On Sunday at 8:00 PM EST on ESPNU, Game 1 of the 2017 NBA D-League Finals will tip off as the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (32-18) take on the Raptors 905 (39-11). Game 2 will air on Tuesday at 7:00 PM EST on ESPNU and Game 3 (If necessary) will air on Thursday at 7:00 PM EST on ESPNU. Above is the bracket of the 2017 D-League playoffs, each round being a best of three games series with the lower seed getting the first game at home and the higher seed getting the last two games at home. As the higher seed, the Raptors will get Game 2 and Game 3 (if necessary) at home.
When looking at this series, what first stands out is the difference in pace that these two teams play at. The Vipers are averaging 120.1 points per game, which leads the D-League while the Raptors are averaging 106.8 points per game, which is 14th in the D-League. Both teams have gotten to the championship game playing at very different paces and so it will be really interesting to see whether the Vipers get the Raptors to speed up the tempo or if the Raptors can get the Vipers to play at a slower tempo. In matchups like this, whichever team is able to dictate the pace usually has the edge.
In a way, both teams are a good reflection of their NBA affiliates. The Houston Rockets are the second highest scoring team in the NBA and play at a very fast pace whereas the Toronto Raptors rank 10th in scoring and don't rely as much on their ability to score. In the D-League, teams ideally run systems similar if not identical to their NBA affiliate so as to better prepare potential call-ups for the NBA. It's always fun to see these type of similarities between the NBA and its developmental league.
As far as what players there are to watch for, the main player to watch for is Raptors small forward Bruno Caboclo, who was taken in the 1st round of the 2014 NBA Draft to the shock of literally everyone watching. The Raptors drafted him knowing he'd be a project. If you are a Raptors fan, you should watch this series just to see how Caboclo does since he has the potential to be a major part of the team's future going forward.
You might be wondering what kind of future Caboclo has if he's still in the D-League, but at just 21 years of age, he's like a minor league baseball prospect that could still be a junior in college. Rather than playing college basketball, Caboclo has gotten seasoning in the D-League and currently has the opportunity to get a taste of championship level basketball in the D-League Finals. It will be interesting to see how Caboclo does in this series and whether or not he can have a coming out party of sorts.
Another player to watch for if you are a Raptors fan is Pascal Siakam, a power forward who was taken in the first round by the Raptors in the 2016 NBA Draft. In addition to how Bruno Caboclo does, it will be important to see how Siakam does as he too looks to become a part of the Raptors' future. If both guys have a big series, that will be a very good sign for the future of this Raptors organization.
While this series doesn't have the weight of an NBA playoff series, it's still a championship series and should prove to be entertaining. The Vipers play a very entertaining style of basketball and the Raptors have two very important pieces playing in this series. Plus, Jerry Stackhouse is coaching the Raptors, so there's even something for those who crave a little throwback action. While I understand that NBA playoffs action is more important, do try to find time to watch some of this series. Especially if you are a fan of either the Houston Rockets or Toronto Raptors looking for a window into your team's future.
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