Lewenberg: Turning the page after historic Raptors season For most Raptors fans, last season was a resounding, albeit unexpected success. The team had overcome adversity, shrugging off an early-season trade while silencing rumours and tank talk en route to a franchise record in wins and their first playoff appearance in six years. Dwane Casey had little interest in harping on or even speaking of the past, that was left at the door when camp opened at the Air Canada Centre on Tuesday morning.

Josh Lewenberg TSN Raptors Reporter Follow|Archive

TORONTO - Shortly after Dwane Casey wrapped up a two and a half hour practice on the first day of training camp, nearly the longest session he's ever held as a coach at any level, he made reference to the new, bright green band on his right wrist.

Indirectly, Casey was asked about the play that put an end to his team's magical run five months earlier.

"We can replay that [possession] 50-million times," he said. "And we have, I have."

With seconds left in a series-deciding Game 7, Toronto down by one point, Kyle Lowry - the team's undisputed heart and soul - split a couple defenders and hoisted up a floater that was ultimately sent back by Paul Pierce.

It was a broken possession that weighed heavily on the minds of Casey and his players throughout what probably felt like a long summer. On Monday, Terrence Ross told the assembled media that he felt responsible having been in the wrong spot, which may have permitted the Nets to converge on the driving Lowry.

"Yes, it's good that he recognizes and notices it," Casey said of Ross' admission of guilt, "but we've got to continue to look forward."

Casey had little interest in harping on or even speaking of the past, that was left at the door when camp opened at the Air Canada Centre on Tuesday morning. Instead, he just pointed to his wrist.

Printed in capital letters on the band was a question.

"WHAT'S NEXT?"

Casey has been a regular guest of Pete Carroll's at Seattle Seahawks training camp over the past few summers. The wristband is a souvenir from his latest visit to the Super Bowl Champions' facility, which is conveniently located near his offseason home.

Did Carroll conduct camp any differently this summer, in the aftermath of his team's recent accomplishments? Not according to Casey. It was business as usual for the Hawks and Carroll's message was one that resonated with the Raptors head coach. What's next?

For most Raptors fans, last season was a resounding, albeit unexpected success. The team had overcome adversity, shrugging off an early-season trade while silencing rumours and tank talk en route to a franchise record in wins and their first playoff appearance in six years.

With the bar set so low in a city that has long been starving for a winner, some were satisfied. Not the case for those inside the organization, last season's abrupt ending had left a sour taste in their mouths. They wanted more. They expected more.

"Me and a few guys [on the team] we talked the whole second round in the playoffs because we felt we should have been there," said veteran forward Chuck Hayes.

Having missed the playoffs in each of his first four years in the league, DeMar DeRozan used to watch the entire postseason, applying it as motivation to get there the following campaign. This year, after the Raptors were eliminated, he barely watched a minute.

"I didn't, not at all," said the Raptors' all-star and leading scorer. "I probably watched the first game [of the Nets-Heat series] and I couldn't even watch anymore, honestly, because I knew we could've been there. And it sucks. I'm [back home] in LA and [the Nets are] in Miami playing against a team we should've been playing against."

"It was tough," he continued. "That whole [thing], I couldn't wait for them to lose, honestly, just to feel better about myself. I feel like we coulda gave Miami a better run for their money. And you know, whatever, you have all them questions in your head, and just to know you're not there. I'm sitting at home, it definitely was frustrating."

Casey met with Ross the day after Game 7. It was the first and last time they went over the final possession. That was also the only time the sophomore guard watched the play. "It's almost too hard to watch."

How often does he think about it?

"Everyday."

No one is forgetting about that moment anytime soon - Casey doesn't expect them to - but, as training camp begins, they're learning to put it behind them and channel they're disappointment in the right direction.

"I think about it all the time, because we're going to need that to feed off of and understand how bad that hurt," DeRozan admitted. "That feeling of losing Game 7 and coming so close, losing by one point. We gotta carry that starting [at] training camp, have that hunger and that edge to do the same thing all over again this year."

"I'm over it right now," Lowry echoed. "I've done enough dwelling on it and looking back on it. We're on a new season right now, whatever happens, as soon as the ball goes up in pre-season, that should be over."

Tuesday marked the first step in moving on as the team returned to practice, where Casey kept them hard at work for nearly three hours.

Despite the familiar roster - with only a few minor tweaks made over the offseason - and the success they had together last year, Casey insisted on starting from the basics, as he does at this time every year.

"You want to skip a few letters of the alphabet but what we're doing is starting from scratch like we normally do, building from there," he said, commending their effort and intensity on day one. "We'll build a little bit quicker from that standpoint but we don't want to skip any letters, even for the older guys to get that muscle memory back of being where they're supposed to be and that type of thing."

For him, like the Super Bowl champs, it's not about where they came from or what they've done. When the campaign begins in just less than a month they'll be 0-0, just like 29 other NBA teams. The season starts over and so does the process.

What's next?