Bottom feeders no treat for Raptors … Bulls-thunder sweet
A look at the Raptors’ week ahead:
FRIDAY VS. MIAMI, 7 P.M.
Only visit this season for the Heat, who have been stumbling of late. Sure to be a sellout audience that will undoubtedly have a little ill will for Chris Bosh. Of course, all Bosh did for seven seasons here was re-up when he had a chance and become the franchise’s all-time leading scorer.
SUNDAY VS. WASHINGTON, 6 P.M.
There is no question that the Wizards are one of the weakest teams in the NBA, battling for lottery supremacy when May rolls around. But they’ve also beaten the Raptors twice this season and this is one of those games that is fraught with peril for Toronto.
TUESDAY VS. CHARLOTTE, 7 P.M.
There is no question that the Bobcats are one of the weakest teams in the NBA, battling for lottery supremacy when May rolls around. But they’ve also beaten the Raptors twice this season and this is one of those games that is fraught with peril for Toronto. (Where have you heard that before?)
WEDNESDAY AT PHILLY, 7 P.M.
The Sixers stormed out of the gate and were one of the big surprises early in the regular season. There’s been an awful lot of regression to the mean in Philadelphia and now they’ve got the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks nipping at their heels in the Atlantic Division race.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
Three more NBA games you might want to pay attention to this week:
CHICAGO AT OKLAHOMA CITY SUNDAY, 1 P.M.
There was all kinds of hype about a “Finals preview” when the Thunder hosted — and beat — the Miami Heat a week ago. It couldn’t have gone unnoticed in Chicago. The Bulls have some championship aspirations themselves and this might be a way to make a statement about them.
L.A. CLIPPERS AT DALLAS MONDAY, 8:30 P.M.
Yes, the Western Conference playoff picture is muddled and nothing is even close to being settled. But there’s a sneaking suspicion that these two teams could finish fourth and fifth and this game could have some playoff implications in a battle for home-court advantage.
NEW YORK AT INDIANAPOLIS TUESDAY 7 P.M.
Knicks swept a weekend pair from the Pacers a week ago after Indiana’s Danny Granger made a rather intemperate re- mark about them being “winnable” games. Maybe this time around the enigmatic Pacers will prove they are worthy of respect. They’ve been up and down for weeks.