TORONTO — Process, process, process, process.
Yes, we get it. Toronto Raptors I don’t want to lose sight of how they came to this unexpectedly joyful point. They believe that this is simply the result of a constant monastic commitment to the little things that add up to big things.
It’s as if the entire organization read and remembered Atomic Habitsor Chop wood, carry water, or falling asleep (early and, of course, in a temperature-controlled room) to wellness podcasts.
I asked Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic the other day if his club's unexpected start to the season (they were a Vegas team projected to win 39 or 40 games) might somehow change their internal goals or outlook.
“Nothing changes for us,” he said. “We're serious people. We don't go into the season and change goals like the wind, that doesn't work. At this level, in this organization, we know exactly what we want. We know for sure it's about processing, getting our guys better and then focusing on the process. One game at a time, one possession at a time.”
After the Raptors buckled down Brandon IngramThe first official Raptors player – he scored a season-high 37 as Toronto pulled away from the shorthanded Cleveland Cavaliers with a 110-99 victory that extended their winning streak to eight games – I tried again.
Considering his team lost one game in November and has won 12 of its last 13—the Raptors' longest stretch of success since they won a franchise-record 15 games in 2019-20—does he like it? Is his team, which went 4-14 in 18 games a year ago, enjoying it?
“There is nothing to enjoy,” Rajakovic said. “We'll have our next game very, very soon. You know, it's good for confidence. It's good for us to continue to learn from this experience, figure out our chemistry… there's always something to work on… We're enjoying each other, we're enjoying the journey, and that's the most important thing. And thank God we're getting wins, too.”
But the joy is spreading, whether Rajakovic and his players realize it or not.
Seats at Scotiabank Arena fill up early and spectators stay late. “Protective” chants sound louder. The Raptors decided to have the crowd sing most of the Canadian anthem without an anthem singer accompanying them. It was shaky at the start of the season but seems to be picking up steam with every home win.
Winning is one of the greatest legal intoxicants ever created, and it's something the Raptors have sorely lacked since they last made the playoffs in 2021-22. Scotty Barnes“rookie season”
Now that the Raptors are handing out winning pills by the handful, you'd think a team hungry for something good would get caught up in it like kids at a school bonfire.
“I don't think a single person in the locker room talked about that streak,” said Ingram, who suggested the last time he was on a team that won 12 of 13 may have been when he won state titles for Kinston High School. It certainly wasn't when he found himself trapped in basketball purgatory with the New Orleans Pelicans. “I don't think Darko will let this creep into the dressing room. We take it every day. Every day is an opportunity to get better. Just worry about the next opponent. Of course it's a good feeling. We know we need to keep doing this so we can continue like this.”
They did what they needed to do against Cleveland. Both teams played for the second night in a row, but except R.J. Barrett After missing the game with a sprained right knee, Toronto was healthy. The Cavaliers had an injury list that took more than the fingers of one hand to count.
The Raptors have had a lot of that this month, with a schedule catering to weaker teams, teams shorthanded or teams on short rest. But instead of looking at this opportunity from the outside, the Raptors and their process took over.
The Raptors were never able to build a significant lead over the Cavs (12-7), but they kept their distance most of the night. The Cavs did cut Toronto's lead to four with 4:37 left, but Ingram answered with a tough step-back three and the Raptors took the ball back. And when Sheed made two of three free throws after being fouled on a 3-point attempt and Toronto pulled back to within nine with 2:21 left in the game, they kept the game going.
They managed Ja'Kobe Walter (starting with RJ Barrett) Jamal Sheed (nine points on 3-of-4 shooting and seven assists) and Ochai Agbaji in waves against Cavs star Donovan Mitchell, leading one of the NBA's leading scorers with 17 points on 5-of-14 shooting, 14 points below his season average.
They trusted Barnes to manage Evan Mobley, another Cavs star, and he did his usual excellent job, limiting Mobley to 14 points and winning the matchup against his fellow 2021 draft pick.
“And then in the fourth quarter, when the game was on the line, Scotty just turns into this monster where he gets all the stops, deflections, rebounds and points,” Rajakovic said as Barnes finished with 18 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. “He did an outstanding job for us.”
And then there was Ingram.
Did he expect to have a big night? Ingram said that when Barrett left the game, he knew someone would have to step up and, “I didn't do much last night (he had 14 points on 6-of-18 shooting against Brooklyn), so it was time for me to do something.”
The Cavaliers opted to guard him in single coverage for most of the night, so the Raptors were happy to let the six-foot-eight player get to his spots, and he performed time and time again, scoring on controversial two-point attempts that are not recommended for most NBA players, but he does regularly.
“I think when he gets going like that, he's proven it over and over again, you know, not just this year but throughout his career, that once he gets going, give him the ball,” said Sheed, who read the note. “He's not going to just score every time; he's going to make the right plays. But they didn't hit a double tonight. We didn't have to go out and play in a swing-swing situation. He just needed to hit the ball. So I think it was really great that, you know, he had to have a night.”
And the Raptors are having a season. Whether they want to enjoy it or not is up to them. Everyone else doesn't have to worry about the process and can enjoy the results.
1. Everything will be fine: There were some genuine concerns about the nature of Barrett's knee injury after he left the team following Sunday's win over the Brooklyn Nets in the third quarter.
The fact that he hobbled, favoring his right (stop) foot during a routine fast-break dunk attempt, had some in his circle fearing the worst. But after undergoing medical imaging and consulting with specialists on Monday, everyone around the Raptors could breathe a sigh of relief. There was no structural damage, really just a mild sprain, and he was scheduled to be back on the day to return after the break on Monday night against Cleveland. “It looks very promising, very good,” Rajakovic said. When I made some inquiries, I had the feeling that Barrett's absence would be short-lived, perhaps a week, and would be a great relief to all concerned.
2. Not an MVP candidate, but: The very top of the NBA MVP race is ridiculous right now. Unless you have a historic season, ideally a championship contender, you do not need to apply. Is Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell a good fit considering he arrived in Toronto averaging 30.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists while shooting 51.5 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from 3-point range. Mitchell should at least have the opportunity to make the All-NBA First Team for a second straight season.
“I think it's because he passes,” Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “…He's found a good balance between being a scorer – and we need him to score right now – (and looking for his teammates). I don't even see a hint of selfishness, which is incredible with what he does. (Defenders) aren't sure if he's going to get to the line and shoot the ball or finish it; go to the rim or shoot the ball. He keeps defenses off balance. This has to be about the best period of his career on both sides of the ball.”
3. CMB sees: It won't make it into any of the highlights or highlight reels because the shot missed the target, but there was a play late in the first quarter that reflected one of the (many) reasons why the Raptors are excited about the long-term potential of rookie Colin Murray-Boyles. After splitting the Cavaliers' defense, Sheed delivered the ball to Murray-Boyles, who was too high, but the rookie still walked up to him in the crowd and in one motion, he deflected the ball off the rim and back to the feet of a wide-open Sandro Mamukelashvili for a three at the buzzer. The shot fell short, but that doesn't take away from the fact that Murray-Boyles' ability like this is what makes him such an interesting prospect.
