A day after their elimination in the first round of the NBA playoffs, the Toronto Raptors players didn’t all show a smile at the OVO complex. Tired of a difficult season and frustrated with the fate reserved for them by the Philadelphia 76ers, however their speech was full of optimism.
We just scratch what we can do, what we can besaid guard Gary Trent Jr. in the team’s end-of-season report on Friday.
This group can be very, very dangerousrated 16-year NBA veteran Thad Young.
This season, Queen City representatives measured their potential with key young players behind Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet. Although many pundits saw that they won about 30 games, they won 48 to take fifth place in the East and return to the playoffs after missing them last year.
In the playoffs, the Raptors also stood out against the 76ers, who have twice survived elimination after losing the first three games. Then they showed their fighting spirit.
This season sometimes it seems like we’re going to lose, but we didn’t let that happen. We are always fightingdirected Siakam.
We did well. We worked hard as a team. Sometimes it’s not always pretty, but we’re not [baissé] arms. Everyone tried their best to help the team. All we can do now is just go back and see what we can do to come back stronger. It’s not the ending we want, but I think there are promises.
Siakam himself got his star player airs again this year. He is among the top 25 in the NBA in points (22.8), rebounds (8.5) and assists (5.3) per game and he also understands his role as a leader in the locker room and on the field.
Coming on time and recovering from an injury isn’t always easy, but at work I’ve been able to improve over the years and continue to [progresser]. Yes, I think it’s a good season too for me, but there’s a lot more to dosaid the Cameroonian.
Fred VanVleet, the Raptors ’other point guard on the departure of Kyle Lowry, also increased his game. He got his best season in the NBA with 20 points, 4 rebounds and approximately 7 assists per game, which also earned him an all-star nomination for the first time in his career.
Behind them, Gary Trent Jr., OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa, all in their twenties, also sped up the pace. Scottie Barnes, who was drafted 4th overall by the Raptors last summer, was so impressed that he was named rookie of the year.
According to VanVleet, the Raptors have just that rooms to build a winning team. The core of the team was not only established, but also tasted the vagaries of an entire season and playoffs together. He was put on trial.
[Le manque d’expérience] long -standing problem. There seems to be no benchmark, you know, for our young team, but now we have it.
Now is the time. That’s all we want to do when it comes to construction […] And now, how to put all these pieces together? Can we add some parts? And then how do you do it, to be the best and deadly team possible? I think we can improve without adding anythinghe said.
It’s weird to be in an unpredictable season, where no one thinks we’re going to be great but we know we are. We’re playing for a championship, but it’s a kind of free basketball, so to speak. I think coming back with a more specific goal in mind will help us [l’an prochain] and let us adapt to our roles and be the most effective team possible.
No Toronto core player will be a free agent this offseason. However, the Raptors will have to replace their bench of reserves. Chris Boucher and Thad Young, among others, will enjoy full autonomy.
Boucher, in particular, could get more than the $ 7 million he earns this season. He had an incredible performance of 25 points and 10 rebounds on Thursday, his best game in the playoffs.
I will soon be 30 years old and basketball, one day, it ends so one thing I will think is what is the best situation for me and my family. And then, I want to be in the place where I feel good. In Toronto, I always felt. I told myself that wherever I go and whatever decision I make, that will also be fine because I play my best basketball when I feel good.he explained.
The Raptors currently have no first-round pick in the upcoming draft. They traded him for the San Antonio Spurs in a deal that allowed them to break Goran Dragić’s contract. However, they have a high second-round pick, the Detroit Pistons, 33rd overall, to add to their roster.
Raptors head coach Nick Nurse and team president Masai Ujiri did not speak to reporters on Friday. They will report back later.
Source: Radio-Canada
