DeRozan: Raptors 'definitely believe' we can win title

Can the Toronto Raptors win it all this year?

DeMar DeRozan thinks so.

"Yes," he told SLAM's Marcel Mutoni. "If we didn't think so, there's no reason to be in this line of work. So, we definitely believe so."

Barring a disaster, Toronto will finish with the best record in the Eastern Conference for the first time ever, as the club holds a five-game lead over the No. 2 Boston Celtics with 11 regular-season games remaining. They have the NBA's second-best point differential (plus-8.6) and are the only team to rank in the top five in both offensive and defensive rating.

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And yet, many are hesitant to bet on the Raptors heading into the postseason, where they've flamed out the past couple of years following successful regular-season campaigns. They took the Cleveland Cavaliers to six games in the 2016 conference finals, only to get swept by LeBron James and Co. in the second round last year.

But lending to DeRozan's optimism are philosophical changes the team committed to after last year's disappointing playoff exit and the success they've had implementing them. Toronto has shifted its dependence on DeRozan and Kyle Lowry playing isolation basketball to moving the ball much more and trusting the other players on the roster. It's led to a far less predictable offense and the NBA's most potent bench.

Despite sacrificing minutes and shot attempts, DeRozan is putting up a team-high 23.7 points, four rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 34.1 minutes per outing, while also averaging a career-high 5.1 assists and not seeing a bump in turnovers. He started in the All-Star Game last month in his hometown and is on pace to earn his second straight All-NBA nod.

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The retooling has not only given DeRozan more confidence, but also head coach Dwane Casey, who called his Raptors "one of four teams" who can legitimately contend for the Larry O'Brien trophy this postseason.

"We're one of the teams that I feel like can win it. Why not?"