Round 1: GT #1: Bullets @ Raptors 5:30 PM (ESPN/NBCSW/1500) [4/14/18]

[FAH1223]

THE WASHINGTON BULLETS are YOUR 8TH SEED. They have royally collapsed down the stretch and have lost multiple games to sub .500 teams, lost an 17 point lead in Cleveland within minutes, and are integrating the Wall Star back in the fold.

Losers of 14 out of the last 21, it seems many of us are hoping for an embarassing exit to get Ernie Grunfeld fired. Some of us don't fear the Raptors because of the 2015 playoffs when the Bullets came in stumbling pathetically and then swept Toronto. The winner of this series gets King James and their season ended by his hands.

The Raptors have locked up homecourt throughout the East playoffs. They have their deepest roster. Plus their stars, Lowry and Derozan have facilitated a team playing with more ball movement and shot making from 3.

The elephant in the room for this series: John Wall has not played the Raptors this season.

Let's get this started:



-------------------------VS-------------------------


SEASON SERIES TIED: 2-2

GAME 1 (Wizards win):

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GAME 2 (Raptors win):

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GAME 3 (Wizards win):

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GAME 4 (Raptors win):

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Lineups:










Bench:

[FAH1223]

The local media is already spinning crap

Read on Twitter

[Shoe]

I will go on record and say I like our chances. This core has never been outmatched in the playoffs. They've taken one seeds to 6, 6, and 7 games. Wall and Beal are underachievers, but they bring their game in the postseason.

[dlts20]

They can't beat us and Wall is about to show alot of people on this board again that he is superior to Lowry

[J-Ves]

Raps in 6


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[dangermouse]

The local media is already spinning crap

Read on Twitter

Lightning never strikes twice and here they are hoping for a third hit smdh

[keynote]

Accept the unacceptable.

[NatP4]

Wiz in 6. Wall and Beal bring it in the playoffs, Otto is always trouble for Toronto. Fingers crossed, Brooks has been hiding small ball all year for the playoffs, our bench won't be an issue with only Sato, Oubre, Mahinmi, and occasionally Scott playing.

Wall looked dynamic in that last win over Boston, different player completely.

like I always say with this team, it's going to come down to Brooks not making completely asinine personnel/rotation decisions and John Wall giving effort on defense and playing the right way like he did two years ago against them in round 1.

[FAH1223]

lol

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

[dangermouse]

Raps out here signing G League MVPs https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/249517/Raptors-Convert-Lorenzo-Brown-To-Standard-NBA-Contract

Our GM rings up old boy Sessions.

Just 0 creativity. He should be long gone. God I can't stand him.

[Sluggerface]

Toronto is the most slept on +8 scoring differential team in NBA history.

Raps in 4. They are going to run roughshod all over this team.

[dcstanley]

Too much of a talent disparity for the Wizards to overcome. I do expect Wall to be the best player in the series and Otto to bring it. Hopefully the next few days of rest are enough for Beal but you never know what to expect with him. I wish this game was on Sunday instead of Saturday.

[queridiculo]

Toronto is the most slept on +8 scoring differential team in NBA history.

Raps in 4. They are going to run roughshod all over this team.

I don't know, the Raptors built that differential with incredible production from their second unit and by relentlessly beating up on lottery teams.

How much of that will translate into the postseason, and more importantly, how much of that bench production is going to translate into the postseason when teams are notorious for shortening their rotations?

Porter and Scott being banged up could turn out to be an issue, and the Wizards are the clear dog in this matchup, but I don't see the Wizards getting swept.

The more likely scenario to me is the Raptors in 5 or 6 and Washington continuing their season long trend of surrendering leads down the stretch.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Toronto is a bottom feeder. They beat the hell out of the sub .500 teams.

In the past they have been the Wizards' female dog. One thing is for sure. Washington will not be intimidated. If anything these Wizards will be overconfident.

