Toronto Raptors: A few takeaways from the start of preseason

The new-look Toronto Raptors opened their preseason with two games against the Houston Rockets in Tokyo, Japan; here are a few takeaways

One thing that NBA fans can virtually always come to a consensus on, regardless of the fanbase we belong to is that preseason games mean very little if anything at all. But preseason basketball isn’t without its usefulness.

First, it gives basketball fans a hit of the game they love after the basketball free summer months. By the time October rolls around, I’m always experiencing the symptoms of hoops withdrawal. If you’re a serious hoops fan, you know what I’m talking about.

Scouring the internet for any and all NBA news. Rehashing for the hundredth time the events of the previous season. Regular conversations with other fans discussing the chances of various teams and the look of the league in general. This offseason, those discussions have been much more interesting than in past years which bodes so well for an exciting and much more unpredictable NBA season than in recent memory.

The second thing the preseason affords is an opportunity to see first hand how teams have changed in the offseason. It’s the beginning of building a picture of the possibilities based on more than basketball knowledge, supposition, and hopefulness. It’s the first taste of real data.

My first takeaway is that as a Toronto Raptors fan this season my brain is going to have some catching up to do in terms of my ability to glance at the team during the game and be able to identify everyone on the court quickly. There were so many new faces for the Raptors during the preseason games and I constantly found myself pausing the game to determine what group of players coach Nick Nurse had on the floor once the starting minutes were over and done with.