Wednesday Windmill: The Toronto Raptors are legit contenders

The Toronto Raptors' 15 game winning streak came to an end on Wednesday as they lost to the Brooklyn Nets 101-91 in Brooklyn. It was the longest winning streak in franchise history. The Raptors are now 40-15, just 6.5 games back of the 46-8 Milwaukee Bucks.

Earlier in the year, I wrote about how we shouldn't sleep on this Raptors team and it looks like I was right. What I like about them is their combination of depth and stardom. Pascal Siakam (23.7 points & 7.5 rebounds) is a legit star with a great supporting cast around him in Kyle Lowry, Fred Vanvleet, Serge Ibaka, Norman Powell, OG Anunoby, and Marc Gasol. The only guy in that group not scoring in double figures on average is Gasol. The rest of those guys are. That's six guys scoring in double figures every night! That's just scary!

Most assumed that with the departure of Kawhi Leonard, the Raptors would sink back into the middle of the Eastern Conference standings and maybe win a playoff series if they caught a break. What made me doubt those assumptions is what I said above. I felt Siakam had the pieces to be the face of the franchise and that he had a really good supporting cast around him. On top of that, as sensational as Leonard was last year, people forget that it really was a team effort to bring the first NBA championship to Toronto. Everyone contributed. It wasn't just Leonard.

Emboldened by winning a title with the help of Leonard, the Raptors now have the confidence to go toe-to-toe with anyone in the NBA. Especially the rest of the Eastern Conference. With the way they've been playing, they shouldn't be afraid of anyone.

As for whether or not the Raptors win the NBA championship, I would be lying to you if I told you I thought they would win it all again. When you lose a guy as good as The Claw, it's hard to defend an NBA championship. Most teams who lost a guy of his caliber would be in rebuilding mode or at least not contending for another title. That said, the fact that the Raptors are contending once again does give me hope that they might repeat or at the very least come out of the East once more. The only team standing in their way is the Bucks and as good as they've been in the regular season, there's reason to doubt their ability to get it done come playoff time.

If the Raptors keep playing like they've been and the Bucks falter a bit, don't be surprised to see them back in the NBA Finals. They have a new star in Siakam, a quality supporting cast around him, and experience. We The North isn't done just yet.

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Wednesday Windmill: Don't sleep on the Toronto Raptors

After Kawhi Leonard left the Toronto Raptors for the Los Angeles Clippers, many assumed that the Raptors would no longer be a contending team and that their championship window had now closed. They had won their lone NBA championship, could celebrate over the summer, and would now go back to being a middle of the pack team. Those assumptions, at least so far, don't appear to be accurate as the Raptors are 7-3, just two games back of the 9-1 Boston Celtics.

While Leonard is no longer around, Pascal Siakam appears to be ready to take the reins, averaging 26.3 points and 9.5 rebounds per game after averaging 16.9 points and 6.9 rebounds per game last year. We already saw Siakam as an emerging star during last year's NBA playoffs and now he is really coming into his own. To go along with Siakam, Kyle Lowry (who is out two weeks with a broken thumb), Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Marc Gasol, and Serge Ibaka (out indefinitely with an ankle injury) are doing their part to help pick up the slack left from Leonard's absence. This is evident by their 7-3 start.

As you can see above, probably the main concern for the Raptors right now is health. If they want to once again win the Eastern Conference title and get back the NBA Finals, they have to stay healthy. If they are hobbled up come playoff time, they will not go far. But, the same can be said for every team. If you don't stay healthy, you're not going to win the NBA championship.

That said, what makes health extra important for this Raptors team is the fact that their strength lies in their numbers. They have a lot of depth and the ability to wear teams down with their bench play. Also, they do a great job of playing together. While Siakam is their top player, it's not a case where they solely rely on him to carry them. They do a good of collectively sharing the load and taking pressure off of each other.

