Running it back may be Toronto Raptors' best approach after another disappointing end

Jay Asser 19:12 08/05/2018
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan have been the foundation for the Raptors.

    The Toronto Raptors are stuck in a bad nightmare, with LeBron James their boogeyman.

    After undergoing a promising transformation this season and heading into the playoffs with seemingly everything working in their favour, it was Groundhog Day all over again for Toronto as they met an all-too-familiar ending.

    The Raptors were swept soundly in four games by James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round of the playoffs, one year after suffering the exact same fate at the exact same point.

    Toronto were also beaten in six games by Cleveland in 2016, meaning they’ve now failed three straight seasons to dethrone James.

    The previous two exits undoubtedly stung for a franchise that seemingly plateaued as good, but not great. The pain of this year’s elimination, however, feels like something more.

    This was supposed to be the Raptors’ time to get over the hump and vanquish their demons. While they were clearly the best team in the Eastern Conference this season, Cleveland were a weaker side than in years past. Star power, depth, home-court advantage… you name it, Toronto had it on their side.

    The one thing they didn’t have and what ended up mattering more than anything was James himself.

    Which is why as much as it seems like the Raptors should blow it all up instead of continuing to bang their heads against the wall, the best approach might be patience.

    Toronto aren’t without their warts – their All-Star backcourt has a tendency to either go missing or revert to an archaic style in the playoffs – but this may well be a LeBron problem and not a Raptors problem.

    We won’t ever find out, but who knows how Toronto would have fared if they had instead met Boston or Philadelphia – two teams that may also fall victim to the Cavaliers in the conference finals.

    There’s a chance James is playing out West next season, and even though the Celtics and 76ers will continue to get better for the foreseeable future, the East will be more open with the best player on the other side of the bracket.

    Even if James stays though – which seems like more of a possibility with every game Cleveland win in the playoffs – there’s something to be said about being a middle-class team. After all, only one franchise can raise a banner every year. It doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game.

    That doesn’t mean the Raptors shouldn’t pivot and be more bold with their moves. But maybe that means trading one star, or firing Dwane Casey – not going nuclear and tearing it all down by pressing the detonation button.

    Recommended