The Raptors have been the best team in the NBA so far this season, in no small part due to the offseason additions of Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. As Tim Bontemps of ESPN writes, one of the key qualities that both veterans bring to the table is their play down the stretch of a close game, as evident in the duel against Kevin Durant and the Warriors last week.
As Bontemps points out, both Green and Leonard have been on the floor for the most intense moments of the NBA Finals and both players are battle-tested as they look to lead the Raptors to the promised land this season.
The Raptors still have to iron out some late-game kinks in order to close out tough games (especially come playoff time), but at least this season they will have two players that can thrive in such moments on the floor. There aren’t many other teams that can claim that, especially in the Eastern Conference.
There’s more from the Atlantic division:
- Since joining the 76ers, Jimmy Butler is averaging the fewest minutes per game since his sophomore season and the fewest shot attempts since his third year in the league. However, as Keith Pompey points out for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Butler is focused on winning and leading the 76ers, especially in crunch time moments, which he has done several times this season.
- After an injury derailed Caris LeVert‘s promising season, the Nets have struggled to bounce back as they have lost six straight games in a variety of ways. Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes about the team’s struggles since losing their leading guard.
- Given those aforementioned struggles for the Nets and the fact that they actually own their first round draft pick this year, could it possibly be time for the team to tank? At least one writer from NetsDaily isn’t afraid to ask the tough question.
I’m a Celtics fan but I’d almost rather see the Raptors win it all this year. It’s so sudden and exciting. And Kawhi is awesome and deserves it.
I think most raptors fans want the Celtics to get better too. They would be the best Eastern Con Finals.
Best ECF would be Milwaukee vs Philly.
Can you imagine a Giannis vs Embiid… That would be too good.
Record: 59-23, Finished 1st in NBA Eastern Conference, not exactly sudden. They were good last year, but when you upgrade 10-fold Top-30 player to Top-3 you should expect this kind of result. Only concern with trading for Kawhi was if his injury was worse than expected or kept him out into the season, which it hasn’t. The gamble is paying off.
Nets D is terrible. Versus CLE, my man Dinwiddie got pushed around on Burks’ game-winning drive and I think another Net gave him a shove too afterwards in frustration!