The Toronto Raptors are entering spooky season and they are showing a bit of what they can do over the first two games of the season.
The Raptors find themselves 2-0 after winning against the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards to begin the season, but they have a long way to go before they can scare the rest of the league.
Some members of the Toronto Raptors On SI staff shared what they believe to be the "scariest" part of the team.
Their 3-Point Shooting Woes
"Aside from adding Kawhi Leonard this offseason, Toronto didn't add anyone that could help provide some more floor spacing. The Raptors have shot 35 per cent or lower each of the last three seasons and picked up where they left off by shooting 32 per cent in the home opener against the Chicago Bulls. Maybe their ability to get to the free throw line and their elite defense will cover for those issues, but it just feels like something that could rear its ugly head later on in the season if it goes unaddressed." — Jalon Dixon
The Raptors saw a glimpse of this against the Washington Wizards, where they made just 7 of 34 shots from downtown. They still won by 10 points due to their defence, but they might not be as lucky moving forward.
Pressure to Win Now
"I think the scariest part about the Raptors this season is that the pressure is on to win now. The East may be stacked, but Toronto was the 5th seed last year and they added Kawhi. Anything less than an ECF appearance would be a failure, and with Kawhi being 35, their championship window is only so big." — Rocco Moschella
The Raptors have pushed their chips to go all-in for the next couple of seasons after trading for Leonard. It raises the stakes for the team this season, giving them motivation for being as close as they are to a title.
Relying on Jakob Poeltl at Centre
"Coming off the signing of a three-year contract extension, last season could not have gone any worse for Raptors center Jakob Poeltl. A nagging back injury limited him to only 46 games, and in those games he looked nothing like the player he was before, so much so that other teams didn’t want any part of him in trade talks at last season's deadline.
"For a team shooting for a championship, it isn’t ideal that the Raptors have no Plan B or flexibility at the center position. With his health concerns and expensive contract making him virtually untouchable, Toronto will most likely have to make Poeltl their starting center, whether it works or not." — Sahal Arwo
The Raptors are somewhat stuck trying to move off of Poeltl, so they have to stick it out with him. If he plays like he did last season, it might not lead to the success they want.
Sign up for our free newsletter, which will bring all Toronto Raptors On SI stories every weekday to your email.
Add us as a preferred source on Google