The Toronto Raptors punched their ticket to the bona fide NBA playoffs last night with a victory over the Brooklyn Nets. The team returns to playoff action for the first time since the 2021-22 season.
In a day of games that had massive implications for the playoffs and seedings, the Raptors blew out the lowly Nets while at the same time losses by the Orlando Magic and the Atlanta Hawks moved the team to the fifth seed.
Here is what happens next.
Why Fifth Matters
The Raptors will now play the Eastern Conference fourth seed Cleveland Cavaliers in a best of seven series that begins on Saturday, April 18 in Cleveland.
If the Raptors had lost or either of the Magic or the Hawks had one, it would have meant a matchup versus the New York Knicks. A team that has dominated the Raptors this season.
It is the opposite with the Cavaliers. The Raptors beat them three games straight this season.
That could mean an upset is possible.
Home sweet home
The Raptors play Games 3, 4 and possibly 6 at home in the Scotiabank Arena, and for the games in Cleveland, Jurassic Park will be packed, especially with warmer weather ahead.
Tickets are available on Ticketmaster, but it is like that fans wanting tickets now will have to hit the secondary resale sites.
For a list of great Toronto sports bars, check out this article.
How the Raptors wins
The Raptors have struggled against top tier teams in the league this season, often playing strong in some quarters but flagging towards the end of games.
So, half of the team’s success or failure will be overcoming that burden, which is at least part mental and part coaching.
Head coach Darko Rajakovic needs to put his team in the best position to win and that means making sure star player Scottie Barnes is front and centre in the fourth pushing the ball up the floor and taking charge. Barnes doesn’t have to score a ton for the team to do well. But he has to be the focal point on both sides of the ball.
Barnes needs to stay out of foul trouble, and keep focussed.
The second key to success is three point shooting. The Raptors are a great fast break team, and they should be able to run against the Cavaliers. But, this is the playoffs and if you can’t score in the half court, when the opposing defence has set up, then you will lose. And lose badly.
This season, if the team’s three point shooting is off, opposing teams have packed the paint and made it very difficult for the Raptors to get into good offensive sets.
That means, the team’s best shooters like Immanuel Quickly and Brandon Ingram as well as key bench players Ja’Kobe Walter and Sandro Mamukelashvili.
If they start hitting shots, everything changes for the team. If they miss, they usually lose.
The revelation in the second half of the season has been Walter. He has been one of the best long-range shooters in the league, especially from the corner spot. But he’s young and the playoffs are new to him.
How They Could Lose
When the Cavaliers were beaten by the Raptors it was often with key injured players and before the arrival of James Harden. Things are different.
Harden has a load of playoff experience and is one of the best shooters and passers in the game. His backcourt counterpart Donovan Mitchell is a prolific scorer from anywhere and everywhere.
This new dynamic will be a challenge for the Raptors.
In addition, the team’s twin towers of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen are a fearsome and talented duo, which causes match-up problems for many teams. And the Raptors are not at their best against teams with size and strength.
The defensive schemes Rajakovic employs to handle the size under the basket while also dealing with great three-point shooting is key.
Wild Card
The Raptors wild card is rookie Collin Murray-Boyles.
An active defender with size and strength, Murray-Boyles could play a key role in slowing down the Cavaliers offence. He gives up some size but has so far made up for any size difference with incredible tenacity. He is already the second best defender on the team after Scottie Barnes and how he responds to the challenge presented in this series could make a huge difference.
For the Cavaliers, it is all about staying healthy and sticking to the game plan with Harden and his years of playoff experience front and centre and big man Mobley catching lobs. If Harden is on his game, it could be trouble for the Raptors.
Bottom Line
This is a good matchup for the Raptors. They can win. If the can surprise the Cavs and take one of the first two games, the upset is on.
