Raptors Ready For New Season
Posted October 30, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
With the Maple Leafs off to a rather rough start, the Toronto Raptors could be in prime position to capture the attention of the city’s sports fans when their season kicks off against the Philadelphia 76ers Wednesday night.
The Raptors, who tied a franchise record with 47 wins last season, have all the core players returning, and a few new ones that weren’t around, which is just one of many reasons all-star forward Chris Bosh is excited.
“This is the first time since I’ve been here that we’ve come off a winning season in a home opener,” Bosh said with a grin Tuesday. “I’m expecting it to be good.”
The Raptors are also the defending Atlantic Division champs, a title they’re hoping to repeat. The first-round playoff loss to the New Jersey Nets however, is a mark they’re committed to bettering.
“It’s a different look this year, but I think we’re going to be effective. We’re doing a great job of playing off of each other, just reading different situations. I think we’re going to be a tough team to scout,” Bosh said. “One thing I’m really proud about this team is, we’ve accepted playing defence this year. We really want to stop people and we’re going to put that to the test.”
With point guards T.J. Ford and Jose Calderon both back and healthy to start the season, the offence shouldn’t suffer much either.
“That’s the most important part of our team,” Bosh said. “We’re unselfish, we move the ball, we pass the ball, we’re tough to guard. We even have chemistry on defence, that makes it tough for other teams to score on us.
“We know that things can go really wrong when you get individual egos everywhere.”
It’s a team attitude that’s certainly impressed perhaps the most significant newcomer, Jason Kapono, a former Miami Heat sharp-shooter the Raptors signed in the off-season.
“It’s rare to find that on an NBA team, where people genuinely like each other and genuinely like to play together,” said Kapono. “With the NBA based around money and contracts, a lot of teams get caught up in that and that’s not something that you need to help the team win.
“The unselfish attitude that the guys share here is a key reason why they won so many games last year.”
Kapono’s expected to start at small forward Wednesday, alongside Bosh, Andrea Bargnani (centre), Ford (point guard), and Anthony Parker (shooting guard).
