Raptors' Casey Canned after Being Named Coach of the Year

Published on 12-May-2018 by Raoul Duke

Basketball - NBA    NBA Daily Update

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Raptors' Casey Canned after Being Named Coach of the Year

Professional sports is a results-oriented business.

Winning in the post-season and collecting rings is paramount over everything else, including consistent success in the regular season.

Dwane Casey could sing you a few bars of that tune.

The now ex-Toronto Raptors head coach was just relieved of his duties after seven seasons and a franchise-record 59 wins in 2017-18.

He was also two days removed from being named NBA Coach of the Year.

 

While this may seem cruel and unusual, the decision isn't all that surprising.

Despite the Raptors' robust regular season success, navigating the Eastern Conference playoffs proved to be too daunting a task. Again.

Specifically, there was a rather large obstacle suspiciously shaped like LeBron James directly in their path. Again.

 

Yep, that's him.

Toronto was just swept out of the playoffs by Bron Bron and the Cavaliers for the second year in a row.

 

Of course, that was the LeBron buzzer-beater in Game 3 that effectively ended the series, purging the soul of the Raptors in diabolical fashion.

Some may argue that Casey didn't deserve this particular fate, and they may be technically correct.

However, such is the nature of modern professional sports.

The Raptors, as currently constructed, are really not built for a title run, as there is a big difference between winning a bunch of regular season games and getting past LeBron James in the playoffs.

 

Of course, there is no shame in being bested by King James.

Take a number.