The Toronto Raptors are headed to the NBA playoffs for the primary time because the 2021-22 season. The Raptors completed the season fifth within the Japanese Convention with a 46-36 report.
Since Toronto clinched a spot within the postseason, the Raptors will face the Cleveland Cavaliers within the quarter-finals, because the Cavaliers are fourth within the East. The sport will happen on Saturday, Apr. 18, at 1 p.m. in Cleveland.
The Raptors’ playoff historical past towards the Cavaliers
Each groups have met one another in three sequence. Cleveland has received 12 of the 14 video games they’ve performed towards one another. Sadly, the chance that issues will change for Toronto this time round is slim to none.
Now granted, out of the entire groups that the Raptors may’ve confronted, the Cavaliers are the staff they’ve the very best probability to defeat and transfer on to the second spherical. However they’ll nonetheless get eradicated within the quarter-finals because of the truth that the Raptors are inexperienced within the playoffs.
AJ Lawson is the one participant to make it to the Finals. And he’s unlikely to play in significant minutes within the playoffs. RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Trayce Jackson-Davis, and Jakob Poeltl solely went to the second spherical, whereas Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram solely performed within the first spherical. In the meantime, many of the Cavaliers’ gamers have playoff expertise.
James Harden and Donovan Mitchell are a troublesome duo to cease. Harden averages 23.6 factors per recreation, 4.8 rebounds per recreation, and eight assists per recreation, capturing 43.4 per cent and 37.5 per cent in threes, whereas Mitchell averages 27.9 factors per recreation, 4.5 rebounds per recreation, and 5.7 assists per recreation, capturing 48.3 per cent and 36.4 per cent in threes.
Harden is understood to play poorly within the postseason. He had a historical past of lacking key pictures and fumbling in necessary performs, like when he acquired his game-winning shot blocked by Manu Ginobili in recreation 5 of the 2017 Western Convention Semi Finals towards the San Antino Spurs.
Within the subsequent recreation, Harden responded with a horrible efficiency of 10 factors, three rebounds, and 7 assists. The Houston Rockets had been eradicated from the playoffs on this recreation.
There’s additionally the time when his staff missed 27 consecutive threes throughout recreation seven of the 2018 Western Convention Finals. They ended up dropping this recreation towards the Golden State Warriors.
Mitchell performs effectively within the playoffs, however his groups by no means go previous the second spherical. Final season, Cleveland was thought-about a prime championship contender within the East, however they had been bounced out within the second by the Indiana Pacers.
The Raptors are a top-five defensive staff within the league. Their defensive ranking 112.1 per cent. It’s not lifelike to suppose that Toronto can cease each Harden and Mitchell. Nevertheless, if they will cease one in all them, then they’ve an excellent shot to go to the second spherical.
Three gamers that has to step up for the Raptors to maneuver on to the second spherical are Barnes, Ingram, and Poeltl. Barnes must be the very best participant on the staff for Toronto to have an opportunity. He simply must carry on being a facilitator and a defensive stopper.
Barnes doesn’t should be the primary scoring choice as a result of Ingram must be that man. Ingram is averaging 21.5 factors per recreation within the common season. He wants no less than 25 factors per recreation for Toronto to compete with Cleveland.
Poeltl must be wholesome within the playoffs. He must be their defensive anchor whereas defending both Jarrett Allen or Evan Mobley. Something that may weaken the Cavaliers is useful for the Raptors.
Who wins?
My prediction for this sequence is that Cleveland beats Toronto in six video games. The Cavaliers are the higher staff, and they should win this sequence greater than the Raptors. Though it might be superior to see Toronto upset Cleveland, I simply don’t see it taking place. So, get expertise from this sequence and use it to enhance the staff for subsequent season.
