The Toronto Raptors have punched their fourth straight playoff ticket after defeating the Dallas Mavericks 94-86, making defense its calling card during a clutch five-game win streak.
The North has now kept four of their last five opponents under 100 points, as they average a mere 91.2 points per game in points against, making the additions of Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker stand out on the defensive side of the ball.
Kyle Lowry‘s absence has taken its toll on the team, but backcourt mate DeMar DeRozan has done his best not only to keep the ship afloat, but take it to shore — standing just a game away from the Washington Wizards‘ third place.
The Raptors shut the door on the Mavericks throughout Saturday's game, limiting them to 22 points or less in every quarter, formula that has proved efficient and finding its identity as a defensive team with only nine games to go in the season.
Throughout the 21 seasons since the inception of this expansion franchise, Toronto had only made just eight trips to the playoffs, advancing to the second round only twice, and East Finals once. The last three seasons have been a true show of their success, winning at least 48 regular season wins on those years, though only 13 playoff victories, highlighted by last year's run to the Eastern Conference Final.
Lowry's impending return should give the team a boost in their three-point shooting, plus add another 20-point scorer to go with an already formidably balanced starting five.
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