Raptors Have Surprising Power Rankings Spot After Pistons Win

The Toronto Raptors are fresh off of a pair of big victories against the Phoenix Suns and the Detroit Pistons at home.

The wins have given the Raptors a spot back in the top six of the Eastern Conference standings, but they remain in the same No. 12 spot in power rankings across the internet.

NBA.com, John Schuhmann (12, no change)

Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett dribbles up court against the Detroit Pistons. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

"A 2-6 stretch had taken the Raptors out of the top six in the East, but they’re back in sixth place after beating the Suns and Pistons over the weekend," Schuhmann wrote.

"With their win over Phoenix last week, the Raptors are 2-11(1-4 on the road) against the top eight teams in the Western Conference, set to visit the Nuggets, Suns and Clippers on the five-game trip that begins in Chicago on Wednesday."

The Athletic, Law Murray (12, no change)

"Before we get to this year’s rookies, we have to discuss last year’s Toronto rookie, Jamal Shead. Getting daggered by Dejounte Murray was a terrible look, but maybe that lit a fire under these docile dinosaurs, because they went home and got two impressive wins," Murray wrote.

"Murray-Boyles is a rotational big who has been effective but injury-prone; his shooting hand thumb in particular has given him problems. Martin has only played 16 games this season on a two-way contract, while Hepburn has only appeared in two."

Clutch Points, Brett Siegel (12, down 1)

"Will a win against Detroit finally give the Toronto Raptors some momentum to get back up to form before the playoffs? This group was struggling before taking down the East's top team on Sunday, and the Raptors needed this win to avoid falling into the play-in region of the standings," Siegel wrote.

"An upcoming five-game road trip will decide the Raptors' fate this season, as games against Denver, Phoenix, and Los Angeles will dictate whether they will be a play-in team in the East or whether they will claim an actual playoff spot.

"Toronto is too talented an offensive team to have the struggles they've shown over their last handful of games. Over their last 11 games, the Raptors have scored at least 119 points five times. Although they are 5-0 in these games, they are 0-6 during this span when they don't score 119 points."

Overview

The vibe on the Raptors seems pretty consistent across the board. The Raptors have been good, but their recent struggles prevent them from moving much higher in the standings or power rankings.

The Raptors can prove themselves on this five-game road trip as they will face off against the Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, and Los Angeles Clippers. A winning road trip, especially if they can beat the Nuggets and Suns, will give people reason to rank them higher next week and beyond.

The Raptors don't have very many quality wins this season. Most of their victories have come against teams that are below average in the grand scheme of the league. The hope for the Raptors is that a strong road trip can give them momentum leading into the final ten games of the season, where they will face off against six teams vying for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference.

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