The Cleveland Cavaliers' stiffest conference challenge could come not from the Windy City, the ATL, South Beach or Circle City, but rather the Great White North.
So far, the Toronto Raptors have earned that distinction. Their 103-93 win over the depleted New York Knicks on Thursday extended the Raptors' winning streak to a franchise-record 10 games and, in the process, strengthened Toronto's stake to the East's second seed.
The Raptors' claim to that almost-throne begins with the conference's top backcourt. Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan celebrated their All-Star selections—Lowry by fan vote, DeRozan by the coaches'—with dueling 26-point outings. Lowry, nursing a sprained wrist, took advantage of Jose Calderon's absence for New York with game highs in assists (10) and steals (three).
As much as they rely on their dynamic duo on the perimeter, the Raptors are no longer pushovers up front. Jonas Valanciunas made that much clear at the Air Canada Centre, albeit while Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis also watched from the bench. The 23-year-old nabbed 18 rebounds to notch his 10th double ...
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Article written by Josh Martin
Thursday NBA Roundup: Have the Raptors Finally Earned ‘2nd Best’ Label out East?
January 28th, 2016 by Josh Martin Leave a reply »
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