NBA 2018-19: Can this Toronto Raptors' side overcome the Boston Celtics this season?
Gordon Hayward's resurgence, Jason Tatum's potential breakout season & Kyrie Irving's fitness are all significant factors that led everyone during the offseason to believe that the Celtics would clearly be the next big thing in the East, after LeBron jumped ship.
But apparently, it hasn't all been smooth sailing for them yet. They have found some serious competition in the North. Kawhi Leonard and Co. are unbeaten up until this point(might change in the future) and in the process, have trampled Boston 113-101 in their one and only meeting during the first week of NBA action.
The Kawhi-led Toronto has beaten Cavaliers, Celtics, Wizards, Hornets & Timberwolves to maintain a perfect 5-0 win-loss record. On the other hand, Tatum & Irving took turns and got their side above Thunder, Sixers & Knicks while falling behind when they faced the Raptors(obviously) & Orlando Magic(courtesy of Nikola Vucevic). To make matters worse for the Celtics, they'll be facing the Pistons(unbeaten 4-0) next, while in contrast, the Raptors face the conquerable Mavericks in the upcoming matchup.
Jason Tatum is averaging 9.6 rebounds per game this season, and rightfully so, considering the length he brings into play, but his support crew is not consistent with the response. Maybe, the death lineup of Smart, Scary Terry, Jaylen Brown and Tatum is what willed the Celts last season and not the Hayward, Kyrie duo. Maybe not.
Although all the starters in green scored in double figures when facing Toronto, the Raptors pulled away with a decisive win at home. Kawhi got himself a double-double of 31pts/10rebs while Ibaka chipped in with 21(also the individual high score for the Celtics by Kyrie) of his own, and that was all they needed to put away arguably the best side in the East.
Kawhi had a career-high average of 25.5 points per game back in 2016-17 when he played a total of 74 games in the regular season. Across the four games that he has played this season, he is averaging 28 points a game along with 7.8 rebounds. It would suffice to say that he is locked-in this year, and a super focussed Kawhi is the last thing the oppositions would want to see on both ends of the floor.
Even Kyle Lowry wouldn't have expected such quick returns from such a mammoth, seismic shift from the offseason. But here we are yet again(after a year's break), lauding at the greatness of The Klaw and his faculty to turn nothing into something single-handedly.
With Serge Ibaka & Kyle Lowry playing apt supporting roles, Danny Green and Kawhi can spread the floor with perimeter shooting and rip the defences apart.
It might be too early in the season to foretell what lies at the horizon for both teams but as far as my experience of professional basketball goes, Raptors have all the equipment needed to go deeper into the playoffs and make it big this year.