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Raptors Training Camp 2016: Day 3 Recap

Holly MacKenzie - Raptors.com

It isn’t a secret that some lessons that can only be learned with experience. Throughout last season’s postseason run, Raptors head coach Dwane Casey often discussed how his players were learning how to compete and win in the playoffs on the fly, many experiencing it for the first time. With the core all returning, and a taste of postseason success still fresh, the desire to succeed has only gotten stronger for Toronto.

“It gives you that intensity, that hunger and that drive,” DeMar DeRozan said. “That extra competitiveness that you need to just say, ‘We’ve got to do it.’ I know what it feels like to be there and I don't want to be one of the teams that’s home watching. You make an assertive effort to make sure you do everything possible, even more than you did previously, to get there.”

Returning players have expressed relief that the core is intact for another season. That being said, they’re also excited about getting new players integrated into the system and seeing how they can learn from their shortcomings a season ago.

“The core group of guys understand what we could do better,” DeRozan said. “Being in those situations, [we’re] able to look at what we did wrong, what we need to do better. For the new guys, being able to fill that void that we were missing and understanding what they can do to better us so we can come together as a group and prevail [will help].”

Although it’s very early into the preseason and there’s still plenty to learn and do, Jared Sullinger is a name that has been mentioned repeatedly as a player who has impressed new Raptor teammates.

“When you’re around new talent you start to see things you probably didn't notice before,” DeRozan said. “Like Sullinger, you really see the skill set that he has offensively. The things he’s able to do at that size, it’s amazing. When you get around new guys, especially young guys, being able to see them evolve and get better over time, see their first training camp and how their first preseason goes, being able to be part of that process, that’s the great thing about it.”

Casey has also been pleased with what Sullinger has shown so far, but he’s especially appreciative of the intensity he's seen from his younger players challenging veterans.

“I think the new guys are going to push the old guys,” Casey said. “The way Jakob [Poeltl] is playing, the way Pascal [Siakam] is playing. Two young guys with Freddie [VanVleet] and Drew [Crawford], those guys are playing well. You’ve got Norm [Powell] pushing T-Ross. I love the competition in camp. Through competition [the veterans] better get better or someone is going to catch them from behind. That’s the good thing about our team right now.”

One of the lowlights of Toronto’s postseason was when Jonas Valanciunas went down with an ankle sprain in the second round against Miami. It occurred just as the big man was playing the best basketball of his career and it pained him to have to watch his teammates from the sidelines. With DeRozan and Kyle Lowry known as the undisputed leaders on the team, there have been questions about what Valanciunas’ role will be offensively this season. While others wonder, Valanciunas is only concerned with one thing.

“I’m expecting to win,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who is going to make a shot, who is going to make a play. Winning matters.

“I’m in a good position. I’m comfortable in this team. I like the guys who are around me and I’m excited to win.”

With veterans like Luis Scola and Bismack Biyombo no longer with the team, the locker room gets a bit quieter, but Valanciunas isn’t worried about leadership.

“I’m going to do everything to be part of this team and to be one of the leaders,” Valanciunas said. “We have leaders on the court, off the court, Kyle and DeMar, but you know everybody who is on this team has a voice and it’s really important how we’re going to be a team. Everybody together.”