Saturday Slam: Can Kawhi Leonard lead the Toronto Raptors to the NBA Finals?

Despite having a bizarre finish to his career in San Antonio, Kawhi Leonard found a way to tie things up nicely earlier this week, posting a thoughtful message that thanks both the Spurs fans and organization. Regardless of what may have happened this past season, Leonard still won an NBA championship and NBA Finals MVP while a member of the Spurs. His time there should be remembered well both by the fans and organization, so it's great to see that he was able to post the message that he did.

Kawhi Leonard has released a statement, thanking the city of San Antonio and the entire #Spurs organization. These are his first comments since being traded to the #Raptors. #NBA pic.twitter.com/pUAON0fALw

— NBA Lord (@nba_lord) August 10, 2018

Looking ahead to his time in Toronto, Leonard has a lot of pressure on his shoulders. Regardless of whether or not he decides to re-sign with the Raptors in 2019 or look elsewhere, he will want to have a big year and prove that he's not damaged goods after a strange final year in San Antonio. In the 2016-17 season, Leonard averaged 25.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game, putting himself in the discussion for best player in the NBA. If he can replicate those type of numbers, he will have certainly erased any doubt about his abilities to still produce at an elite level.

However, producing big numbers isn't the only thing Leonard has to do in order to be a success in Toronto. The real pressure lies in whether or not he can lead the Raptors deep in the playoffs and give them a real shot at winning a championship. The Raptors have had many strong regular season teams, but they've all fallen well short of the ultimate goal. Watching the Raptors choke is becoming an NBA playoffs tradition that we know all too well. We expect them to fail. If Leonard can flip the script and take the Raptors to the NBA Finals, he will have boosted his legacy immensely and made himself a lot of friends north of the border.

In order to get Leonard, the Raptors traded away DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Pöltl, and a protected 2019 first round pick to the Spurs. In addition to getting Leonard, the Raptors also got Danny Green back in the deal, giving Leonard at least one familiar face on his new team. Given the limited amount of pieces that moved in this trade, the Raptors essentially have the same pieces around Leonard that they had around DeRozan. No disrespect to DeRozan, but if Leonard is as good as everyone thinks he is, the Raptors should fair much better in the playoffs.

                                          (Credit: Bob Donnan. USA TODAY Sports) 
         
My honest prediction at this juncture is that the Boston Celtics will come out of the Eastern Conference, but if there's one team that they should fear, it is the Raptors. Unlike the Philadelphia 76ers, the Raptors are led by a guy who knows what it takes to a win championship. Even with all the possible baggage that comes with Kawhi Leonard, one cannot take away his championship and NBA Finals MVP. He's got that under his belt and as a result the Raptors have to go into this season feeling like they have much better odds at winning a championship than ever before.

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Skyhook Sunday: The Toronto Raptors need a bad boy

Once again, the Toronto Raptors fell victim to the late game of heroics of LeBron James, watching him bank in a game winner to give the Cleveland Cavaliers a 3-0 lead in the series.



While LeBron James continues to show why he's the best player in the NBA, the Raptors continue to show that they are lacking a key ingredient necessary for them to win a championship. While losing at the hands of one of the games' greatest players isn't reason to hit the reset button, the Raptors clearly have work to do in the offseason to get themselves over the hump next year.

While some may say that DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry isn't enough of a one-two punch, I don't think talent is where the Raptors are lacking. They have plenty of talent. The issue lies in them not having an irritant. Somebody who can play dirty and get under the skin of LeBron James a bit.

Nobody on this team is willing to muck things up or even so much as attempt to get inside the head of LeBron James. The Raptors are like a boy band without a bad boy. They need a bad boy. Somebody to give them an edge.

When you look back on some of the most recent teams to win NBA championships, almost all of them had a guy who qualified as a bad boy/irritant. The Golden State Warriors have Draymond Green, the Cavaliers have JR Smith, the Dallas Mavericks had DeShawn Stevenson, the Chicago Bulls had Dennis Rodman, etc. Even more recently, the Indiana Pacers were able to make things competitive against LeBron James thanks to the presence of Lance Stephenson, who isn't afraid to go off the rails and get in LeBron James' grill.

