Jeff Hanisch – USA Today Sports Images
The Toronto Raptors, who had such high hopes after the acquired Rudy Gay before the NBA Trade Deadline and went on a run when he first arrived, ended their season on Wednesday at just 34-48. Considering how high their expectations were immediately following the trade for Gay and the simple fact that they were 14 games below .500, this season has been a downer for the Raptors in their fans.
One of the reasons that they weren’t able to sustain a level of success after the Gay trade was how poorly and inefficiently the team was offensively, particularly Gay and DeMar DeRozan, who was signed to a long-term deal before the year. Both players were shooting around 40 percent from the field which, seeing how big of a role those two play in Toronto’s offense, is atrocious.
In the final weeks of the season, though, the duo of Gay and DeRozan has been playing much like they can carry the Raptors offensively. Over their last 10 games, Gay has averaged 19 point per game on 47.7 percent shooting from the field and 48.8 percent three-point shooting while DeRozan has averaged 22.1 points per game on 51.8 percent shooting from the field and 50 percent from long range. That’s quite impressive.
Not surprisingly with how Gay and DeRozan have been playing, the Raptors are 7-3 over their last 10 games. Both players are going to be in Toronto next season and are likely a large part of the future there. If they want to take this team to the next level, they need to play like they have over the last few weeks of the season on offense for an entire season. They have always had the ability, but the time has come for them to put that ability into action.
Cody Williams is a Senior NBA Writer with Rant Sports. Follow Cody on Twitter @TheSizzle20 and like his Facebook page.
