{"id":93917,"date":"2022-03-22T09:41:44","date_gmt":"2022-03-22T13:41:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mileniostadium.com\/?p=93917"},"modified":"2022-03-22T09:41:44","modified_gmt":"2022-03-22T13:41:44","slug":"raptors-hopes-of-avoiding-play-in-tournament-take-hit-with-loss-to-bulls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mileniostadium.com\/blog\/raptors-hopes-of-avoiding-play-in-tournament-take-hit-with-loss-to-bulls\/","title":{"rendered":"Raptors’ hopes of avoiding play-in tournament take hit with loss to Bulls"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"MILENIO<\/a><\/p>\n

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Someway, somehow, the goal is to get there. Qualifying for the playoffs has been the guiding light for the\u00a0Toronto Raptors<\/a>\u00a0as they navigate the final stages of the regular season.<\/strong><\/p>\n

No surprise: the Raptors did their tank job last season in Tampa, the prize being the opportunity to draft Scottie Barnes. They weren\u2019t going to do it again.<\/p>\n

But it wasn\u2019t playoffs or bust this season. It couldn\u2019t be with a team coming off a 27-45 season, having lost Kyle Lowry, their iconic point guard, to Miami in free agency, and not when so many minutes were going to be dedicated to the growth and development of Barnes, a 20-year-old, and Precious Achiuwa, 22, not to mention Gary Trent Jr., an NBA starter for the first time himself and just 22 to start the season.<\/p>\n

But as the season progressed and the Raptors managed their youth, their injuries, COVID issues and a quirky lineup that lacked a traditional big and was light on three-point shooting, the team found its identity, carved out a style of play and improved.<\/p>\n

As a result the seventh-place Raptors rolled into Chicago for a key contest against the fifth-place Bulls with one goal in mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really hopeful we can get in the playoffs one way or another,\u201d said Raptors head coach Nick Nurse. \u201cI think we really need to experience that with our young group.\u201d<\/p>\n

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