                                         (Screenshot from YouTube) 

As presently constructed, the Raptors are too afraid to even so much as lay a hand on LeBron James. They don't stand up to him. They let him walk all over them and then when he hits a game winning shot, they act all stunned and surprised, expecting us to feel sorry for them. This attitude needs to change. The Raptors need someone on their team to get angry and not tolerate getting beat like this. They need somebody to start a fight, throw a punch, do something to create some competitive tension.

I'm not advocating the Raptors clothesline LeBron James or anything like that. But what I am advocating for is somebody to stand up to him and make it clear that they aren't going to back down. They need somebody to try to wrestle a ball away from him, blow in his ear, or do anything that might upset him. Winning in sports is as much about the mental side as it is the physical side and right now, the Raptors have nobody that gives them any sort of mental edge over the Cavaliers.

If the Raptors can't draft a bad boy, they need to either pick one up in free agency or via trade. They have to do it. They can keep their core together, but they need to trade a bench player or two for someone who gives them the type of toughness that I'm describing. If they go out and make such an acquisition, I think they'll be poised to make a serious run at a title. If they don't, they'll continue to be a soft team that lacks a spine.

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Saturday Slam: How much pressure is on the Toronto Raptors?

The Toronto Raptors have clinched the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference with an impressive 57-22 record and are hoping to accomplish something that no other Raptors team has done before, which is to reach the NBA Finals. DeMar DeRozan is leading the way for the Raptors, averaging 23.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game on 45.7% shooting from the field, 31.1% shooting from 3-point range, and 82.5% shooting from the foul line while Kyle Lowry, Jonas Valanciunas, and Serge Ibaka are proving themselves to be a strong supporting cast.

Despite the Raptors' strong regular season, many people including myself are skeptical of their title chances. Despite making the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season, the Raptors have only made the Eastern Conference finals once in their history, which was two seasons ago. The Raptors have been a strong regular season team for quite a while, but they seem to keep finding ways to blow it in the playoffs. They even managed to get swept by the Washington Wizards in 2015 while also having home court advantage. You can't blow it anymore than that.

2018 has the chance to be different for this Raptors team. They seem to have matured and the Eastern Conference also isn't as strong as it has been in recent years. The Cleveland Cavaliers have been struggling a bit and the Boston Celtics are going to have to soldier on without Kyrie Irving, who will need 4-5 months to recover from a knee operation. When looking at the current landscape of the Eastern Conference, the Raptors really couldn't ask to be in a better position. If they don't reach the NBA Finals this year, it will be fair to wonder whether or not this team has the moxie to do so.

The amount of pressure on this Raptors team to breakthrough and reach the NBA Finals is huge. They have home court advantage, their biggest foes are banged up, and they are also healthy. The Raptors don't need to win the NBA championship considering how good the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors are, but they do need to be the ones who represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals if they want to feel good about their season.

In order for the Raptors to deliver the goods, they'll really need DeMar DeRozan to step up and be the man. In the NBA playoffs, your stars have to deliver and so DeRozan in particular will be the one shouldering the pressure. He sees himself as a tier one guy and it's all teed up for him to prove that he is. If the Raptors reach the NBA Finals, DeRozan will finally be able to silence his critics, but if they don't there will be those calling him overrated.

While I don't personally see the Raptors getting it done given their recent history, I'd be happy to be proven wrong. The Raptors have a strong fan base that is thirsty for an NBA title and the NBA desperately needs some new blood in the NBA Finals. If the Raptors reach the NBA Finals, I'll be just as happy as anyone. It's just that as of right now, I'm not getting my hopes up.

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Eastern Conference Playoffs Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors

The #2 seeded Cleveland Cavaliers and #3 seeded Toronto Raptors will face off in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Game 1 will be held tonight (Monday) at 7:00 PM EST on TNT. The Cavaliers swept the Pacers in the first round while the Raptors took out the Bucks in six games.

Given how easily the Cavaliers took out the Pacers and how the Raptors struggled to take out the Bucks, the Cavaliers come into this series as the heavy favorites. They are at full strength and appear to be on a mission to get through the Eastern Conference playoffs as swiftly as possible. LeBron James is playing elite basketball right now, averaging 32.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 9.0 assists per game while Kyrie Irving is averaging 25.3 points per game. The James/Irving one-two punch will likely be too much for the Raptors to handle, especially considering how much they struggled in the first round against the Bucks.

