Raptors’ rebuild approach to continue through playoffs

Doing the best you can with what you have. 

That might sound like survival mode, but it’s been a process-oriented goal for a franchise who got used to losing. And it’s a goal the Raptors consistently stuck to this entire season (and perhaps, for several seasons).

It’s finally paid off as they face the Cleveland Cavaliers this upcoming Saturday in the First Round. “I think it’s going to be an amazing opportunity for us. I think we’re gonna really improve through that series,” said Darko Rajakovic in his post-game press conference after beating the Brooklyn Nets. “And we’re gonna try to do our best to win every single game.”

The stars echoed Rajakovic’s process-oriented approach. Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram confirmed that this team never had anything less than playoff expectations since last July. Rajakovic getting his team to buy-in to loftier expectations (and sustaining that throughout this season) after only winning 55 games in his first two seasons has been quite the feat.  

“We’re always taking every game as an opportunity to learn something and improve something,” he said. “A lot of times I’ve been really hard on them, and they’re allowing me to coach them, and try to help them in the best possible way.”

It’s been three years since the Raptors choked under Diar DeRozan and four since losing to the Sixers in the First Round under Coach Nick Nurse. 

Things have changed dramatically since the last time the two met in November; a Raptor named Ochai Agbaji was in the lineup and James harden was still playing for his hometown team. There aren’t many expectations to get past the Cavs, who are potential finalists and have a 19-7 record with Harden in the lineup. The Cavs are no longer an easy target of slander pods.

If you read in between the lines in what Rajakovic was saying – “We’re gonna try to do our best to win every single game” – the Raptors’ limitations are clear by this point. They need more 3-point shooting, lack front-court depth, and struggle against elite teams. How they’ll compensate for those glaring weaknesses will determine personnel decisions in the off-season. 

But until then, the team’s focus is crystal clear and everybody’s on board. They’ll fight like hell and do the best with what they have.