"Currently, the Raptors belong to a very specific and defined middle class in the league. One that likely neither expects to win in the playoffs nor in the lottery. Losing to the Detroit Pistons in their final game before the break was part of a season-long pattern: And the Raptors, finally close to full health for the first time in months, once again saw how much further up the mountain they'll have to climb to accomplish their goals."
"Against the top 10 teams in point differential, the Raptors are now 4-11, with a bottom-10 offensive and defensive ranking. The Raptors have slapped the bottom-10 (13-4) and even the middle-10 teams (15-8), but they can't seem to beat the best. The Pistons showed the Raptors just what those best look like. Middle-class teams beat bad teams and lose to good ones. That's precisely where the Raptors have found themselves this season."
The Toronto Raptors shifted from a championship-caliber team to a rebuilding phase and now occupy a defined middle-class position in the NBA. The team likely neither expects playoff success nor top lottery picks while sitting near full health. The Raptors are 4-11 against top-10 teams by point differential and rank in the bottom 10 offensively and defensively. The team consistently defeats bottom-10 (13-4) and many middle-10 (15-8) opponents but struggles to beat elite competition. Scottie Barnes represents All-Star-level talent that fuels current wins and offers hope for upward progress.
Read at Raptors Republic
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