RAPTOR WATCH
Kyle Lowry’s crew could face Wizards, Nets or Bobcats . . . how they rate,
Wednesday night is shaping up to be an interesting one as the NBA regular season winds up amid all kinds of questions about who will meet whom when the first round of the playoffs begins on the weekend.
It’s impossible to handicap the four pertinent games — Toronto at New York, Brooklyn at Cleveland, Washington at Boston and Chicago at Charlotte — but one thing is clear: The Raptors will open at home against one of three opponents, each presenting positives and negatives in a best-of-seven series.
A look at the possibilities and why Toronto would or would not prefer the matchups:
BROOKLYN
Why they would
The Raptors may not be the most athletic team in the NBA, but they could exploit a speed advantage over the somewhat senior Nets.
It would be up to the likes of DeMar DeRozan and Terrence Ross, two playoff neophytes, to feel comfortable right off the bat but their familiarity with the division rivals should be a boon.
A size advantage up front would also be something Toronto might be able to take advantage of, if Jonas Valanciunas plays well. Why they wouldn’t There are people in the organiza- tion who are already dreading a series with Brooklyn because “the Nets would get all the whistles.”
Brooklyn’s experience might factor into how the officials call games but that same vast experience — especially with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce — would extend far beyond fouls and non-calls.
Of all the possible opponents, the Raptors would come up woefully short in the experience department if they had to face Brooklyn in the first round.
WASHINGTON
Why they would
An NBA advance scout was saying the other day that the one advantage the Raptors would have over the Wizards — and why they would want to face them — is that he thinks Kyle Lowry could handle John Wall in the cauldron of a post-season series. And there could be a huge advantage for the Raptors on the wings, with DeRozan and Ross. Toronto has had success against the Wizards in the recent past and would go into the series with some confidence. Why they wouldn’t What if the scout is wrong? What if Wall, one of the quickest guards in the league, gets the best of Lowry? Don’t doubt it; the Raptor would be fearful of the havoc Wall could create. A healthy Nene gives the Wizards a tough frontcourt partner for Marcin Gortat, whose quickness rolling to the basket has given the Raptors fits at times. Washington’s late-season additions of grizzled veteran point guard Andre Miller and seasoned forward Drew Gooden provide a solid antidote to Washington’s relative inexperience.
CHARLOTTE
Why they would The “happy to be here” syndrome? Perhaps the very youthful Bobcats and first-year coach Steve Clifford take their foot off the pedal just a little bit? They are one of the more surprising teams in the league and might find it satisfying just to be in. The Raptors should also have some kind of advantage up front in size and speed and they are a better three- point shooting team.
And Charlotte isn’t exactly the most intimidating arena to play in, so there might not be a lot of home court advantage to worry about. Why they wouldn’t History. For a few reasons, the Bobcats are Toronto’s kryptonite, and more than a few people in the organization are worried about that.
Al Jefferson, as crafty as they come, has a tendency to chew up the Raptors at every turn. Gerald Henderson does more than a passable job guarding DeRozan in what seems o be some kind of personal challenge to him.
Given Charlotte’s past success against Toronto, who just seem out of sync whenever the teams meet, the concern would be that past results stick in the minds of the Raptors. Maybe not, but it will be a talking point in the days leading up to any potential series.