Welcome to the Weekly Rap, a resource for getting you caught up on what went down and what’s on the docket in Raptorland.
From some of the highest highs the franchise has ever seen to a two-month swoon that felt like it lasted an eternity, the 2014-15 Toronto Raptors managed to finish things off right, setting a new franchise record with 49 wins on the season.
Of course it was disappointing to see the team come back down to earth after the otherworldly start that saw it soar to the top of the Eastern Conference standings, but put into proper context, the Raptors’ sluggish stretch was really more the team normalizing, and a second straight Atlantic Division crown is nothing to get upset about.
Expectations are high for Toronto heading into the playoffs, but if they’re unable to defeat the Washington Wizards, is the season considered a wash?
There are arguments to be made on both sides, but when it comes down to it, a first-round exit would obviously be disappointing, but wouldn’t set the franchise back in any drastic way.
With that said, Toronto is more than capable of winning this series and reaching the conference semis for just the second time in the organization’s history. So why not put a nice bow on a successful season?
Record
49-33 (1st in Atlantic Division, 4th in Eastern Conference)
What happened?
What was learned?
First-round schedule released: The NBA’s first-round playoff schedule has been released. Below is the full schedule for the Raptors-Wizards series:
Game 1 – Sat April 18 Washington at Toronto 12:30 p.m. ET
Game 2 – Tue April 21 Washington at Toronto 8:00 p.m. ET
Game 3 – Fri April 24 Toronto at Washington 8:00 p.m. ET
Game 4 – Sun April 26 Toronto at Washington 7:00 p.m. ET
Game 5 – Wed April 29 Washington at Toronto TBD (If Necessary)
Game 6 – Fri May 1 Toronto at Washington TBD (If Necessary)
Game 7 – Sun May 3 Washington at Toronto TBD (If Necessary)
Paul Pierce is talking trash, again: Washington Wizards veteran Paul Pierce had some harsh words for the Toronto Raptors and the Eastern Conference in general. In a recent interview, Pierce said that only the Cleveland Cavaliers are a real threat because of LeBron James and, more intriguing to Raptors fans, he claimed the Raptors don’t have the “it” factor to beat the Wizards in the playoffs. So what do you think of this DeMar?
Storylines to follow
Mirror images: Toronto and Washington drawing each other in the first round is an ideal scenario for both teams given the eerie similarities in their developmental paths and respective seasons.
Both teams came into the season with the expectation they’d take another step and maybe even soar to the top of the standings. Both started strong before nosediving and then finally recovering to finish the season with very similar records.
Despite their parallel paths, though, Toronto does seem to have Washington’s number. This season, the Raptors swept the Wizards 3-0 and put up incredible numbers against them (scoring 107 points per 100 possessions and allowing just 99.6). And over the past two seasons, the Raptors are 6-1 against the Wiz, with their only loss coming in a triple-overtime thriller.
Offence vs. Defence: One area where the teams differ significantly is in their respective strengths. The Raptors finished the season boasting the third-best offence in the league (108.1 points per 100 possessions), but the eighth–worst defence (104.8 points allowed per 100). The Wizards have played the fifth-best defence (100 points per 100), but coupled it with the 19th-ranked offence in the league (101.8 points per 100).
This is a classic matchup of offence vs. defence. Buckle up.