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The Toronto Raptors are one of the surprise teams of the young season. The Raptors have been playing incredibly well the past two weeks. They enter the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on a five-game winning streak.
The Raptors are doing all of this without Pascal Siakam, who is still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. Toronto is also in their first season since 2012 without Kyle Lowry on their roster. Lowry, who is considered one of the greatest Raptors ever, was traded to the Miami Heat in the offseason.
Despite the absence of their two pillars to start the season, the Toronto Raptors are relying on their future to be the present. However, it has not been a smooth ride for the Raptors. They started the season with an abysmal performance against the Washington Wizards.
The win over the Boston Celtics looked like an outlier since losses to the Dallas Mavericks and Chicago Bulls followed. The loss to the Bulls was a close game and their grit showed in the next five games, which are all wins.
During this current streak, the Toronto Raptors defeated the Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic, the Pacers again, the New York Knicks and Washington Wizards. Let's take a look at the three factors that led to this Raptors run.
#1 Scottie Barnes' impressive rookie campaign
The Toronto Raptors shocked the NBA when they drafted Scottie Barnes over Jalen Suggs. However, it seems like the Raptors made the right decision since Barnes is the top-performing rookie for the first few weeks of the season.
The 20-year-old forward is averaging 20.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game this season. Barnes is also shooting 55.1% from the field, which ranks fourth in the entire NBA with at least 14 field goal attempts per game.
Defensively, Barnes is already versatile and can guard multiple positions because of his length and athleticism. He is also among the top players with total deflections this season. Barnes is currently nursing a sprained thumb, but will not be out for long. The Toronto Raptors have won the two games he was out, and they will only get much better when he returns.
#2 OG Anunoby stepping up
The Toronto Raptors' development of their players over the past several years has been amazing. They turned Pascal Siakam into an All-Star and now they might do the same again, this time with OG Anunoby. The 24-year-old forward is in his fifth season in the NBA and it appears he's poised for a breakout season.
Anunoby is currently averaging 20.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.8 steals per game this season. With Siakam still out, Anunoby has taken over as the Raptors' second option on offense behind Fred VanVleet. He's been attempting more shots, especially from beyond the arc.
In the game against the New York Knicks on Monday, Anunoby dropped a career-high 36 points at the legendary Madison Square Garden. If Anunoby can continue to play like this even if Siakam returns, the Toronto Raptors have a tough decision to make.
#3 The coaching of Nick Nurse
Nick Nurse is in just his fourth season as the head coach of the Toronto Raptors. In his short tenure as head coach, Nurse has already led the Raptors to an NBA championship. He's also won the Coach of the Year Award in his second season after leading the Raptors to the second-best record in the league despite losing Kawhi Leonard in free agency.
Nurse had his worst coaching performance last season with a 27-45 record. However, it seems like Nurse is on the cusp of turning the Raptors great again. The 54-year-old employs a collaborative coaching style, wherein he gets feedback from his coaching staff and players, then uses it to improve the team.
The 2020 Coach of the Year is also one of the most innovative coaches, especially on the defensive end. The Toronto Raptors' defense this season has been the key to their success. They currently rank sixth in team defensive rating and first in steals.
Nurse also trusts all of his players to do the right thing on the court. The Raptors are also improving their half-court sets, with Fred VanVleet at the helm. Most importantly, this Raptors team has chemistry and great leadership. It's still too early in the season, but do not sleep on the Toronto Raptors.
Guess the Lakers players!
