2023 Toronto Raptors Predictions with Futures Odds and Expert NBA Picks
Since they won their 2019 championship, the Toronto Raptors have been stuck in the middle of the standings after losing Kawhi Leonard. They are too good to tank for a draft pick, but not good enough to realistically compete for a championship. A fringe playoff team is not good enough for a hungry Toronto fanbase. And after several seasons as a top 3 seed over the last decade, the Raptors are far away from replicating those results.
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Toronto Raptors Offseason Recap
The Raptors allowed Fred VanVleet to walk in the offseason, after he declined his player option in favor of a 3-year, $129 million dollar contract with the Houston Rockets. VanVleet worked his way up the Raptors organization and became just the 5th undrafted player to earn All-Star accolades in league history. He was certainly a valuable member of the Raptors, but the front office made the right decision to not overpay him and move on to other frontiers. His 19.3 PPG will be missed, but his poor shot selection became a frustration for Raptor fans, and there is still a quiet optimism in Toronto that they can compete with the league’s middling teams.
With the point guard position vacant, the Raptors lured Denis Schroder to Toronto, with a 2-year, $25 million deal. Schroder is coming off a stunning FIBA World Cup victory with Germany and will look to bring that momentum to Toronto. The 30-year-old brings a wealth of experience with him, and he always keeps his head up on offense and keeps his feet moving on defense.
Toronto Raptors Season Expectations
It is difficult to know what to expect in Toronto. After reaching the pinnacle of the NBA in 2019, the Raptors saw themselves quickly decline, finishing with a 27-45 record just 2 seasons later. They’ve managed to string together back-to-back winnings campaigns. However, with a win total of just 36.5 games, they are clearly expected to decline without VanVleet. Luckily for them, they still have Pascal Siakam, who’s level of play will dictate what kind of season Toronto has. Siakam scored a career high 24.2 PPG last year. And without VanVleet hogging possessions, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if he bests that number once again. He has a lethal spin move, can hit jump shots, and has no hesitation to take it to the rim. Former Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes has some pressure to deliver, after he was unable to replicate his rookie season in his sophomore campaign. He saw a drop off in his assists, and his shooting efficiency, and looked lost on the court for long stretches of the season. Of course, the 22-year-old still has plenty of room to grow, but he will need significant improvement if he expects to be the second option on a playoff caliber team.
Toronto Raptors Schedule Breakdown
The Raptors play 4 of their first 5 at Scotiabank Arena, before departing on a 4-game road trip, bookended by against the Celtics and 76ers. There is no question when their hardest stretch of games occurs, as they play 9 road games in 15 days to kick off 2024. Due to their Canadian status, the Raptors often have plenty of lengthy road trips and long homestands to mitigate the travel expenses, and this season is no different.
Toronto Raptors Odds
The Raptors are expected to find themselves on the outside looking in come April, with a 36.5-game win total and +160 odds to compete in the postseason. Their mammoth +5000 odds to lift the championship still feel a little short, as this team lacks the upside needed to justify a longshot title bet. They have the core to put together a decent season, but they will struggle to best any of the East’s top 6 teams in a 7-game playoff series. Luckily for them, they have a favorable in-season tournament group and may be able to earn a chance at silverware before the regular season has concluded. The Boston Celtics are heavy favorites to win the group at -110 odds. However, there is a great chance the Raptors could achieve qualification with a second-place finish, besting the Nets, Bulls, and Magic. They are +325 to best the Celtics in the process, and a home game against the C’s to open up the tournament will go a long way in determining Group C’s victor.
Toronto Raptors 2023-24 Season Predictions
The Raptors will have one of their worst seasons in the last decade, as they lack the proven scorers to compete with the Eastern Conference heavyweights and will struggle to consistently put up wins throughout the season. Any time the leading shot taker departs, his production falls onto the shoulders of the secondary options. Siakam will see his usage increase and could easily be attempting 20+ shots per game after a solid season of scoring last year. However, we haven’t seen him succeed frequently enough in isolation to expect him to be able to cook up defenders late in the shot clock. And unless all 5 shooters are on their game, the Raptors will struggle to score consistently. However, their defense is good enough to keep them in games, to allow them to oust the bottom feeders, en route to a 40-44 record, narrowly cashing the Over. Despite a better than expected regular season, I will not be touching any Raptors playoff futures, as I can’t see a world where they beat the East’s healthy contenders in a series. They lack a range of players poised to breakout, but this team has been consistent enough to best this very low win total.
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