The Wizards suck and they get on my nerves. However, if you ever wanted to bet on a 1-8 upset this would be the one to bet on. That said, Toronto should win this series in five games maybe six if they play to their potential.

Everything about this season says the Wizards are going to go out like dogs.

[FAH1223]

Toronto is a bottom feeder. They beat the hell out of the sub .500 teams.

In the past they have been the Wizards' female dog. One thing is for sure. Washington will not be intimidated. If anything these Wizards will be overconfident.

The Wizards suck and they get on my nerves. However, if you ever wanted to bet on a 1-8 upset this would be the one to bet on.

That said, Toronto should win this series in five games maybe six if they play to their potential.

Everything about this season says the Wizards are going to go out like dogs.

In many ways this is a Ernie vs. Masai matchup

Masai has drafted and utilized resources on a scale the Wizards will never see. Their 2nd year played were playing in the G League extensively. He’s made better trades and FA acquisitions.

Their issue is that Lowry is a headcase. And we have seen him shrink in the playoffs.

I think Derozan averages 30 PPG and carries them. Especially being guarded by a hobbled Otto or a smaller Beal.

[cammac]

Obviously have bias and upset that we face the Wiz because dislike having one of my favorite teams eliminated. But sorry guys Raptors in 4 or 5!

[barelyawake]

Do they have the talent to win this series? Of course, they have the talent to beat anyone in the East imo. The problem is they don’t have the heart of a team any more. This iteration of talent is over as a collective. Wall could get us past Toronto. But, what does that get us in the end? Does beating Toronto up our trade value like making the finals would? Major changes need to happen. Have needed to happen.

[tontoz]

@ Pierce still trolling the Raps.

We beat them twice this season without Wall. They are definitely beatable. They don't really present any matchup problems.

If we put some pressure on them they might choke again.

[Kanyewest]

Toronto is a bottom feeder. They beat the hell out of the sub .500 teams.

In the past they have been the Wizards' female dog. One thing is for sure. Washington will not be intimidated. If anything these Wizards will be overconfident.

The Wizards suck and they get on my nerves. However, if you ever wanted to bet on a 1-8 upset this would be the one to bet on.

That said, Toronto should win this series in five games maybe six if they play to their potential.

Everything about this season says the Wizards are going to go out like dogs.

In many ways this is a Ernie vs. Masai matchup

Masai has drafted and utilized resources on a scale the Wizards will never see. Their 2nd year played were playing in the G League extensively. He’s made better trades and FA acquisitions.

Their issue is that Lowry is a headcase. And we have seen him shrink in the playoffs.

I think Derozan averages 30 PPG and carries them. Especially being guarded by a hobbled Otto or a smaller Beal.

Lowry was alright in the postseason last year. At least compared to the 2015 and 2016 playoffs, where DeRozan was also awful .

[nate33]

Toronto is the most slept on +8 scoring differential team in NBA history.

Raps in 4. They are going to run roughshod all over this team.

They are "slept on" because they built that point differential by destroying bad teams by huge margins, mostly with the benefit of their exceptional depth. Depth doesn't matter in the playoffs, and there are no bad teams to play.

The Raptors are a remarkable 35-2 against below-500 teams, but are just 24-21 against above-500 teams. For comparison, the Wizards are 23-24 against above-500 teams. The Raptors do look a bit vulnerable for a 59-win team.

All that said, let's not act like the Raptors shouldn't be favorites or anything. If nothing else, they are still a much more consistent team and can be counted on to play smart and hard every night. If the Wizards were playing well, I'd feel like they might have a 50/50 chance at winning the series, but the Wizards have played horribly for a long time now. One can't rationally be confident about their chances. Also, let's not overlook that Toronto has homecourt advantage.

Ultimately, I think the Raptors win in 5. Not necessarily because they're as good as advertised, but because Washington really is a bad team right now - the worst in the playoffs. We can't even count on them to play hard, much less play well. They're, undisciplined, mentally weak in the face of adversity, horribly un-clutch, and they have a coach who never gives them a strategic edge.