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TSN Raptors Reporter

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TORONTO - What a difference a year makes.

Twelve months ago the Raptors were anxious to get back to work. Many of them had spent the summer desperately trying to get the bitter taste of playoff disappointment out of their mouths, just waiting to avenge another first-round exit — this one a sweep at the hands of the Washington Wizards. Opening night couldn't come fast enough.

This past off-season was the shortest in franchise history. After surpassing all expectations by making the Eastern Conference Finals, there's a different aura around this club heading into the new campaign.

The experience has hardened them. They're wiser, calmer and more confident. They've tasted success and are hungry for more. Now that they know what it takes to get there, they can appreciate how tough it'll be to get back, let alone get further.

"I’m ready," said Jonas Valanciunas on the eve of Toronto's opener. "I’m looking forward. We’re all looking forward for [Wednesday's] game [against Detroit]. This is enough of preseason, we need some real games."

"We've got to come out and execute and do the things we did [last year]," head coach Dwane Casey said. "Again, like I said, last year is last year. Every year is a new year so we've got to come out from scratch, execute, have the same mentality that we've got to be the hardest working team on the court that night to win. If we come out and try to just throw our press clippings on the floor it's not going to work. That's been true with any team I've ever been with."

With LeBron James and the reigning champion Cleveland Cavaliers blocking their path, a trip to the finals seems like a tall order, but that's a problem they can worry about if they're fortunate enough to face it again this spring. For most, the expectation will be a return to the semi-finals and, although they may not admit it publicly, that is the goal internally, even in an improved Eastern Conference.

The Raptors have raised the bar and while that's a good problem to have, it comes with a responsibility they'll have to be ready for. Casey can tell them they haven't accomplished anything yet, and he will because it's worked in the past. They can call themselves the underdog all they want - and they will, see above - but the truth is they're much more than that. Teams know who they are and what they can do. The Raptors aren’t sneaking up on anyone.

 They're no longer playing with house money. They can no longer be content with just reaching the postseason or even winning a round. The expectations are real and so is the pressure to deliver.

How will they respond?

Here are some storylines to keep an eye on as the season gets underway:

Youth Movement

The last time Toronto entered a season relying heavily on its youngest players was 2012-13 - Casey's second with the club and the year before Masai Ujiri took over as general manager. Rookies Jonas Valanciunas and Terrence Ross were mainstays in the rotation, with Valanciunas starting at centre to open his first NBA campaign. The result, as you might expect, was a 34-48 record.

In the NBA, winning is synonymous with experience. You don't see many teams with lofty aspirations turning to first-year players, at least not right out of the gate. However, over the years the Raptors have had more success than most at winning while developing young talent. Their ability to do so will be put to the test again this season, perhaps more than ever before.

According to RealGM, the Raptors enter the season as the league's third-youngest team and, whether they like it or not, it appears their opening-night rotation will feature two rookies. Injuries to Jared Sullinger (out at least a couple months after foot surgery) and Lucas Nogueira (doubtful for Wednesday's game with an ankle injury) have caused Casey to entrust ninth-overall pick Jakob Poeltl and Pascal Siakam, their 27th selection, with meaningful minutes.

There are obvious pros and cons to stacking the end of the bench with young, cheap talent — all of which Ujiri considered when building his roster. Those players tend to come in without the entitlement of highly priced veterans, ready to work hard and prove themselves in practice or in the D-League. It also allows you to spend the bulk of your money on the players that play the most, which is a helpful concept. The risk, of course, comes into play when injuries hit and you're forced to turn to the unknown.

Both Poeltl and Siakam seem to be quick studies and have gotten the training camp endorsement of their coaches and teammates, but the regular season is a different animal. There will be growing pains but it's not necessarily a death sentence. Remember: last year's late-season emergence of Norman Powell was made possible by DeMarre Carroll's knee injury. How quickly they adjust to the speed of the game will determine how much Casey has to lean on his vets and, perhaps, whether Ujiri feels compelled to address his undermanned front court in the trade market.

Channeling Playoff Jonas

What would help take pressure off the young bigs, not to mention ease the workload of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan? “Playoff Jonas,” as he's become known, certainly wouldn't hurt. Valanciunas is coming off the best stretch of his four-year career at the most opportune time. With his all-star teammates struggling, Valanciunas was a beast in the opening round of the playoffs against Indiana and early in the Miami series before going down with an ankle injury.

The summer was similarly cruel to the 24-year-old. After a subpar showing for Lithuania at the Olympics — prompting the national team's coach to publicly call him out — Valanciunas took a month off to get his mind and body right before training camp. Casey says the 7-footer is still working his way back into rhythm. He'll need to do it quickly. With Bismack Biyombo gone, injuries already depleting the front court and a trio of young bigs behind him, the Raptors are expected to lean on Valanciunas, who should easily exceed 30 minutes per game for the first time as a pro.

Getting him more involved and unleashing "Playoff Jonas" may take some creativity and a concerted effort on the part of DeRozan, Lowry and the coaching staff, but that would go a long way in diversifying their occasionally stale offence and allowing them to take the next step as a team. 

Ride Or Die

To borrow a quote made popular by Casey during last year's playoff run, the Raptors are still planning to ride or die with their all-star backcourt of Lowry and DeRozan.

In a perfect world, Casey would like to keep their minutes down to keep them fresh for the playoffs — they both ranked in the top-10 in minutes per game last year — but that's easier said than done. Toronto relies heavily on those two to create offence, both as ball handlers and scorers, and struggles to do so when they're not in the game.

Whether you're a fan of the way they play offensively or not, it has yielded proven results, at least in the regular season. The Raptors have ranked among the top five in offensive efficiency in each of the last two years.

They're both coming off career years, which - not coincidently - culminated in a historic season for their team. With both guards in their prime and seemingly trending upward the question is: What will they do for an encore performance? Have we seen them at their best or is there still room for growth? If there is, watch out.