The Toronto Raptors began their existence in 1995 as one of two teams north of the border but after the Vancouver Grizzlies relocated to Memphis in 2000, the Raptors became the only team playing professional basketball in Canada. The team opened up with win totals of 21, 30, 16, and 23 in their first four years before making their first playoff appearance in 1999 after finishing with a 45-37 record. The Raptors continued their success the next two years with another two postseason appearances before falling off the radar in the last two years. 2002 was a down year for the team after they only managed 24 wins while following that up with 33 wins last season. The team will look to bounce back this year and compete for a playoff spot in the weaker Eastern Conference but they’ll need to play up to expectations to have a chance.
When you think of the Toronto Raptors, you almost immediately think of Vince Carter, one of the most explosive players in the game when healthy. Carter was drafted before the 1998 season and has played his entire career in Toronto. He’s led the Raptors to all three of their playoff appearances but has been injured in recent years and the Raptors have definitely suffered because of it. In the off-season, Carter voiced his frustration with the organization and asked to be traded but management insisted they weren’t looking to shop their star. Carter finished last season playing 73 games and averaging 22.5 ppg and almost 5 rpg and apg. Last year, Carter also had help from players like Donyell Marshall, Jalen Rose, and rookie Chris Bosh.
The Raptors also made a few moves in the off-season to boost the roster. In the draft, the team selected BYU big man Rafael Araujo, a player that should be able to come in and contribute immediately in the paint. The team re-signed Morris Peterson and brought in free agents Loren Woods and Rafer Alston to help the team. Alston is still working hard to get rid of his streetball reputation, something he picked up when he was known as “Skip to My Lou” on numerous courts in his younger days. Alston showed he can run a team successfully after leading Miami to the playoffs last season and could be an x-factor for the Raptors this season. Both of these players should help out this season and will likely open the season as starters or the first men off the bench.
The projected lineup for the Raptors should equal a strong push for a playoff spot. Alston will lead the team from the point guard position with Jalen Rose leaving the point guard spot to man the shooting guard position. Carter, the franchise player, will start at small forward with Chris Bosh at power forward and Loren Woods at center. When Alston comes off the floor, Rose will likely swing to the point with Peterson at the two, Carter at the three, Donyell Marshall at the four and Bosh moving to the five.
The one thing the Raptors might have going for them is the realignment of the NBA after the Charlotte Bobcats gave the league a 30th team. The Raptors will play in the new Atlantic Division along with the Philadelphia 76ers, the New York Knicks, the New Jersey Nets, and the Boston Celtics. The 76ers still have Allen Iverson but they’ve fallen off the last couple seasons. The Knicks have a huge payroll and a lot of talent but might be a year away from really contending. The Celtics have Paul Pierce but might have been the worst playoff team ever last year when they were easily handled in the first round by Indiana, and the Nets have been the team to beat in the last few seasons but dismantled their team in the off-season to lower payroll under new ownership. The Raptors still can’t be considered the favorite in the division but they could be a dark horse and should contend for a playoff spot if they can stay healthy. A third straight season outside the playoff picture could spell trouble for a number of management figures in Toronto.
