Raptors fans remain optimistic

Even though the Raptors playoff run has ended the team isn’t wasting any time moving forward — announcing Tuesday that coach Dwane Casey has agreed to a new three year contract. It is being seen as a message to a group of fans now being called, the best in the NBA.

Done deal. Raptors coach Dwane Casey is locked for three years as general manager Masai Ujiri is making a statement: “We need to stand as an organization. We need to stand as a city. We need to stand as a country and go out there and compete.”

It’s only been 2 days since a heartbreaking end to their surprise season, but their game 7 loss is in the past and progress has been made. This year the Raptors put up their best record ever, winning the Atlantic Division. And now, the game has changed.

Dwane Casey: “We’re not finished. You know, we expect — you know we want to get to the playoffs, we expect to get to the playoffs, minimum.”

The current Atlantic Division champions now have a humungous fan base. But the question is will that fan base grow, or will it fall away?”

Yanal Dhailiah is a Raptors fan: “We have a direction right now and just — we just gotta stay behind the team and just the way the city feels right now that it’s Toronto vs. everybody when it comes to the NBA.”

Raptors fan Owen Mullins: “Everything is amplified within here with the fans you can feel it, you can feel it when the come on here, you know its, the whole place rumbles.”

That rumble was felt all across the league during the first round and a particularly loud moment from game seven that casey says was stronger than anything he’s heard in his career.

Dwane Casey: “Couldn’t hear yourself talk, so it was — that’s a home court advantage and that’s second to none in the league.”

“You plan on growing that fan base this year?” “We got to.”

And if that happens, they may move closer to top spot in Toronto’s fan support.