We the NORTH.
This season is different. It feels right, but at the same time not so much…
For the first time since 2013, Demar DeRozan is not playing for the Raptors in the playoffs. Instead, it will be Kawhi Leonard and Marc Gasol’s inaugural playoff debut alongside Kyle Lowry and co.
Photo by John G. Mabanglo/EPA-EFE
Mapping out the Playoffs.
The Raptors are going to the Eastern Conference Finals. There is not a doubt in my mind that this is going to happen. The main reason is that Lebron James and the Cavaliers are not there to meet the Raptors at any point. Over the last 3 consecutive postseason appearances, the Raptors season has ended in the hands of Lebron James and the Cavaliers. Forget the last time the Raptors won a Semi-Finals series, the last time the Raptors even won a game in the Semi-Finals was 3 seasons ago in the 2015-16 season against the Miami Heat. Since then they have been swept for 2 consecutive seasons against none other than King James.
This year the Raptors are back on top as one of the most elite teams in the league earning their 4th consecutive 50+ win season and being the #1 or #2 seed in the Eastern Conference for the 3rd time in the last 4 seasons. In the first round of the playoffs, the Raptors go head to head with the Orlando Magic, a team they split 2-2 in the regular season with as each team went 1-1 at home and on the road against each other. The reason why I am not sold on the Magic taking the Raptors into a 6 game stretch here (despite the fact that they won two games against them) is because, in each of the Magic’ two wins, Kawhi Leonard did not play in one of those games and Kyle Lowry did not play in the other one. On the contrary, the Raptors 2 wins came with both Lowry and Leonard healthy on the court. My prediction is that the Raptors take care of business and close out in 5 games. I expect them to take on the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round and beat the Sixers in 6 games. The Raptors have not lost at home against the Sixers and all 3 of their victories have been by a margin of 11 or more points. The Raptors should be on their way to their first Eastern Conference finals appearance in three years.
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Final Take.
The big question mark lies in the final matchup before the NBA Finals… the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks are the only team that can cause trouble for Toronto as the Raptors have only won 1 of their 4 matchups. The Bucks have the best path to the playoffs, however, if the Raptors can hold Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks down to a one-possession game in crunch time, the Bucks offense could become one-dimensional and be forced to start shooting some mid-range shots/3 pointers, something that the Raptors have the upper hand in. Let’s see if the Raptors can find their groove in the playoffs as the Bucks are a team the Raptors will have to take in a 7 game series. Think of the first two rounds for Toronto as the calm before the storm… then they run into Milwaukee.