Ultimately, I believe in this Raptors team. I think Siakam and Lowry form a really good duo and they have a solid supporting cast around them. If they can stay healthy and take advantage of their depth, there is no reason to doubt their ability to once again represent the Eastern Conference come June.

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Wednesday Windmill: Three things the Toronto Raptors need to do to defeat the Golden State Warriors

Yesterday, I provided my list of three things the Golden State Warriors need to do in order to defeat the Toronto Raptors in the NBA Finals. If you didn't read that, click here.  Today I'm looking at this series through the lens of the Raptors and what they need to do to knock off the Warriors. And yes, just like yesterday, I'm going with the old school logo!

#1. Kawhi Leonard needs to go wild: If the Raptors want any chance of winning this series, they need Kawhi Leonard to have the series of a lifetime. What allowed the Cleveland Cavaliers to knock off the 73-9 Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals was the surreal performance of LeBron James. Leonard has more pieces around him than James did, but that doesn't lighten the burden that is on him to deliver the goods. Leonard needs to be averaging 30+ points per game in this series while also playing lock down defense.

#2. Defend Jurassic Park: If you've been reading my recent blog posts, you would know that I've been hammering home the fact that the Warriors will not have home court in the NBA Finals regardless of whether it's the Bucks or Raptors that they face. Of all the major sports leagues in America, home court/field/ice advantage is most important in the NBA. For whatever reason, home teams do better in the NBA than they do in the NFL, MLB, and NHL. I think a lot of it has to do with the influence that home court has on the officiating and the way stars get calls.

So long as the Raptors are able to defend their home floor, they will continue to have the advantage in this series. They need to defend their home floor like a pod of velociraptors protecting their nest from the egg snatching oviraptorsaurs. If the Warriors steal a game or get an egg, the Raptors will be in a really difficult spot.

#3. Role players need to step up: As important as it is for Kawhi Leonard to carry the load, he can't win this series all by himself. He's going to need help from his supporting cast. Especially Marc Gasol, Pascal Siakam, and Kyle Lowry. Those three guys in particular need to have a big series. If those guys step up and take the edge off Leonard, the Raptors will be tough to stop.

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Saturday Slam: The Toronto Raptors are going to the NBA Finals for the first time

For the first time in franchise history, the Toronto Raptors are going to the NBA Finals, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 100-94 on Saturday night to win the Eastern Conference title. Kawhi Leonard was sensational with 27 points, 17 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. It was one of those performances that all-time legends have.

The Raptors' first season was in the 1995-96 season, finishing 21-61. The one bright spot in that season was their 109-108 victory on March 24 over the Chicago Bulls, who would go on to finish the season 72-10 and win their fourth NBA championship. Damon Stoudamire led the way for the Raptors that night with 30 points while Michael Jordan had 36 points for the Bulls (click here to watch the highlights). What's rather ironic in all of this is that their NBA Finals opponent Golden State Warriors went on to have the best regular season record in NBA history (73-9) in the 2015-16 season in part because of that victory. As we all know, that Warriors team would later fall to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.

After indirectly helping the Warriors make history in 2016, the Raptors are out to make history for themselves in the 2019 NBA Finals. After years and years of choking and not getting over the hump, the Raptors finally have a championship caliber team and home court advantage in the NBA Finals. Their turnaround has been really fun to watch and while Kawhi Leonard deserves a lot of the credit, it's really been a complete team effort from president Masai Ujiri to head coach Nick Nurse to Kyle Lowry to undrafted guard Fred VanVleet.

                                         (Credit: Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP) 

Even though I already got into NBA Finals predictions in my most recent Wednesday Windmill piece, I don't want to do that here. I just want to congratulate the Raptors on finally reaching their first NBA Finals in franchise history. This is a big moment for them and tonight I want to focus all of my attention on this monumental accomplishment. We can talk more about the Warriors next week.

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Wednesday Windmill: Can either the Milwaukee Bucks or Toronto Raptors take out the Golden State Warriors?

