Through the last four seasons, the Toronto Raptors have developed into a constant in the playoff picture as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
This effort has been led by their All-Star backcourt duo of point guard Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, who have developed a close relationship over the years. Their brotherly-like bond was put on display during an interview following Friday's win over the New York Knicks.
The bond between them helped not only lift their own individual games to become among the top tier players at their respective positions but also led to much success for the Raptors. In the last four seasons, they have won three Atlantic Divison titles, two 50-win campaigns, and made the first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in franchise history.
The stability that this has brought to the franchise has been key in helping turn Toronto into a factor in the East. On top of that, the front office has locked up each player to lucrative multi-year deals that should continue to keep them in at least the playoff picture for the next several seasons.
The Raptors have gotten out to a strong start currently tied for the second-best record at 10-5 in the Eastern Conference standings after winning seven out of the last 10 games. If both DeRozan and Lowry remain healthy, Toronto could once again be one of the top seeds in the Eastern Conference come playoff time.