The Toronto Raptors have been eliminated from the NBA cup by the hands of the New York Knicks in the quarterfinals.
The Raptors went 4-0 in group play but could not get to Las Vegas due to their loss against the Knicks, where they were without RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, who were both injured. Here’s a look at some of the lessons learned from the Raptors NBA Cup experience this season.
Raptors have flashes of potential
While they may not have had the outcome they had hoped for, it is no small feat that the Raptors won their group. They deserve credit for sweeping the four teams in front of them in the group stage to get to the knockout stage and host a quarterfinal match.
While they played some easy opponents, they also had big wins against quality teams. The Raptors should bottle some of that energy from those wins and use it for the rest of the season and beyond.
New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby walks off the court with Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes | Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
Winning on the road is crucial
The Raptors started off their NBA Cup journey with two wins on the road against the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks. Getting those victories early in the group stage set the Raptors up for success later on.
Whenever the Raptors return to the playoffs, it will be equally as important to win games away from Toronto. Getting that experience in the NBA Cup is invaluable.
RJ Barrett is incredibly valuable
Over the past few weeks, it has been abundantly clear that the Raptors are better when RJ Barrett is on the floor. The team is 12-5 when he plays, and 3-5 when he doesn’t.
Not having Barrett in the NBA Cup quarterfinal against his former team in the Knicks was a huge loss. Had he been on the court, there’s a chance that the Raptors would be on a plane to Las Vegas instead of getting ready to face the Miami Heat.
Experience matters in competition
The Raptors ended up losing to the Knicks, who are battle-tested after reaching the Eastern Conference Finals last season. That definitely came into play against the Raptors. They need to get more high-level basketball experience.
They’re not ready quite yet
Overall, the Raptors are a team on the rise, but they still have a lot of growing to do. That takes time, and the nine-game win streak early in the season definitely made it seem like the Raptors were ahead of schedule, but the elimination in the NBA Cup may suggest that they are right on track where they need to be.