Toronto Raptors: Can the Raptors repeat their championship magic?

Can the Toronto Raptors repeat as champs?

The Toronto Raptors are ready for the spotlight, again. As the NBA approaches its restart, all eyes will be on the defending champion Raptors who will be looking to make it to the NBA Finals once again. Though, this time, without Kawhi Leonard.

Question is, can Toronto do it again without Kawhi?

As a Canadian, I would love to see this. And so would our country of Canada and the city of Toronto. The reason they can? We have several. No one expects them too. Everyone is looking at a team from Los Angeles (out West) or the Milwaukee Bucks (out East) to win this year’s championship.

Can the Toronto Raptors repeat last year’s postseason magic?

More from Sir Charles In Charge

Though, as we saw last season, anything is possible. Even more so considering the NBA will be restarting in a bubble under unprecedented circumstances.

As it stands, the Raptors are second in the Eastern Conference. There’s also plenty to like about this team’s makeup. They are second in the NBA in steals per game (8.8) and first in the league in points allowed per game. They have one of the best defenses in the league and are stingy on that end of the floor.

In Kawhi’s absence, Pascal Siakam has stepped up in a huge way. He’s a budding superstar and continues to get better. Before the hiatus, Siakam was averaging 24 points, eight rebounds, and four assists per game on 46 percent shooting from the field and 36 percent shooting from 3-point range. He also had an 18.7 PER (player efficiency rating) on the season.

He’s big, has great length, and plays excellent defense. He’s also a natural scorer that has shown the ability to carry and lead a team. The sky is the limit for Siakam and the great thing about his potential is that he’s only beginning to scratch the surface on the player he can be.

After Siakam for the Raptors, they also have Mr. Old Reliable, Kyle Lowry. Still on of the NBA’s most underrated point guards, Lowy was averaging 20 points, eight assists, and five rebounds per game before the play stoppage.

The Raptors know they can rely on Lowry, especially with the way he delivered for the team in the NBA Finals last season.

Another player that could emerge for the Raptors when the season restarts is OG Anunoby. During his third season in the NBA, Anunoby was averaging 11 points and five rebounds per game in the regular season. Though, throughout the year, he showed much promise and flashed for big performances on more than one occasion.

The hope is that he can take another step in his progression after the four-month hiatus heading into the playoffs.

Another player who has emerged as a colossal x-factor for the Raptors, even extending into last year’s playoff run, is Fred VanVleet. VanVleet was having a career-year before the hiatus, averaging 18 points per game on 39 percent shooting from 3-point range.

As a unit, the Raptors are one of the NBA’s deepest teams. Even though they continue to be overlooked because of the lack of a big-name superstar, this is a team that could be primed for a breakout performance in the playoffs.

Next. NBA: 5 players whose absence will affect restart standings the most. dark

The Toronto Raptors should be taken seriously as a contender in the Eastern Conference. They have all the pieces an NBA championship needs to contend.

Home/Toronto Raptors