The stretch run to the NBA playoffs begins now, with the Toronto Raptors in a different place than they have ever been. And nothing they do or say should change one iota.
The regular season begins again Thursday after the all-star break — the Raptors play again Friday at home against Milwaukee — with Toronto nursing a two-game lead atop the Eastern Conference. It is the best position they’ve been in for the final 25-game sprint to the post-season.
And the worst thing they can do is treat it as anything special.
Since the season began before last Halloween, Raptors coach Dwane Casey and his players have been trying to make incremental improvements so they would be in top shape going into late April.