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Raptors' checklist: Five keys to turning a promising roster into a successful NBA season

Read the original at Toronto Star ↗

Cite

APA MLA Chicago

Smith, D. (2026, October 21). Raptors' checklist: Five keys to turning a promising roster into a successful NBA season. Toronto Star. https://www.thestar.com/sports/raptors/raptors-checklist-five-keys-to-turning-a-promising-roster-into-a-successful-nba-season/article_8b56855c-ea42-49f3-aa65-4e1aeef70dd1.html

Dated from the outlet's own feed. Check the original for its byline.

Quick Summary

The article outlines five key areas for the Toronto Raptors to focus on during their upcoming NBA season, starting with beating strong opponents and staying healthy throughout the year. It emphasizes the need for unexpected performances from young players like Allen Graves or Jamison Battle as well as maintaining a strong home court performance at Scotiabank Arena, noting that improving their previous 24-17 home record would be crucial for playoff positioning. The article also stresses the importance of avoiding significant injuries to key players and performing well in critical early-season matchups against top teams like Boston, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn.

Written by AI on 2026-10-21, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

The Toronto Raptors are aiming for a successful NBA season that begins on Wednesday with a home game against the Chicago Bulls. According to Doug Smith, one key factor is improving their performance against top teams; last season, they were 2-22 against the best Western Conference and top three Eastern Conference teams. Additionally, staying healthy is crucial, as avoiding significant long-term injuries to key players could mean having them available for over 57 games each. Second-year guard Jamal Shead and rookie Collin Murray-Boyles were highlights of the previous season, with Walter also showing promise in the final weeks. Improving their record against division rivals like the Knicks, Sixers, Celtics, and Nets is another goal for home-court advantage in the playoffs.

Written for “Raptors NBA Season Prospects” on 2026-11-04, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 0% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

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Toronto Star

Hedges 3 of 24 claims Outlet record 64/100

“The articles discuss different aspects of the Raptors' upcoming season and do not describe the same specific incident or occurrence.”

Raptors try to ignore expectations ahead of promising 2026-27 season Different event

Toronto Star

Hedges 0 of 41 claims Outlet record 64/100

“The articles discuss different aspects of the Raptors' upcoming season and do not describe the same specific incident or occurrence.”

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted

sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

0 of 11 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

Leaning

not political

takes no side on a contested political question

Publisher signals

64/100

Toronto Star's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

Outlets on this story

Sports

Same framing elsewhere

articles that frame the event the way this one does

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Who wrote this

Doug Smith

27 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 It gave him a lot, but that didn’t mean the Raptors could match the financial aspects.

2026-11-02 · assertive framing · The Raptors helped Sandro Mamukelashvili make $52 million. He hasn’t forgotten

🔮 It would appear that France has more top-quality big men than they know what to do with, and that Canada has more top-quality guards and wings than we know what to do with.

2026-11-01 · assertive framing · Raptors mailbag: Is it time to find a replacement for Jakob Poeltl?

🔮 Thanks for all you have done and will do in keeping us informed.

2026-10-25 · assertive framing · Raptors mailbag: Who makes Toronto's all-time hustle team?

🔮 The Raptors have been building toward this for years, trying to assemble a collection of multi-faceted, above-average defenders who will give them a chance every night they take to the court.

2026-10-24 · assertive framing · Can Raptors defence the Darko way handle Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball? They’re about to find out

🔮 Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.

2026-10-22 · assertive framing · Raptors show defensive chops

🔮 Kawhi Leonard is back, and so are the Raptors' championship hopes There will be noise attached to this Raptors season, noise they have not heard for years, associated with legitimate contenders, and noise they are anxiously awaiting.

2026-10-21 · assertive framing · Raptors vs. Bulls live: Kawhi Leonard releases hype video to thank Toronto ahead of tonight's home opener

🔮 Improving on that record would go a long way to vault them in position to have home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

2026-10-21 · assertive framing · Raptors' checklist: Five keys to turning a promising roster into a successful NBA season

🔮 Without him, I don’t think it would be the team we are.

2026-10-19 · assertive framing · Part Lowry, part VanVleet. Jamal Shead has become the heart and soul of the Raptors

🔮 It’s fun for me and more varied questions might interest some of you, too.

2026-10-18 · assertive framing · Raptors mailbag: The RJ Barrett trade noise should finally stop — but it won't

🔮 It’s unlikely the Raptors will change their starting lineup but that group should close every close game.

2026-10-16 · assertive framing · Raptors flash on defence in pre-season loss to Knicks

Also by Doug Smith

The Raptors helped Sandro Mamukelashvili make $52 million. He hasn’t forgotten

2026-11-02 · Toronto Star

Raptors mailbag: Is it time to find a replacement for Jakob Poeltl?

2026-11-01 · Toronto Star

Raptors mailbag: Who makes Toronto's all-time hustle team?

2026-10-25 · Toronto Star

Can Raptors defence the Darko way handle Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball? They’re about to find out

2026-10-24 · Toronto Star

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 27 articles by Doug Smith →

Claims (11 extracted, 0 hedged)

Talent carries the day throughout most of an NBA regular season but even the most talented teams need some breaks to go their way as well. asserted

teams → carry → breaks

Here are five things the Raptors need to take care of to ensure a successful season that begins Wednesday at home against the Chicago Bulls. asserted

that → need → Bulls

Beat a few good teams The Raptors were a combined miserable 2-22 last season against the top six teams in the Western Conference and top three in the Eastern Conference. asserted

Raptors → beat → Conference

On paper, there appear to be more “good” teams this season making the job more difficult. asserted

job → appear → paper

That’s just not good enough. asserted

That → ’ → ?

Stay healthy It doesn’t mean the top eight players are available for 75 games each but avoiding season-crippling long-term injuries to significant players is paramount. asserted

avoiding → stay → players

Let’s say a good target is having the key rotational player shooting for 57-60 games (just a bit more than 70 per cent of the games) and they hope the majority of them eclipse that. Find a surprise or two It’s fair to say second-year guard Jamal Shead and rookie Collin Murray-Boyles were pleasant surprises a season ago and Ja’Kobe Walter become one in the final month or six weeks of the season. asserted

Walter → let → season

If rookie Allen Graves does that, or Jamison Battle has a full good season or Kyle Anderson has some gas in the tank, that’ll be a huge boost. asserted

that → do → tank

Stay in touch It’s imperative the Raptors don’t get buried in the standings early in the season and are forced to scramble just to get into a guaranteed playoff spot in the final couple of months. asserted

Raptors → stay → months

Enjoy home cooking Toronto hardly took advantage of the Scotiabank Arena last season, posting a pedestrian 24-17 at home (.583), tied for the worst home record among the top six teams in the Eastern Conference. asserted

Toronto → enjoy → Conference

Improving on that record would go a long way to vault them in position to have home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. asserted

Improving → improve → playoffs

Raptors' checklist: Five keys to turning a promising roster into a successful NBA season

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Claims (11 extracted, 0 hedged)