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VanVleet says Raptors' home crowd is 'sh--' when the team is struggling
Fred VanVleet thinks the Raptors' home crowd is great when things are going well, but says fans can be a little lacklustre during tough times.
As a member of the Toronto Raptors' 2019 championship squad, point guard Fred VanVleet knows how boisterous the team's home crowd can be when things are going well.
It's easy for fans to be excited when their favourite team is winning, but as VanVleet points out, the Toronto faithful can be pretty lacklustre when losses start to pile up — like they did earlier this season.
VanVleet hopes Raptors supporters will get back to their fiery ways to give the team a boost as it continues its playoff push with 10 games remaining in the regular season.
“The crowd and the city will reflect what we do," VanVleet told reporters on Tuesday. "When we play like s—t, the crowd’s s—t, and vice versa. When we play our brand of basketball, when we get it going in there, when we got the right energy and spirit, just that winning atmosphere, we all can build on that.
"It goes the other way sometimes too. The crowd is very anxious. We gotta do our part to put together the right type of atmosphere and play and the crowd will follow suit. It’s a hard place to win when it’s going good.”
Even if they might not bring the energy through tough times, Raptors fans still have a strong reputation around the NBA. The league's general managers voted Scotiabank Arena as the best home-court advantage in a survey taken in October.
The Raptors have been giving their fans plenty to cheer about lately, as the club has won seven consecutive games north of the border. Toronto currently sits ninth in the Eastern Conference, which puts it in one of the play-in tournament spots. The Raptors trail the Brooklyn Nets by four games for the sixth seed, which would give them a direct berth into the postseason.
Toronto begins a crucial four-game homestand on Wednesday when it hosts the Indiana Pacers, with the upcoming slate also featuring matchups against the Detroit Pistons, Washington Wizards and Miami Heat. The Wizards and Heat are two teams the Raptors are battling for play-in positioning, making those contests especially important.