If there is any reason to give the Raptors some hope, it's that they found a way to close out the Bucks in six games and stepped up under serious pressure. They could have folded or let the Bucks take them to a Game 7. Instead, they turned up the heat and didn't let the Bucks get back in the series after it was tied 2-2.

A big reason for that is the play of DeMar DeRozan, who averaged 23.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game against the Bucks. DeRozan is turning into an elite swingman in the NBA and he isn't afraid of anybody. He definitely has the mindset and instincts of a superstar and his play reflects that.

If the Raptors want any chance at winning this series or making it interesting, they need a big series from DeMar DeRozan and they also need other guys to step up, namely Kyle Lowry, Serge Ibaka, and Jonas Valanciunas. If DeRozan has a big series and he gets enough help from Lowry, Ibaka, and Valanciunas, the Raptors could give the Cavaliers a bit of a scare.

The problem is I don't see those guys giving DeRozan the help that he needs. While there was some growth that we saw from the Raptors by closing out the Bucks in six games, I just don't see them having what it takes to contain LeBron James and win this series.  I see the Cavaliers winning this series in five games. LeBron James will be too much for the Raptors to handle as the Cavaliers waltz into the Eastern Conference Finals.

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Eastern Conference Playoffs Preview: Toronto Raptors vs. Milwaukee Bucks

In the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, the #3 seeded Toronto Raptors (51-31) will take on the #6 seeded Milwaukee Bucks (42-40). The Raptors won the regular season series 3-1. Game 1 will tip off on Saturday at 5:30 PM EST on ESPN.

The Raptors come into this series with a lot of momentum. They've won 4 straight games and 8 of their last 10 games. They are playing really good basketball with DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry leading the charge.  DeRozan is averaging 27.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while Lowry is averaging 22.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game. Together, they form one of the more potent scoring duos in the NBA.

When looking at this Raptors team, the big question going into this post-season is whether or not trading Terrence Ross for Serge Ibaka will pay dividends for them. The Raptors have been in need of some sort of change or acquisition to elevate them into championship status and they are hoping that landing Serge Ibaka at the trade deadline will do just that.

So far, Ibaka has played well, averaging 14.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game, but he hasn't exactly lived up the hype either. Given that the Raptors ended up with the #3 seed in the Eastern Conference instead of the #1 seed is disappointing for them in light of the Ibaka trade. They hoped that by landing him, they'd have home court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs instead.

That all said, the Raptors are definitely a better team with Serge Ibaka on the floor. He is much more multidimensional than Terrence Ross due to his ability to control the paint and shoot from beyond the arc. I want to make it clear that the addition of Serge Ibaka has made the Raptors better. They just haven't done as well with him as they hoped.

In regards to the Milwaukee Bucks, this team begins and ends with Giannis Antetokounmpo, who commonly goes by his nickname "The Greek Freak." Antetokounmpo has had a fantastic season, averaging 22.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.9 blocks, and 1.6 steals per game. With Jabari Parker going down in the middle of the season due to a torn ACL, Antetokounmpo has had to lead this Bucks team and he has so far done an amazing job at doing so.

In addition to "The Greek Freak" playing like a superstar, the Bucks have gotten stellar production from a lot of their role players. Khris Middleton, Greg Monroe, Malcolm Brogdon, Tony Snell, and Michael Beasley have all done a really good job of taking the pressure off of Antetokounmpo and giving him the support that he needs. Without their production, the Bucks wouldn't have made the playoffs let alone finish sixth in the Eastern Conference. A lot of credit has to go to their head coach Jason Kidd for the way he has gotten his players to buy in and play as a team. The job he has done this season has been amazing and deserves to be mentioned.

The bottom line with this series is that on paper, the Toronto Raptors should win this series in five games. They have more weapons than the Bucks and while the Bucks do have Giannis Antetokounmpo and a solid supporting cast, there is a reason the Raptors have won 50+ games and the Bucks barely are above .500. The Raptors are the vastly superior team and smart money says they beat the Bucks rather convincingly in this series.

Usually, I go with smart money when I make predictions, but not this time. I do have the Raptors winning this series, but I think it goes the distance. The Raptors have had a history of underperforming in the playoffs and the Bucks on the flip side have nothing to lose. All the pressure will be on the Raptors to win this series quickly and I expect the pressure to get to them a bit. Milwaukee is not an easy place to play on the road and I expect the Bucks to be really tough when they are at home. Gianni Antetokounmpo will have a big series and his supporting cast will do a tremendous job at extending this series far longer than it really should.