At the moment, the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors are engaged in an epic series that is tied 2-2. The home team has won every game, which means we're on track for a Game 7 in Milwaukee. While these two teams fight for Eastern Conference supremacy, the Golden State Warriors are relaxing and waiting to see who they'll face in the NBA Finals. Given how dominant the Warriors have been, it's fair to ask whether or not it matters who they'll face. What I want to do in this blog post is quickly breakdown what threat each team poses and what the odds are that they actually take out the Warriors.

Starting with the Bucks, one thing they'll have to their advantage should they reach the NBA Finals is home court advantage (the Raptors will have this as well). Should they win Game 1 of the series, they'll have around 85% odds to win the series and should the series go to a Game 7, they'll have around 80% odds to win. These numbers are based on NBA playoff history as a whole. I wasn't able to find the exact numbers for the NBA Finals. Whatever the exact numbers are, the bottom line is having home court advantage is nice. If you can defend home court in Game 1, history says you'll win. If you host a Game 7 on your home floor, history also says you'll win.

Aside from the home court, the Bucks do have perhaps the best player in the game in Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is a matchup nightmare for whatever team they face. The Warriors will have a difficult time taking out the Bucks because of Giannis alone. He handles the ball extremely well in transition, can play multiple positions, and is exactly what his nickname bills him to be. He's a freak.

When you add guys like Brook Lopez, Malcolm Brogdon, Eric Bledsoe, Nikola Mirotic, Khris Middleton, and George Hill to the mix, you have a team that's going to be a tough out. This Bucks teams has a lot of depth and that more than anything could make the difference.

As for the Raptors, aside from the home court advantage that I touched on earlier, it all boils down to whether or not Kawhi Leonard can stay healthy. If he's healthy, they got a shot. Especially since they have a solid supporting cast of their own in Kyle Lowry, Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka, Pascal Siakam, Danny Green, and Fred VanVleet. Leonard is also in discussion for best player in the game and when he gets going, the Raptors should feel like they can beat any team in the league.

I still have my money on the Warriors to win the NBA championship, but it's not going to be easy. They'll have to go on the road and win in very hostile environments to get home court advantage on their side. The best thing they can hope for is that this series goes the distance and that their opponent will be fatigued and a bit banged up from the Eastern Conference Finals.

Now what you're probably hoping for is my prediction for this Bucks-Raptors series. I think it could go either way, but I still have the Bucks pulling it out. They have home court advantage on their side and I have a tough time seeing the Raptors win four straight games. This one is probably going the distance and in a Game 7, you gotta roll with the home team.

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Wednesday Windmill: The Toronto Raptors are willing to make some moves

With the NBA trade deadline approaching on Thursday at 3:00 PM EST, there are a lot of different stories swirling. One of the more interesting ones is the story involving the Toronto Raptors being willing to trade Kyle Lowry and Jonas Valanciunas to the Memphis Grizzlies for Mike Conley and Marc Gasol. Jake Fischer of Sports Illustrated has more below: 

"Perhaps of greatest intrigue, the Toronto Raptors have called Memphis, offering Jonas Valanciunas and Kyle Lowry for both Conley and Gasol, league sources told Sports Illustrated. Memphis, sources said, would prefer to receive younger players such as OG Anunoby or draft assets in any exchange with Toronto that would send Conley north. The Grizzlies of course rejected Toronto's initial offer." 

While the Raptors' initial trade request was rejected, it's still interesting that they have been willing to move yet another key franchise piece as they seek to win their first NBA title. At 39-16, the Raptors are second in the Eastern Conference, playing really good basketball. I find it both unusual and interesting that they are willing to make such a radical move during the middle of the season.

                                          (Credit: USA TODAY Sports) 

What will be interesting to see as we head into the trade deadline is whether or not the Raptors actually move Lowry or Valanciunas and if they don't, how both players will respond in the second half of the season. The Raptors' biggest issue has been the mental side of the game and having your star players named in trade rumors could have an effect on team morale. Especially if those players don't get traded.

