Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry, right, drives the ball past Atlanta Hawks forward Al Horford, left, during first half NBA action in Toronto on Wednesday, October 29, 2014.Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press
Many basketball pundits have projected another step for the Toronto Raptors this season, a better outcome than last year's franchise-high 48-win season and first-round playoff appearance. Before a packed house with amped emotions and soaring expectations Wednesday night, the team opened its new NBA campaign with win No.1.
Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan were a surprising combined 7-of-27 from the field, but found other ways to contribute, while Jonas Valanciunas lead with 17 points and Amir Johnson had a career-best opening night 16 as the reigning Atlantic Division champions outlasted the Atlanta Hawks, 109-102.
It was a reunion of the starting five from last year. With just five new players on the 15-man roster, the squad has changed very little and leans on consistency for the first time in many seasons.
Wednesday night's welcome-back atmosphere was reminiscent of the playoff fervour that overtook the Air Canada Centre last spring – the hollering crowd and booming thunder-sticks, every fan in the house decked in a white We The North t-shirt, creating that familiar whitewash.
The revelry continued outside the building too in what last May became affectionately tagged Jurassic Park, where they had signalled to the NBA Toronto's passion for basketball. This time, toque-clad fans gathered in the late-October chill, as general manager Masai Ujiri addressed the crowd beforehand (no profanities this time), flanked by Drake.
"This is what we always deserved," the Toronto hip-hop artist said, looking out on the energetic square.
Inside, the atmosphere was one of reunion and a celebration for a squad that had made its first playoff appearance since 2008. Kyle Lowry addressed the crowd. The point guard who had been courted in free agency by the likes of the Miami Heat and Houston Rockets before re-upping in Toronto could barely get a word out over the adoring, bellowing crowd. The pre-game ceremonies featured the debut of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment's new $1.5-million animation system, which serves to turn the hardwood into a canvas for 3D video and special effects. The hardwood's outer edge had been re-painted with "We The North", the rally cry that has blanketed billboards and flags across the city and the nation, one that has come to embody the NBA's only Canadian squad, one that feels like an outsider.
"The crowd was so good, it reminded me of the playoffs," said Valanciunas.
The Raptors lead from start to finish, despite a fourth-quarter scare when the Hawks charged within four points in the closing minutes. Johnson, who struggled late last year with numerous injuries, looked healthy and re-invigorated as he added ten rebounds to his 16 points, had of the biggest dunks of the game and held Atlanta's Paul Millsap to 13 points. Terrence Ross, who could rarely muster a basket in the playoffs, added 13 points. Lowry contributed 11 despite being three of 11 from the field, but added ten assists. DeRozan had 15 points on 4 of 16 shooting, yet grabbed a career-high 11 boards.
"When we're not making shots, we've got to figure out other ways to impact the game so that's what I had to do," said DeRozan. "The first game is always the toughest one, especially getting the first win out of the way."
While the Hawks aren't the biggest test the Raptors could have experienced on opening night, they did squeak into the playoffs last year as the No.8 seed, where they lost to the Indiana Pacers. Wednesday, they challenged the Raptors with their distinctive spacing and perimeter shooting. Guard Kyle Korver, considered by many to be one of the best pure shooters and ball-movers in the league, was allowed to score 20, as were Mike Scott and Jeff Teague.
"I thought they came on really strong, they hit some quick threes, and that's why we took JV out – they were getting it up so quick and we had to match up," said Casey. "They were coming down in transition on us. We've got to do a better job of keeping our foot on the pedal at the end of games."
The Raptors now head on the road for games Saturday in Orlando and Sunday in Miami.
Rachel Brady