What will decide this series in the end is home court advantage and the Raptors being the better team. I think that in a Game 7 in Toronto, DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry will find a way to get the job done and put the Bucks away rather handily. I expect Serge Ibaka and Jonas Valanciunas to play big in the post and step up when they absolutely need to. That said, this will be a close series and the Bucks will put a good scare into the Raptors. Don't glaze over this series. I expect this to be a fun one.

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Skyhook Sunday: Can the Toronto Raptors survive without Kyle Lowry?

The Toronto Raptors have already been without their star point guard Kyle Lowry (wrist surgery) for six games and they won't get him back until the playoffs. At this point in time, the Raptors are 37-26 overall and currently in possession of the #4 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Raptors are currently 6 games back of the #1 seeded Cleveland Cavaliers and 2.5 games up on the #5 seeded Atlanta Hawks.

The big question that's on everybody's mind about the Raptors is whether or not they can survive until Lowry gets back. When addressing this question, what needs to be defined is what is meant by "survive." If the Raptors give up home court advantage in the first round but still make the playoffs, I wouldn't say they exactly "survived" the absence of Kyle Lowry since it is essential to their playoff success that they hang on to home court advantage for the first round. As far as the Raptors are concerned, "surviving" is hanging on to home court advantage for the first round of the playoffs.

So, with that now established, what we are really asking is "Can the Raptors hang on to home court advantage without Kyle Lowry?" Given that the Hawks are their only real competition, I think odds are good that they can. They're certainly in the drivers seat to do so and so far are 4-2 without Lowry, indicating that they should be able to play above .500 ball until he gets back.

When looking at the Raptors' roster, one of the things that helps is that they have a very good backup point guard in Cory Joseph who should be able to run the offense until Lowry returns.  Joseph is averaging 8.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game and won an NBA championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. While he is no Kyle Lowry, Joseph is one of the better reserve point guards in the NBA and should have no trouble keeping things afloat until Lowry returns.

In addition to having a quality backup point guard to fill in, the Raptors still have DeMar DeRozan, who is averaging a team-high 27.6 points per game. DeRozan is one of the top scorers in the NBA and should have no problem carrying the scoring load during this last stretch. While it would be asking too much of DeRozan to carry the team deep into the playoffs without Lowry, asking him to keep the team at the #4 spot until the playoffs is not asking too much.

Lastly, the presence of Serge Ibaka helps tremendously. With Ibaka on board, the Raptors have added another legitimate scoring option and also one of the best shot blockers in the NBA. Serge Ibaka is used to having to be one of the top scorers on the teams that he plays on and so he should have no trouble having an expanded role on the offense until Lowry returns. As far as the defense is concerned, with or without Kyle Lowry, the presence of Serge Ibaka makes the Raptors one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. I think defensively, the Raptors will be just fine without Kyle Lowry and should be able to win a lot of games based on their improved defense alone.

When looking at all of these factors, I think it's pretty clear that the Toronto Raptors should still be able to hang on to the #4 spot in the Eastern Conference standings and clinch home court advantage for the first round of the playoffs. They have a quality backup point guard, an elite scorer, and a new power forward that gives them another scoring option and a much improved defense.

The schedule also isn't too bad, either. Of the Raptors' 19 remaining games, 10 of them are on the road, so it isn't as if there is a huge home-away imbalance. The game on March 10th at Atlanta will be big, but I think that even if the Raptors drop that game, they'll still find a way to hang on to the #4 seed. They're doing pretty well without Kyle Lowry so far and there's really no reason to not expect them to continue to do well until he returns.


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Saturday Slam: A quick look at the 2016 Olympic basketball tournament

     Given that the Olympics began this weekend, I thought it would be good to preview the Olympic basketball tournament. Especially since 46 NBA players will be competing, which is the most in Olympic history. What I will do is give you a quick preview of each of the 12 teams competing in this event.

United States: Jimmy Butler (Bulls), Kevin Durant (Warriors), DeAndre Jordan (Clippers), Kyle Lowry (Raptors), Harrison Barnes (Mavericks), DeMar DeRozan (Raptors), Kyrie Irving (Cavaliers), Klay Thompson (Warriors), DeMarcus Cousins (Kings), Paul George (Pacers), Draymond Green (Warriors), and Carmelo Anthony (Knicks) is the USA roster and while it does lack some big names like Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Russell Westbrook, it is still a LOADED roster.