If I'm a Raptors fan, I'm definitely pleased that my team is willing to make moves, but I might worry they're overplaying things a bit. They've been in need of a guy who can lead them to a title and Kawhi Leonard appears to be up to the challenge. Rather than shuffling the deck, especially during the middle of the season, I might rather see how things go with Leonard before blowing up things even more. It's not like Lowry and Valanciunas have had no success in Toronto, and on the flip side, it's not as if Conley and Gasol have found the recipe for championship success, either.

Change can be good if it's the right kind of change. The kind of change the Raptors appear to be seeking seems to be more cut out of the "change for the sake of change" type of cloth, which isn't always the right kind of change. Sometimes it's better to just stand pat at the trade deadline. Especially when you just added a guy like Leonard into the fold.

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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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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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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.
   

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.

   

Eastern Conference Playoffs Preview: Toronto Raptors vs. Washington Wizards

#4 Toronto Raptors (49-33) vs. #5 Washington Wizards (46-36): 

     During the regular season, the Toronto Raptors swept the Washington Wizards 3-0. However, two of those games were decided by 4 points or less, so it isn't like the Raptors dominated the Wizards. The fact that two of their three games were close indicates that this could be a tight and competitive series in addition to the fact that most 4/5 playoff series' are close. 

     Still, the Raptors won all three of their meetings and the fact that the scores were close should not take away from that. The Raptors should have a tremendous amount of confidence going into this series   because they swept the Wizards as well as getting home court advantage for the series. At the end of the day, this is the Raptors' series to lose. 

     What is huge for the Raptors is that Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan are healthy. Kyle Lowry has missed 12 games due to injury and DeMar DeRozan has missed 22 games. Having their two best players injured for a good chunk of the season took its toll on the Raptors and derailed them from getting a higher seed than what they got. With both guys healthy, the Raptors should have no problem scoring the basketball and getting into a rhythm early on. 

     In addition to Lowry and DeRozan, the Raptors also have Lou Williams in the backcourt to accompany Kyle Lowry and Jonas Valanciunas holding down the fort in the paint.  Lou Williams has been especially key to the Raptors' success because he has brought a very nice scoring punch off the bench, scoring 15.5 points and 1.9 threes per game. When he gets going, the Raptors are a very difficult team to stop. The Raptors absolutely have to make him a priority and get him touches when he is in the game. 

     As for the Wizards, they are a little more banged up, but thankfully Nene should be good to go in Game 1 after being sidelined with an ankle injury. Only reserve shooting guard Garrett Temple (hamstring) should miss the game. Like the Raptors, the Wizards had injuries derail their season, with their star shooting guard Bradley Beal missing 19 games in the regular season. It's huge for the Wizards to have him healthy as well as their star point guard John Wall. Without those two guys able to go, the Wizards would have no shot at winning this series. 

     The biggest difference between the DeMar DeRozan/Kyle Lowry combo and the Bradley Beal/John Wall combo is that the Raptors' combo has one guy (DeMar DeRozan) who consistently puts the ball in the basket. DeRozan has averaged 20.1 points per game whereas Beal has only averaged 15.3 points per game. Some of that is due to injury on Beal's end, but all the same, DeRozan has been more consistent and that definitely gives the Raptors an edge. 

     If the Wizards want to win this series, they will really need to make sure John Wall and Bradley Beal are able to find ways to score the basketball since they don't have the luxury of having a guy like Lou Williams coming off the bench. The pressure will really be on those guys to deliver the goods. While there is also pressure on DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, they can breathe a bit since Lou Williams has been a reliable third scoring option off the bench all season. 

