Raptors Move Up to 7 in ESPN Power Rankings

[BasX]

http://a.espncdn.com/media/apphoto/8e1d9627-b1f0-4644-a6b2-318719520fad.jpg

 

For a group frequently tagged as soft, this is momentous: Toronto just became the first team since November '02 to trail by at least 10 points in four straight games and win all four. Foes: Knicks, Heat, Lakers and Bucks.

 

http://espn.go.com/nba/powerrankings?year=2010&week=14

 

This is an awesome sign to see. The Raptors are not the 7th best team in the NBA, but they are playing as well as most teams in the league. The comeback wins have been great showing they have not only the skill to comeback, but the determination to get back into those games. There are so many reasons for this rise but all myself and other Raptor fans hope for is a continued rise up rankings. Though winning the division is still improbable at best for the Raptors, being only 4.5 games behind Boston for the division lead since they were behind them double digits in early December, is a great sign. Now, don't [expletive] it up.

 

Also, no source yet, but apparently Hedo will travel to Indiana but DeMar will not.

[Real Deal]

Improbable, but not impossible. The Celtics are hitting a big wall...almost too big to climb over or drive around. If Toronto can keep winning, they may find themselves trailing Boston by about a game or so.

 

I'm not really surprised that Toronto is doing well, though. They've made a few adjustments to their lineups that I like, and I think Jack is playing amazing basketball for them now, and it has changed the way Calderon is playing.

[Check my Stats]

I like that we got the hard part of the schedule out of the way early when we were still trying to gel... sure it was hard on the mind because I thought we were trash, but now that we are starting to play together we are beating on the crappier teams and the league is starting to take notice, we are a really solid basketball team.

 

I think this team right now is the team we all envisioned coming into the season, Jose Calderon is the best backup PG in the NBA right now probably (and one of the best 6th men in general) and Chris Bosh is playing like a legitimate MVP candidate. Andrea is stepping up and is a legitimate 2nd option on offense, if his post game continue to develop he is going to be so damn dangerous and hard to guard on offense. Our bench is rock solid, better than I ever expected, our team hasn't had this sort of energy (specifically Amir) in recent years, it is awesome to have a guy play 110% and also stay within himself offensively. I just think now that everyone knows their role, who gets the touches and who gets the shots, and mostly our improved defense and overall intensity, we are just a really solid team.

 

The only question mark at this point in the year is still Hedo, I don't think he has a definitive role yet like everyone else on the team. One game he is there, the next he isn't, or the next 5 he isn't <_<

 

I think we have an amazing future if Bosh stays if you consider the fact we probably have not seen the best from Bargnani and Demar is still far away from the player that he will become, if we win 50 or close to it, with a young developing team, I don't see how Bosh could leave, I just don't. I just think we have one of the best young cores in the league, minus Hedo's old [expletive] of course

 

Also I think 7th is way too high, I don't know about those other teams but a 5 game win streak against mostly crap teams doesn't warrant being called basically elite. We should be somewhere around 10, hopefully by the end of the year though we are around the 7th spot and it is deserved. I still don't think we can be a legitimate team when we have of the worst starting 2s in the NBA, I know Demar will get better but right now Demar is guarding the opponents best scorer most nights, it is just too much to ask. If you consider in the playoffs he will be guarding either Pierce or Allen, Anthony Parker (not as bad), Joe Johnson or Vince Carter, come playoff time it is going to be tough.

Edited February 1, 2010 by travesy3

[KurbyFX]

50 wins? The Raptors are on pace for 44... and I think that's where they'll be. You're asking for too much.