The bottom line is that so long as these guys don't let their egos get in the way, which I don't think they will, the United States should have no problem bringing home the gold. They have a fantastic combination of athleticism and skill. Kyrie Irving for example might be the most skilled player in this whole tournament while DeAndre Jordan is certainly the most athletic. I would be shocked if the United States had any games that were decided by less than 10 points.

Argentina: Argentina has one of the most competitive rosters in this tournament. They have a couple of current NBA players in Luis Scola (Nets), Manu Ginobili (Spurs), and Nicolas Brussino (Mavericks) while also having a couple of former NBA players in Carlos Delfino and Andres Nocioni. They definitely have skill, but size isn't exactly their forte with nobody bigger than 6'10". The way that Argentina will have to make up for their lack of size is to play really clean and efficient basketball, something that they've been capable of doing in the past. Look for Argentina to make some noise and threaten to win a medal.

Australia: Australia has several active NBA players on their team: Andrew Bogut (Mavericks), Patty Mills (Spurs), Joe Ingles (Jazz), Matthew Dellavedova (Bucks), and Arron Baynes (Pistons). Plus, Cameron Bairstow played in the NBA last season with the Bulls.

While only Andrew Bogut would be considered a "high profile" player, the very fact that they have five active NBA players on their team makes them very dangerous. If Patty Mills and Joe Ingles can stroke it from deep while Andrew Bogut controls the paint, these guys will be tough.

Note: Andrew Bogut did play in their opener against France and scored 18 points, so he appears to be fully healthy.

Brazil: Brazil, like Australia has a lot of NBA players on their team, though not a lot of really big names. Their two best players are Nenê (Rockets) and Leandro Barbosa (Suns), but they have three other NBA players in Raul Neto (Jazz), Cristiano Felicio (Bulls), and Marcelinho Huertas (Lakers).

The advantage that Brazil has is that they have a nice blend of post play and wing play. Barbosa, Huertas, and Neto make for a very nice backcourt while Nene and Felicio make for a quality front court. The balance of this Brazilian team could propel them towards an Olympic medal.

China: China is a very young team that quite honestly isn't very good. They have zero active NBA players on their roster and only one player with NBA experience in Yi Jianlian, who washed out of the league pretty quick. That isn't to say there is no talent on this team. They have two big men, Zhou Qi and Wang Zhelin, who were drafted in the NBA in this most recent draft, but neither of them have much experience playing against NBA level players. Look for China to struggle in this event. Their 62-119 loss to the United States certainly does not give me any reason to think otherwise.

Croatia: Philadelphia 76ers fans should keep an eye on Croatia due to the presence of big man Dario Saric, who is looking to lead his country to a medal. Saric is coming over to the 76ers this year and will get an early taste of NBA level basketball in these Olympics. Croatia has a couple of other NBA players on their roster as well in Mario Hezonja (Magic) and Bojan Bogdanovic (Nets).

Mario Hezonja will be really interesting to watch since he was drafted #5 overall in 2015 and spent the year overseas with FC Barcelona. Hezonja is a freak athlete at 6'8", 218 pounds and he can shoot the ball well, so Magic fans too should get excited to see how he does. The Croatian team doesn't have very many NBA players, but the ones they do have could make an impact. Croatia is a dark horse to get a medal at these games. The could definitely surprise people.

France: The NBA players representing France are Nicolas Batum (Hornets), Joffrey Lauvergne (Nuggets), Tony Parker (Spurs), Boris Diaw (Jazz), and Rudy Gobert (Jazz). Plus, Nando De Colo could probably still be in the NBA, but he opted for more money with CSKA Moscow. France has some serious talent with Tony Parker running the point and Rudy Gobert down on the block doing what he does best, which is disrupting shots and catching lobs for easy dunks.

The Parker, Batum, and Gobert trio alone makes France very scary and then when you add a nice supporting cast in Diaw,  Lauvergne, and De Colo, you suddenly have a quasi NBA team on your hands.  Rudy Gobert is a game-changer and Tony Parker is still one of the best point guards in the league. I would be shocked if France did not get a medal at these games.

