With a chance to secure their spot in this year’s playoffs, the Toronto Raptors took full advantage of it against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday.
The team won their sixth consecutive game and improved their record to 47-17 for the season, good for first place in the Eastern Conference. The win on the night has made them the first team in the league this season to clinch a playoff spot, with still 19 games left on their schedule.
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DeMar DeRozan led the team’s charge in securing the victory. He also came up big down the stretch and finished with a game-high 42 points, on 16-of-28 shooting from the field, to go along with four rebounds and six assists. Kyle Lowry chipped in with a double-double of 15 points and 15 assists, with seven rebounds, while Jonas Valanciunas had a double-double of his own of 14 points and 11 rebounds.
The Raptors may be thought of as a surprise team, being in first place in their conference, but their players, as well as their fans, expected these results from them. After making exits in the conference finals and semifinals the past two seasons, they are looking geared for another deep run. This time, though, the Raptors look like they will not settle for anything less than having a chance to compete in the NBA Finals.
Despite the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics still being seen by many as the favorites, the Raptors could prove to be serious contenders if they’ll be able to sustain the momentum throughout the remainder of the campaign.
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