Raptors aiming for 2-0 lead

The Portland Trail Blazers fought their way through a pressure-packed playoff race to earn home-court advantage in a series, then lost it in one game.

The Toronto Raptors know that problem all too well, so they want to take advantage of playing from ahead for a change.

They try for their first 2-0 playoff series lead ever tonight against Washington, while the Trail Blazers try to even things up in against the New Orleans Pelicans.

The No. 3 Trail Blazers were the highest-seeded team to lose so far, falling 97-95 on Saturday.

Toronto had lost Game 1 at home all six times it had homecourt advantage in a series, part of an overall 10-game losing streak in series openers, before beating Washington 114-106 on Saturday.

“For me, this year is finally a year I can be happy watching other games and not be like ‘Damn, I lost Game 1,”’ point guard Kyle Lowry said.