At first glance, this evening’s opponent for the New Orleans Pelicans probably doesn’t appear all that intimidating to the average fan.
The Toronto Raptors have a 19-17 record overall and Pascal Siakam is the lone All-Star (2020) in the starting lineup. It’s not remotely the same roster that won the NBA championship a few years ago.
Looking deeper, however, these Raptors have won five straight games. They boast the fourth winningest record since December 2, and during this 10-4 stretch, Toronto ranks sixth in offensive rating, defensive rating and net rating.