The Toronto Raptors are currently on a league best 11 game winning streak, boasting wins over the Clippers, Heat, and Knicks. While everybody is rightfully talking about the Warriors, Spurs, and Cavaliers as the top teams in the NBA, the Raptors are making a name for themselves in their own right. At 32-15, the Raptors are currently the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference, just 2.5 games behind the #1 seeded Cleveland Cavaliers and 5 games in front of the #3 Chicago Bulls.
The emergence of the Raptors as a contender is largely due to the sensational play of DeMar DeRozan and veteran leadership of Kyle Lowry. DeRozan is averaging 23.2 points per game and Lowry is averaging 21 points per game and 6.3 assists. In addition to those two stars, the Raptors have a very talented big man in Jonas Valanciunas (12.2 points and 9.6 rebounds) and two solid forwards in DeMarre Carroll and Luis Scola, who both score in double figures.
The Raptors have what is called "balance". They have an explosive scorer in DeRozan, a great facilitator and scorer in Lowry, a legitimate post presence in Valanciunas, and some solid role players to give that trio some support. The only thing this Raptors team lacks is a lot of experience, but they are starting to get that after going to the playoffs last season. With the way that they are growing and developing, they have the making of a team that will be very competitive for a very long time.
As far as whether or not they are a championship caliber team, it ultimately comes down to whether or not DeMar DeRozan has the makeup of a player who can lead a team to a championship. It's hard to see him being that kind of player, but on the other hand, the numbers speak for themselves as does his team's winning streak. While I don't see the Raptors winning the 2016 NBA championship, there doesn't seem to be a good reason to think they can't win a title in couple of seasons.
Ultimately, I cannot say with any certainty where the Raptors will be in a few seasons, but what I can say with certainty is that right now, they are a very good team with all the pieces to make serious noise in the playoffs this season. They have the scoring weapons, the post presence, and the depth. If you see the Toronto Raptors playing in May with a chance to go to the NBA Finals, do not be surprised. This team is for real and we should expect them to continue to be so for years to come.
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