The Raptors Are Real
It turns out the Raptors are real. Not real in a competitive sense; the way they neutralized the top-seeded Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals speaks to just how good they are. And Kawhi Leonard—who somehow got even better while playing hurt—is making a strong case for himself as the NBA’s best player. Toronto had the second-best record in the league during the regular season, so it shouldn’t really come as a surprise that they are one of two teams left standing. The Raptors were simply underestimated because of past playoff struggles, a lack of sexiness and star power, and a collective desire to see Drake humiliated.
But there was another, more fundamental impediment to the Raptors getting their due. Despite this being their 24th season in the league, the franchise has always had a problem being taken seriously, if acknowledged at all. When it comes to being overlooked, denigrated, dismissed, neglected, or just flat-out ignored, for decades on end the Raptors’ only true rival was the Charlotte Hornets (the Orlando Magic at least have an impressive slate of retired jerseys). It makes no difference whether the team is playoff-bound—this is their 11th trip to the postseason—or floundering in the lottery with a chance at landing a major prospect. Aside from that brief period where Vince Carter was one of the most popular athletes in the Americas, the Raptors seemingly deflect both criticism and praise, except for the perfunctory “they’ll choke in the playoffs” over the past few years.
It’s hard to say exactly why this team has received such peculiar, and at times harsh, treatment from fans and media alike. Maybe it’s stereotypes about Canada or casual jingoism. Maybe it’s because Chris Bosh and DeMar DeRozan weren’t exactly glamorous franchise players, if they even counted as franchise players in the first place. Maybe it’s because they have trouble attracting free agents because Toronto, while a first-rate city, also has higher taxes than other possible destinations. Maybe it’s the memory of that phantasmagoric purple dinosaur jersey, or the fact that it’s hard to take seriously a franchise whose name may have been an attempt to cash in on Jurassic Park’s popularity. Maybe it’s Drake. Maybe it’s because the Raptors, as good as they’ve been at times, have never been great, and were seen as a fait accompli: They will be better than we expected them to be, in large part because we weren’t thinking about them at all.
All that has shifted dramatically with this Finals appearance. To get here, the Raptors had to outlast the talent-laden 76ers and take out the Bucks, who had so much momentum going that they had become a trendy pick to beat—not even upset—the Warriors. Granted, Leonard’s postseason for the ages has been the major driver of Toronto’s success. He put up staggering offensive numbers against Milwaukee and proved that he is the only defender in the league who gives Giannis Antetokounmpo real problems. But the way the Raptors dismantled the Bucks, taking Antetokounmpo out of his game while clamping down on every single safety valve they had, was a team effort. Leonard led the way, but Pascal Siakam and Serge Ibaka also played key roles in throwing Antetokounmpo off, to the point where the putative MVP had trouble scoring while standing under the basket. They had a plan, they executed against it, and it came off brilliantly. The same is true of their ability to get off shots against a team that, at least on paper, was the stingiest defense in the NBA. This is the kind of intentional, heroic, crystal-clear, and heady winning that makes it impossible to see the Raptors as just a thing that happens and then goes away.
In the run-up to the Finals, some NBA observers have convinced themselves that the Raptors could make this a series, that they actually have a chance against the Warriors. It’s understandable; content must be produced, there’s a lull in actual news, and with Kevin Durant’s return still TBD, Golden State is, at least in theory, a less scary opponent. This also speaks, though, to the fact that the Raptors have actually captured the public’s imagination. They can be the sentimental favorites in spite of the fact that the Warriors are far more appealing without Kevin Durant. KD’s innumerable haters would take a perverse joy in Golden State going all the way without him. Despite all of this, though, your run-of-the-mill fan will be rooting for the Raptors, for the simple fact that the Warriors are the Warriors, and their three-peat-ing would be the least interesting, least surprising outcome. A title for the Raptors, on the other hand, would be a story for the ages, in part because the people who have spent years pretending this franchise didn’t exist can now take them up as underdogs.
Of course, there’s also a bittersweetness to the Raptors’ situation that no amount of good vibes can obviate. Leonard could walk this summer, and if Toronto doesn’t win a title here, there’s a very good chance he will bolt. The Raptors are legit, but they’re not mighty, and with the entire competitive landscape of the NBA likely to be upended this offseason, Leonard may well have other options that simply offer him a better shot at winning it all, year in, year out. While it’s now clear that the Raptors’ roster is underrated, there are still any number of teams who could potentially surround Leonard with a far higher level of overall talent.
The Raptors are pretty much stuck with this personnel for the foreseeable future, which means they can’t do anything to sweeten the pot for Leonard, and if they lose him, they return to the middle of the pack, if not the lottery. But even if the Raptors’ glory is fleeting, its effects may be lasting. For once, they’ve gotten us to pay attention and take them seriously. It may seem like a small consolation. This means, though, that while they may be headed back to the shadow, they also know they can find their way back into the light.
Originally Appeared on GQ
