The Toronto Raptors are holding themselves to a higher standard than ever before. A legitimate pursuit of an NBA championship has them more aware of even the slightest slippage.
The Raptors are riding a season-best, nine-game winning streak, yet they are finding minor flaws they want to clean up lest bad habits cost them a game or two when the playoffs start in a little more than a month.
That was the case after a 116-102 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night, their seventh straight road triumph.
“We’ve got to start the games with (hard play), right now, our disposition to start the game is not good,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey told reporters Tuesday, after the Nets scored 40 first-quarter points.