Lithuania: Lithuanians are known to be large people and their basketball team is no exception with nobody under 6'4" and four players that are at least 6'10". Jonas Valanciunas, the center for the Toronto Raptors is the star of this Lithuanian team, but there are two other NBA players on this team in Domantas Sabonis (Magic) and Mindaugas Kuzminskas (Knicks), both of whom play forward. The key for this Lithuanian team will be to take advantage of their size and really control the glass. If they do a good job at this, they won't be an easy out for any team. Look for Lithuania to make some noise and threaten to win a medal.

Nigeria: Nigeria has 1.5 NBA players. Michael Gbinije plays for the Pistons and Ben Uzoh plays in the D-League with the Canton Charge. The only guy with any serious NBA experience is Ike Diogu. Josh Akognon spent a year with the Dallas Mavericks, but that's it. All in all, look for Nigeria to get waxed at this event, but props to them for being the top team coming out of Africa. That's not nothing.

Serbia: The only current NBA player on the Serbian team is Nikola Jokic, a big man for the Denver Nuggets. Miroslav Raduljica played briefly in the NBA and Bogdan Bogdanovic was drafted in the 1st round by the Phoenix Suns in 2014. The best player outside of Jokic is probably Milos Tedosic, who has been a really solid player overseas, playing with CSKA Moscow during the last few seasons. Tedosic is a combo guard, so Serbia definitely has weapons on the perimeter as well as in the paint. Serbia should win at least a couple of games, but I don't see them winning a medal when it's all said and done.

Spain: Spain has a ton of NBA talent on their team with Pau Gasol (Bulls), Ricky Rubio (Timberwolves), Nikola Mitotic (Bulls), and Rudy Fernandez, who plays for Real Madrid but is a guy who'd be averaging double digit points per game in the NBA if he wanted to be. Plus, they have Sergio Rodriguez (76ers), Jose Calderon (Lakers), Willy Hernangomez (Knicks),  and Alex Abrines (Thunder).

The amount of NBA talent for a non-USA team is really impressive and the non-NBA players are also some of the best players not playing in the NBA. France might be the team to give the USA the most trouble, but many think it will be Spain due to all the talent that they have. Look for Spain to make a lot of noise and put themselves in a position to compete against the United States in the gold medal game.

Venezuela: I'm gonna be totally honest with you. I haven't heard of any of the Venezuelan players and they have nobody that is bigger than 6'9". They do have one Division 1 player in Anthony Perez of Ole Miss, who just finished his senior year averaging 7.0 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. So, they definitely have quality basketball players, it's just that relative to the rest of the competition, they aren't very good.

Prediction: United States takes the gold, France takes the silver, and Spain takes the bronze.

Eastern Conference Finals Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors

   
     Tonight at 8:30 PM EST on ESPN, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors will face off in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Cavaliers come into this series having swept the Atlanta Hawks while the Toronto Raptors were extended to seven games by the Miami Heat. The Cavaliers are yet to have been seriously challenged in the playoffs while the Raptors have been pushed by both the Pacers and Heat.

     For the Cavaliers, the key to this series is punching the Raptors in the mouth early and taking a 2-0 series lead. LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love have all been fantastic in these playoffs and so far appear to be an unstoppable trio. If those three guys come out guns blazing and cruise to a 2-0 series lead, the Raptors will have a very difficult time believing in themselves after what they've been through in the first two rounds. It will be very easy for the Raptors to think they've gotten as far as they can should they go down 0-2.

     If on the other hand, the Raptors get a split in Cleveland, they'll start to believe that they have what it takes to win this series. Whether they actually have what it takes to win the series may be another matter, but if they do have what it takes to win the series, they won't know they do unless they first believe in themselves.

     I've already talked about the Cavaliers' trio of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love, but I'm yet to talk about the Raptors "big three", which consists of Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, and Jonas Valanciunas. Lowry and DeRozan are both explosive players in the backcourt and Valanciunas is becoming one of the better big men in the NBA.

     In Game 7 against the Heat, DeMar DeRozan went off for 28 points while Kyle Lowry exploded for 35 points. Those two players have the potential to take over a game and "go wild" in terms of putting up a bunch of points. When you tag-team them with a solid big man like Jonas Valanciunas, who averages 12.8 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, you suddenly have a very competitive team.

