After trading away Rudy Gay early in the 2013-14 season, the Toronto Raptors won 42 out of their final 64 games, which was better than any other team in the Eastern Conference, including the two-time defending champion Miami Heat. The Toronto crowd was thrilled to see their team reach the playoffs for the first time in six years. Qualifying for the playoffs was a great achievement considering that many onlookers suspected that the front office was trying to “bottom out” by trading their top scorer. However, by retaining nearly the entire roster, the Raptors’ front office has signaled that they believe this team is capable of advancing further.

Above-average play on both sides of the ball is the story of the Raptors successful season. Starting from the date when Gay was shipped off, the Raptors posted the 9th best offensive rating (points per 100 possessions) and the 8th best defensive rating (pointes allowed per 100 possessions) in the league. The Raptors were one of only four teams to rank in the top ten in both categories over that time span (the others were the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Clippers, three clubs universally considered title contenders).

The Raptors manufactured points in two key areas, from behind the three-point line and from the free throw line.

Kyle Lowry averaged the most assists of his career by relentlessly attacking the defense to find openings for three-point shots for himself and for his teammates. He shot three-pointers more accurately than ever before despite shooting them at a higher volume than in previous seasons. Lowry’s ability to use ball screens to both drive and create space for three-point attempts caused defenses to commit a lot of attention to stopping him. He countered by finding Terrence Ross, Greivis Vasquez, and Patrick Patterson for quality looks from the outside.

The aforementioned shooters also benefitted from the pressure that DeMar DeRozan’s drives put on defenses. His north-south style of penetrating allowed him to consistently get to the foul line and attempt the seventh most free throws per game of any player in the league. When matched against smaller and quicker defenders, DeRozan flashed an effective post up game through which he was able to accumulate many of his free throw attempts.

As much as the Raptors liked to shoot three-pointers on offense, they hoped to take it away from their opponent on the other side. They were able to do that by picking up on Duane Casey’s emphasis on transition defense. Because a lot of teams like to hoist three-pointers in transition, the Raptors collective willingness to sprint back resulted in fewer quality three-point shots for the opposition. This relationship is evidenced by the Raptors ranking 3rd in three-point attempts allowed per 100 possessions and 4th in fast break points allowed per 100 possessions.

Unselfish play and strong shooting on offense combined with hard work on defense allowed the Raptors to grab the 3-seed in a weak Eastern conference. They were ultimately ousted at the hands of the Brooklyn Nets in a competitive, seven-game first-round series because of one main problem on each side of the ball.

The Nets placed all of their defensive attention on preventing Lowry and DeRozan from penetrating by trapping and switching ball-screens, which encouraged them to give up the ball early in possessions. The Raptors had great success when they got the ball inside after the Nets big men had moved out to the perimeter to contain the ball handler. Amir Johnson shot 65% and Jonas Valanciunas shot 63% from the field, but the starting frontcourt duo only shot the ball a combined 14 times per game compared to the 32 field goal attempts per game for Lowry and DeRozan. The discrepancy in field goal attempts reveals how both guards focused too heavily on creating for themselves rather than “taking what the defense gave them” and trusting their teammates. Too frequently, the Raptors’ lead scorers drove into crowded lanes and turned the ball over and hoisted wild shot attempts. They will have to be more willing to feed the ball inside when Valanciunas and Johnson are rolling to the basket or have a mismatch in the post.

The Raptors’ defense struggled mightily with two particular matchups. Neither DeRozan nor Ross were able to prevent Joe Johnson from scoring easily inside. The only Raptors who stood a chance at stymying Johnson were reserve wings Landry Fields and John Salmons, both of whom have severe limitations on offense. Johnson’s powerful penetration forced the Raptors to help from other positions more than Casey would have liked, and the result was easier shot attempts all over the floor. The other player who gave the Raptors fits was Paul Pierce, who proved to be too quick on the perimeter for Amir Johnson. When Pierce had enough space, he drilled perimeter jump shots and when Johnson played him tighter, Pierce put the ball on the floor and drove right by him.

The Raptors addressed the defensive problem by signing James Johnson using part of their mid-level exception. Johnson is exactly the sort of defender the Raptors could have used against the Nets. He possesses the length, athleticism, and physicality to provide a credible attempt at guarding the league’s premier wing scorers. Johnson is not a shooter but his passing, cutting, and (albeit limited) inside scoring skills should be enough to garner him a spot in the Raptors rotation.

Adding James Johnson does not address the offensive issues that the Raptors experienced in the playoffs, thus, those issues must be corrected via internal improvement. DeRozan, in particular, needs to exercise a better balance between looking for his own scoring and using his driving ability to create easy inside opportunities for his frontcourt teammates. Valanciunas can help by continuing to improve his finishing and by limiting his turnovers when he gets the ball inside.

Furthermore, Ross, who had a solid regular season shooting from the corners but an abysmal postseason, could free up space in the Raptors offense by becoming a more consistent three-point shooter. He could also emerge as a weapon on the fast break, which would bolster a Toronto offense that barely scored in transition last season.

Retaining the core of a 48-win team and solidifying the bench were the themes of Toronto’s offseason. A committed defense, offensive familiarity, and strong depth have the Raptors set up for another successful regular season. As long as Kyle Lowry’s payday does not have an effect on his tenacious play from last season, the Raptors should again reclaim a top-4 seed in the East. Whether they are able to advance out of the first round of the playoffs depends largely on DeRozan’s improvement as a playmaker and Valanciunas receiving and converting more inside scoring opportunities. Without improvements from those two essential players, the Raptors will not be able to separate themselves enough to make a deep run in the postseason.