Early games against Warriors, Spurs to put Raptors’ ‘culture reset’ to the test
TORONTO — The Toronto Raptors are about to find out if their culture reset has been successful.
A second-round sweep by the Cleveland Cavaliers in last year’s playoffs painted a potentially bleak future for the Raptors. The NBA was trending toward a different style — fast-paced, free-flowing, three-point shooting — and the Raptors were being left behind.
But rather than overhaul the roster, the team revamped its offence.
Ideally, ball movement and three-point shooting will replace one-on-one play. The Raptors showed glimpses of it in the pre-season, the ball whipping around through a free-flowing offence. Perfected by teams such as Golden State and San Antonio, it’s a style that difficult to defend, and tough to scout. Teams can befuddle opponents with their offensive imagination.