If the Toronto Raptors want to build off last season's top-5 finish and establish themselves as legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference, their season opener offered an encouraging blueprint.
Within their lopsided victory over the Chicago Bulls, the Raptors showed signs that this may only be the beginning of what could be a breakthrough season for Toronto. Here are three notable statistics from the win that will be pivotal to track throughout the season.
11: Toronto’s Defensive Identity Remains Intact
The Raptors held Chicago to 11.1 per cent shooting from three-point range, limiting the Bulls to 4-of-36 shooting from beyond the arc. Of that, Chicago’s starting five combined to shoot just 3-of-25 from deep.
That performance builds on a defensive strength Toronto established last season. The Raptors tied the Denver Nuggets for the NBA’s third-best opponent three-point percentage at 34.9 per cent. With Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl and Collin Murray-Boyles providing length around the paint, Toronto has the personnel to make life difficult inside and force opponents to beat it from the perimeter. Kawhi Leonard’s addition gives the Raptors another elite on-ball defender, further reinforcing that identity.
The number 11 also reflects Toronto’s discipline offensively. The Raptors committed just 11 turnovers compared to Chicago’s 27, continuing their progress in protecting the basketball. After ranking 24th and 20th in turnovers per game in the previous two seasons, Toronto improved to eighth last season at 13.7 per game.
35: Turnovers Fuel Toronto’s Transition Attack
Toronto converted Chicago’s mistakes into 35 points off turnovers, compared to just eight for the Bulls. The Raptors also recorded 34 fast-break points, showcasing the athleticism and pace they can generate when opponents give away possessions.
The combination of perimeter pressure and transition scoring could become an important part of Toronto’s offensive formula. Although the Raptors ranked 21st in pace last season, Leonard’s arrival offers another option for creating efficient offense without relying exclusively on isolation scoring.
If Toronto can continue to consistently force turnovers and turn defensive stops into easy baskets, it can generate offense without needing to win every possession in the half court. The Raptors' half court talent is much improved from last season with the addition of Leonard and hopefully a more consistent presence from Immanuel Quickley. But, this is still a team with the kind of length and athleticism that should be winning in the open floor.
23: Three Scorers, One Balanced Attack
Barnes, Leonard and Quickley each scored 23 points, with all three playing fewer than 30 minutes. RJ Barrett also added 20 points, giving Toronto four players with at least 20.
That balance could prove critical for a team that ranked 15th in offensive rating last season. Beyond Brandon Ingram, who is no longer on the roster, no Toronto player finished among the NBA’s top 50 scorers last season.
Leonard comes in as a more efficient high-volume scoring option than Ingram, but Toronto will need Barnes, Quickley and Barrett to shoulder their share of the offensive workload, particularly if, or more so when Leonard misses time.
One blowout cannot establish a season-long trend. However, Toronto’s opening performance offered encouraging signs of a team capable of defending the perimeter, punishing turnovers and spreading the scoring load as it pursues another top-six finish in the Eastern Conference.
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