Raptors Continue Rolling to 7th Straight Victory with Help on the Way

The Toronto Raptors won't slow down, taking down the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday with the trade deadline just hours away

Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Are the Toronto Raptors a championship-caliber team this season? No. But right now, the Raptors are rolling. Toronto clinched its seventh straight victory Wednesday night 117-98 over the Oklahoma City Thunder and help is on the way.

The Raptors are going to make a move tomorrow before the 3 p.m. ET trade deadline. Who that is, we don't know yet and probably won't until Thursday afternoon. There will, however, be options. The fact that the Cavaliers got Caris LeVert for Ricky Rubio's expiring contract and the Utah Jazz acquired Nickeil Alexander-Walker for Joe Ingles' expiring contract suggests someone is going to want Goran Dragic, the 35-year-old Raptors guard on a $19.4 million expiring deal.

"I think since early December this team has really started ... playing good basketball on a fairly consistent basis and it's good to see," Raptors coach Nick Nurse said post-game Wednesday. "Whoever we get to the arena for the game, we get ready to get them ready to go and try to try to keep getting better."

Toronto certainly has needs. The bench ranks among the worst in the league and defensive rebounding remains a major problem. Even against the lowly Thunder, Toronto's bench got outscored 55-21 and got beat on the offensive glass.

"By no means do we think that this is the final look and I think that's why this week's important for us," Raptors general manager Bobby Webster said Tuesday.

But making mid-season moves is rarely easy. Marc Gasol was the exception to the rule. He came in and immediately adapted to Toronto's system. Those players are just hard to find and with the way things are going for the Raptors, bad vibes will not be tolerated.

"Obviously with the way players are growing and playing together I think suggests less of a major move," Webster said. "I think the good vibes of the current group hopefully bodes well for the future."

Toronto isn't going to touch the core at the deadline. I mean, why would you? Pascal Siakam came out and looked unstoppable against the Thunder, scoring 21 of his 27 points in the first half almost exclusively on downhill drives in the paint. Fred VanVleet picked up where he left off with another three-point barrage for 21 points. Gary Trent Jr., Scottie Barnes, and OG Anunoby all picked their spots, each reaching double digits in scoring. It was the kind of egalitarian attack the Raptors have prided themselves on this season.

"Those five guys just continue to find each other and take what’s available," Nurse said.

Now it's up to the front office to complement the group with a rare opportunity to make a significant move without subtracting from the rotation. It won't make the Raptors real title contenders this year, but it'll set them up for next season with a team that's showing they can compete with anyone night in and night out. 

Up Next: Houston Rockets

The Raptors will have enough golden opportunity to extend their winning streak when they look to make it eight straight Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET against the Houston Rockets.