Rampaging Raptors have NBA Cup fever as meaningful basketball returns

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It's been a while since Toronto Raptors fans have been able to watch meaningful basketball, but those days are back.

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Only the most seasoned NBA observers can know the ins and outs of the NBA Cup, now in its third year, but the key point Toronto fans need to understand these days is that this is the team's first time in the tournament.

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A 140-110 loss to the Washington Wizards on Friday, a truly ugly one, and Cleveland's win over Indiana secured the Raptors first place in the East Group A and made them the first team to advance to the NBA Cup this season with a 3-0 record. While Milwaukee, Detroit and Orlando can match Toronto's 3-0 lead after games early next week, point differentials matter and Toronto is well ahead, meaning a win-or-go-home game will likely be played at Scotiabank Arena on either Dec. 9 or 10.

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For a franchise that went 55-109 over the last two seasons and was .500 the year before, an 11-5 start to the season (fourth place through 16 games in Toronto's 31-season history) and an advance to the NBA Cup are remarkable and welcome developments.

“It's been fun so far. Everybody's enjoying it and playing well, playing together,” RJ said. Postmedia Barrett after tying Brandon Ingram's career-high 24 points against the Wizards. “All the work we put in is just on display.”

Barrett said health was very important to the Raptors, along with a strong team culture.

“We've been talking about this for a long time: defense, we play hard, we play together. So now you're kind of seeing the fruits. We're already here. We're consistent, and that's what you need,” he said.

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Head coach Darko Rajakovic agreed and can now look forward to advancing to the NBA Cup, perhaps even to Las Vegas. I think it’s amazing,” Rajakovic said. “I think our guys deserve the opportunity to compete in this environment. It's going to be a very different feeling for us because it's going to be one game that can decide whether you make it to the Final Four or not? We definitely have the vision and desire to be there,” he said.

Backup point guard Jamal Sheed has only been in Toronto for one season plus a month, but he knows what a good team means to the fans.

“These fans deserve it,” Shead told Postmedia. “You know, last year we weren't the best team and every game was sold out. Every day, every crowd was amazing. Every time we were at a game, they were there for us. So I think they deserve it more than anything. And I think it's just important that we all feel like they deserve it and we want to win for them.”

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They also want to win and advance each other. As Barrett noted, there are monetary rewards associated with success in the tournament, and some Raptors could really use a little more.

“Man (the NBA Cup) is cool, especially since not everyone makes the same amount of money, it means something to everyone, but there are definitely guys that you know it's going to mean a little more to,” Barrett explained.

Just by making it this far, each Raptor earned just over $50,000 extra, with one more win roughly doubling that amount and reaching the finals again roughly doubling it. Winning the NBA Cup will earn each Raptor more than half a million in bonuses.

“The work is not finished yet,” said backup Sandro Mamukelashvili. “You just have to go there and get to Vegas somehow.”

The semi-finals will take place on December 13 and the final on December 16.

@WolstatSun

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