     The big obstacle that the Raptors need to overcome is the ankle injury that Jonas Valanciunas sustained against the Heat. He won't play in Game 1 tonight and he is doubtful for Game 2. With Valanciunas out, DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry will have to combine for at least 60 points and get solid production from some of their role players like DeMarre Carroll, Patrick Patterson, Bismack Biyombo, and Terrence Ross. That's not to say that the Cavaliers don't need their role players like J.R. Smith, Tristan Thompson, and Channing Frye to play well. They do, but not to the same extent that the Raptors do. If the Raptors want to win this series, their roll players will need to step up and give DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry the support that they need.

     In terms of predicting the outcome of this series, I'm going to say that the Cavaliers win this series in five games. I believe the Raptors can win two games in this series, but the problem is that the Cavaliers will want to be as rested as possible for the NBA Finals. The Cavaliers know that the Warriors and Thunder are engaged in a fierce battle that likely goes seven games and they want to make sure that they go into the NBA Finals as the team that is fresher.

     The sliver of hope for the Raptors is that they have two guys in DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry who have what it takes to put up a bunch of points and get hot. If those two guys play their best basketball in four out of seven games, perhaps they can shock the world. I don't see it happening, but it's not impossible.
   

Eastern Conference Playoffs Preview: Toronto Raptors vs. Miami Heat

     Tonight on TNT, the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat begin their second round series in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. The Raptors come into this series having survived a seven-game scare against the Indiana Pacers while the Heat come into this series having played a seven-game series of their own against the Charlotte Hornets.
     For the Raptors, it would have been disastrous to fall to the Pacers. Lord knows what the aftermath would have been. The media in Toronto would have rightfully questioned the mental fortitude of DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry should they have gone down to the Pacers. As for the Heat, a loss to the Hornets wouldn't have been a big deal since Chris Bosh is out. Most people would have chalked up an exit to the Hornets as a result of his absence and the Hornets being a team on the rise.
     If the Raptors want to win this series against the Heat, the main thing they need to do is hold serve at home. If the Raptors go down in Game 1 or Game 2, the Heat will have a tremendous amount of confidence in their ability to win the series since the Raptors will appear vulnerable. Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, and Jonas Valanciunas have to come out strong and confident as a trio. If they do, the Heat will have their work cut out for them. If they falter and don't play up to their maximum potential, the Heat will be in a prime position to pounce.
     If the Heat want to win this series against the Raptors, they'll have to do whatever they can to get a game in Toronto and get in the Raptors' head. The Raptors are mentally fragile at the moment and the Heat know it. If the Heat can get a game in Toronto, they'll get in the Raptors' head big time and make them question themselves.
     In addition, the Heat should really rely on their veteran playoff experience to win this series. Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem both have three championship rings and are very battle tested. Their veteran leadership made the difference in the series against the Hornets and I look for it to make a similar impact against the Raptors. Wade and Haslem know what it takes to win a seven-game playoff series while the Raptors are still figuring out how to do it.
     With that all being said, I still have to pick the Raptors to win this series in seven games. It'll be a close series that will go back and forth, but at the end of the day, the Raptors will get this done. The Raptors should have some confidence from their series against the Pacers that will serve them well against the Heat. Even though the Raptors showed signs of mental frailty against the Pacers, they only bended as opposed to breaking.
     Going through a tough series and surviving makes young teams like the Raptors stronger. I expect DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry, and Jonas Valanciunas to step up and deliver the goods for the lone Canadian city in the NBA. With a tough series under their belt, they now know they can win a playoff series. With that hurdle now cleared, I expect them to play with a lot more confidence and do what they've done all season, which is be the second best team in the Eastern Conference. Don't get me wrong, the Heat will challenge the Raptors and push them all the way. But in a Game 7 in the city of Toronto, I have to roll with the Raptors.

Eastern Conference Playoffs Preview: Toronto Raptors vs. Indiana Pacers

                              (2) Toronto Raptors (56-26) vs. (7) Indiana Pacers (45-37) 

     The Toronto Raptors and Indiana Pacers will tip off the 2016 NBA playoffs on Saturday at 12:30 PM EST on ESPN. The Toronto Raptors come into this series with a lot of momentum, having won 7 of their last 10 games and they look to make quick work of the Indiana Pacers, a team who they defeated three times in four regular season meetings. The Raptors are hoping to make a deep playoff run and prove to the rest of the NBA that they are serious contenders. As for the Pacers, they hope to upset the Raptors and see their superstar Paul George have a huge playoff series.

