardless. The ball was zipping around and it led to tons of easy looks for the Raptors."
The Toronto Raptors do not have a clear go-to scorer, creating an unsettled hierarchy. That lack of a top-end No. 1 can be a problem, but it also provides an advantage because the roster contains numerous capable scorers. In the season opener Brandon Ingram scored 16, Gradey Dick 21, Scottie Barnes 22, RJ Barrett 25, and Immanuel Quickley added 13. No other Eastern team has five legitimate scoring contenders. The Raptors generated 36 assists in the opener as the ball zipped around, producing many easy looks. Regular-season balance can succeed, but playoff success typically requires true stars. The 2025-26 season may be a gap year for the team.
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