     In addition, the Wizards will also want to take advantage of their size down low. The Wizards have two great post players in Nene and Marcin Gortat who both are better than the Raptors' center Jonas Valanciunas. In addition, the Wizards also have Kris Humphries coming off the bench who is another banger down low. The Wizards will have to control the glass to compensate for being more offensively challenged. If they really dominate on the glass, the Wizards could end up taking this series. What has to worry the Wizards is that the Raptors still took the season series 3-0 despite losing the battle on the glass in each game. The Raptors appear to have what it takes to compensate for any deficiencies they have inside, which means that the Wizards likely have to do more than just rebound well. 

       As for my prediction, I hinted that I would be picking the Raptors and that is exactly what I will do. I think the Raptors win this series in 6 games because they simply have more ammunition when it comes to scoring the basketball and finding guys to step up in crunch time. This isn't to say that John Wall, Bradley Beal, and Paul Pierce (who I haven't yet mentioned) aren't clutch. They are and they can certainly hit big shots. It's just that I like the guys who the Raptors have better. Plus, it appears as though the Raptors shouldn't be bothered by losing the rebounding battle. 

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter  @nba_lord  for NBA news 

     

       

2014-15 Atlantic Division Preview

The NBA season is just around the corner, which means that it's time for me to start doing my previews for each division. I am starting with the Atlantic Division, home to the Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Philadelphia 76ers. I will preview each team in order of where I think they will finish in the division with their projected win total in brackets.

                                         
                                              Toronto Raptors (53)

Under the guidance of their brilliant general manager Masai Ujiri, the Raptors had one of the best seasons in franchise history last year with a 48-34 record. Losing in 7 games to the Nets in the first round of the playoffs was a tough way to go out, but the Raptors established themselves as a team that is going to be competitive for many seasons to come.

Their major offseason move was re-signing their start point guard Kyle Lowry to a 4 year, $48M deal. This move is key because it greatly ups the odds of DeMar DeRozan and Jonas Valanciunas staying with the Raptors for the long-term. DeRozan made his first all-star team last season, averaging 22.7 points and 4.0 assists per game, establishing himself as one of the best young swingmen in the NBA.

As for Jonas Valanciunas, he is entering his third NBA season after averaging 11.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game last season. He still has a lot of work to do, but he too is emerging into one of the best young players at his position. If the Raptors can keep Lowry, DeRozan, and Valanciunas together, they could be contending for championships in the near future.

Their most surprising move of the offseason was drafting Bruno Caboclo in the first round of this year's draft. This move shocked everybody and created quite a stir on draft night. Caboclo is a small forward out of Brazil who has tremendous upside but is considered to be very raw in his development. He might be the most important piece the Raptors have in that he could be what puts them over the top in a few seasons. If he develops into an elite small forward in the NBA, the Raptors will really be cooking with gas. Watching how Caboclo develops in his first NBA season will definitely be an interesting thing to monitor throughout the season since he still remains largely a mystery and an enigma.

Overall, the Raptors have a really talented squad that should once again win the Atlantic Division. The trio of Lowry, DeRozan, and Valanciunas will continue to get better and perhaps Caboclo surprises people and ends up being a solid contributor in his rookie season. They still don't have enough to contend for a championship, but that doesn't mean they aren't worth keeping an eye on. With the Eastern Conference so wide open, the Raptors could possibly find themselves in the Eastern Conference Finals.

                                             
                                                Brooklyn Nets (47)

The Brooklyn Nets are one of the most bizarre teams in the NBA. They have some fantastically talented players, but they can't seem to figure out how to make it all fit. Deron Williams is showing signs of age with all the injuries he's had, but he still remains one of the better point guards in the NBA; Joe Johnson is one of the most offensively potent shooting guards in the NBA; and Brook Lopez might be the best center in the NBA when healthy. Yet despite having those talented players on their team, the Nets still find ways to fall short.

Losing Brook Lopez for the season definitely hurt them last year, but even with him I doubt they would have gotten past the Miami Heat. The Nets almost seem to have an identity crisis in that they really aren't super good at anything. They just range from being "ok" to "good" at everything. That's a problem that Lionel Hollins, their new head coach will have to fix. He'll have to find a way to get his team an identity. In order for a team to be successful they need to have an identity or something to pride themselves on. E.g. Defense, rebounding, or scoring.