     If the Raptors want to eliminate the Pacers quickly, they need both DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry to prove that they are the kind of one-two punch capable of leading a team deep into the playoffs. Even though the Raptors have the second best record in the Eastern Conference, they still have a bad taste in their mouths after getting swept by the Washington Wizards in the first round of the playoffs last year. They folded like cheap tents in that series and immediately made everyone in the NBA question their toughness and legitimacy as contenders in the East.

     Game 1 of this series is crucial because of what happened to the Raptors last season. The Raptors need to win this game because doing so will set the tone for the rest of the series. If the Raptors get the win on Saturday, odds are good that they'll settle in and win the series in five games. If on the other hand, Paul George leads the Pacers to victory, we could be in for a very interesting and long series.

     As was hinted in the previous paragraph, the Pacers need to win Game 1 of this series so as to place doubt in the minds of the Raptors. The Raptors are a mentally fragile team in the playoffs and a loss in the opening game of the series might be too much for them to handle. Paul George has to do everything he can to will his team to victory so as to make the Raptors vulnerable.

     If Paul George wants to lead his team to a first round upset over the Raptors, he's going to have to get some help from his friends. Monta Ellis needs to step up and average more than the 13.8 points per game that he has been averaging. In addition, Ian Mahinmi and Jordan Hill need to do everything they can to keep Jonas Valanciunas and Bismack Biyombo off the glass. The Raptors have some big bodies inside with Valanciunas and Biyombo. The Pacers must do everything they can to make sure those guys don't have their way inside.

     Even though the Raptors gagged in the playoffs last year against the Wizards, I'm optimistic that this time around, we'll see a different result from them. The Raptors are now the #2 seed in the East as opposed to being the #4 seed. Plus, the Pacers didn't even make the playoffs last year. Paul George is trying to lead his team to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since his gruesome leg injury and to do it against a team like the Raptors would take a Herculean effort on his end.

     Ultimately, I have the Raptors winning this series in five games. They have the better team on paper and they took three out of four games in the regular season. Even though the Raptors had a disappointing result in the playoffs last year, they are still the superior team in this series and deserve the respect of a number two seed. If the Raptors don't win this series, it will be a very difficult off-season for Masai Ujiri and company.

Saturday Slam: The Raptors are on the rise

     The Toronto Raptors are currently on a league best 11 game winning streak, boasting wins over the Clippers, Heat, and Knicks. While everybody is rightfully talking about the Warriors, Spurs, and Cavaliers as the top teams in the NBA, the Raptors are making a name for themselves in their own right. At 32-15, the Raptors are currently the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference, just 2.5 games behind the #1 seeded Cleveland Cavaliers and 5 games in front of the #3 Chicago Bulls.

     The emergence of the Raptors as a contender is largely due to the sensational play of DeMar DeRozan and veteran leadership of Kyle Lowry. DeRozan is averaging 23.2 points per game and Lowry is averaging 21 points per game and 6.3 assists. In addition to those two stars, the Raptors have a very talented big man in Jonas Valanciunas (12.2 points and 9.6 rebounds) and two solid forwards in DeMarre Carroll and Luis Scola, who both score in double figures.

     The Raptors have what is called "balance". They have an explosive scorer in DeRozan, a great facilitator and scorer in Lowry, a legitimate post presence in Valanciunas, and some solid role players to give that trio some support. The only thing this Raptors team lacks is a lot of experience, but they are starting to get that after going to the playoffs last season. With the way that they are growing and developing, they have the making of a team that will be very competitive for a very long time.

     As far as whether or not they are a championship caliber team, it ultimately comes down to whether or not DeMar DeRozan has the makeup of a player who can lead a team to a championship. It's hard to see him being that kind of player, but on the other hand, the numbers speak for themselves as does his team's winning streak. While I don't see the Raptors winning the 2016 NBA championship, there doesn't seem to be a good reason to think they can't win a title in couple of seasons.

     Ultimately, I cannot say with any certainty where the Raptors will be in a few seasons, but what I can say with certainty is that right now, they are a very good team with all the pieces to make serious noise in the playoffs this season. They have the scoring weapons, the post presence, and the depth. If you see the Toronto Raptors playing in May with a chance to go to the NBA Finals, do not be surprised. This team is for real and we should expect them to continue to be so for years to come.