History has taught us one consistent truth about the NBA, it takes star talent to win. Over, and over, and over again, there seems to be no other way.
The NBA can often feel predictable in that sense. The team with the most talent will win the majority of the time. This is magnified all the more when it comes to a seven game series.
Talent wins out in the end. Stars win in the end.
The hope for less star laden teams is that David can beat Goliath at some point. That effort, cohesiveness, and luck can cause an unlikely surprise.
As predictable as the NBA can be, we still see this moments of surprise. We get moments of complete surprise, and that’s where we as fans get to celebrate moments of random and unexpected joy.
This is one of the things that I have loved the most about the last four years of being a Raptors fan. No one could have predicted Toronto could have done what they have done. Lowry becomes a star. DeRozan, in many ways, takes the leap to becoming a top flight scorer. Free agents choose to come to Toronto for less money than they were offered elsewhere. And a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals last season.
It’s been a joy to watch.
This Raptors team feels like a beautiful mistake to me. A team that was destined to fail but decided to excel. A team moments away from tanking that would build themselves into a conference finalist and one of the top teams in the East for four years in a row.
That’s why a five game losing streak feels so significant. It’s not a blip in the midst of expected success. It’s a crashing down to reality after years of faking it. I think the frustrating some have is that this is the real Raptors team, rather than the same core that has set franchise records the last three years.
At least that’s the fear that I recognize in myself. I realize that I have to work at being optimistic. I have to work at still believing after a losing to teams like Philadelphia and Phoenix.
But despite my fear to the contrary, I do believe that the five game losing streak is the aberration and not the four years of sustained success.
So in spite of a five game losing streak (sigh…), let’s find a few things to be optimistic about:
1) Cleveland has been equally bad recently
Despite losing five in a row, the Raptors still sit just three games behind Cleveland for first place in the Eastern Conference. And while Cleveland has only lost three in a row, both teams have gone an equal 4-6 over their last 10 games.
Most of Cleveland’s loses have been of better quality than the Raptors, but I’ll still take it.
2) Raptors are still second in the East
Boston sits a mere 0.5 games behind Toronto, with Atlanta also one game behind, but the Raptors haven’t relinquished their spot in the standings yet. This could all change in a day or two, but for now I will hold onto this sliver of positivity.
3) A 50 win pace!
They are still on pace to win 50 games for the second year in a row, and for just the second time in the team’s history.
4) Did you see what Delon Wright did in his first D-League game yesterday?
Showtime in Toronto!@delonwright adds to his highlight reel with with the block and the dime. pic.twitter.com/coLfDnExIX
— NBA D-League (@nbadleague) January 25, 2017
