Before the Mavericks and defending Toronto Raptors played Saturday night, coach Nick Nurse was asked how his defending NBA champions have sustained early season greatness despite losing one of the league’s best players, Kawhi Leonard, in the offseason.
He pointed to the simple fact that the Raptors had a stocked cupboard full of young talent that could absorb the loss of a superstar – even one on Leonard’s level.
It may have been misjudged or underestimated by some, but not by the Raptors.
“First of all, we’ve got four or five really special players – like, really special,” Nurse said with emphasis.