More specifically, the Nets need to figure out whose team it is. Is it Deron Williams' team? Is it Joe Johnson's team? Is it Brook Lopez's team? I personally think it should be Brook Lopez's team with him as the focal point of the offense. He's their best overall player and the player who is most valuable to them because so few teams have quality big men.

Before going down for the season, Lopez was having a career year, averaging 20.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. The team had to reformulate their identity with him out of the picture for the vast bulk of the season and I think that really hurt the development of the team since Lopez has to be their guy. If the Nets want to be successful this season, they have to make sure that Brook Lopez is the featured player. Otherwise, they'll continue to stay where they are at, which is a mid-pack Eastern Conference team that goes nowhere.

                                                 

                                                      New York Knicks (41) 

Let me cut to the chase: This team sucks. I think Carmelo Anthony is fantastic, but the rest of the team is garbage. Amar'e Stoudemire is washed up and merely a shell of his former self, Andrea Bargnani is a decent offensive player who can't play any defense, J.R. Smith just screws around and takes wild threes, and Iman Shumpert has regressed each season he's played in the NBA.

As for Phil Jackson and his puppet head coach Derek Fisher, nothing can smell more like manufactured hype than this duo. These guys won rings in Los Angeles, but that was over five years ago in a city that is more than 2,000 miles away. This time around there is no Kobe Bryant or Shaquille O'Neal to save them, which is why they aren't going to ever win another championship together. They seem to only be interested in reuniting with each other and having a jolly good time in the Big Apple at the expense of the Knicks and their fans.

Tim Hardaway, Jr. is the only other guy on this team that I like. He's a talented 6'6 shooting guard who could be a star for them in the future, but as for this season he'll still be going through growing pains. He's really the only guy worth paying attention to in that he might be a piece the Knicks can use in the future to help them win games. As for the rest of team outside of Carmelo Anthony, they can all go play in the Chinese Basketball Association for all I care.

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                                                       Boston Celtics (32) 

The Celtics are in full-blown rebuilding mode right now. Rajon Rondo, who is their star point guard appears to be on his way out, which leaves small forward Jeff Green as the only other viable weapon on the team. Green averaged 16.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game last season, which was his best season to date. He'll continue to get better and might even become an all-star one day. But beyond that, the team has nobody to help them win games this season.

Their rookie point guard Marcus Smart, third year power forward Jared Sullinger, and second year center Kelly Olynyk might form a nice trio to go around Jeff Green in a few years, but for right now they have a lot of growing pains to go through.The one good thing that I will say about the Celtics is that they have a quality head coach in Brad Stevens and management that can be trusted. Unlike the Knicks, who are run by a bunch of baboons, the Celtics have quality guys in their front office, which is why I like them to be better than the Knicks down the road.

However, at the present moment, the Celtics have a team that will struggle to win games. Even if Rajon Rondo hangs around the whole year, they still will only have Rondo and Green as viable go-to options. Everybody else is either past their prime like Gerald Wallace or still in the very early stages of their NBA development.

                                                    Philadelphia 76ers (25)

The Philadelphia 76ers are garbage, but they are garbage with a game plan. The plan is to be bad right now so that they can be good in the future. The 76ers so far have tanked really well, drafting talented players who can't help them win games right away. Probably the most important thing to look for when watching the 76ers this season is how their point guard Michael Carter-Williams does in his second season and also how their rookie center Nerlens Noel does after sitting out all of last season with a torn ACL.

If Carter-Williams and Noel can prove to be an effective duo, then the 76ers should feel good about their tanking strategy. I personally expect both of those guys to play really well, but that doesn't mean the 76ers will win a lot of games. It'll be another long year in Philly, but hopefully one in which they feel like progress is being made towards building a team that can be a force in the East.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord