Just a few short months ago, the Raptors front office traded the Dinos (top 3 protected) 2013 first round pick, along with Gary Forbes to the Rockets, for Kyle Lowry. This move halted the re-building process in Toronto, and raised the expectations for the Raptors in 2013.
With Lowry, and 6 other newbies on the roster entering this season, a sense of excitement was building throughout Raptors fans, and there was a belief that the Dinos would be back to competeting come playoff time.
Well... we're nearly a month into the season, and those same Raptors fans are furious at their squad, calling for major changes in T.O.
The Raptors are an abysmal 3-11, and currently sit 15th in the Eastern Conference, with the winless Wizards as the only team holding a worse record.
Time is at the essence for this young Raptors squad.
With 1/6 of this season already finished, the Raptors can't fall behind the pack too much, or else it'll become too late.
Yes - they've competed well, and yes - they've had some incredible individual performances, but overall, the win column is all that matters, and that's an area the Raptors have struggled in.
The Raptors need to get back into the win column, and tonight's match up against a beatable Rockets squad would be a good time to start.
What should you know about the Rockets? Well, they can score. James Harden and Chandler Parsons have been the top offensive threats for this Rockets team that's averaging an impressive 101.3 ppg (4th in the NBA) so far this season.
Defending - on the other hand - has been an issue for the Rockets. Although Asik and Patterson are tough down low, the Rockets back-court is often occupied by Lin and Harden, two players who spend most of their energy on the offensive end, leaving little left for defense (sound familiar?)
This is definitely a winnable game for the Raptors, as the Rockets have been very inconsistent throughout their first 13 games.
GO RAPS!