Washington Wizards at Raptors – Preview & 3 keys to win
By Brian Boake
A wounded group of Wizards don’t want to be swept by the Raptors. A tight game is in store.
A team Toronto Raptors’ fans have no difficulty intensely disliking are at the Air Canada Centre tonight. The Washington Wizards brushed our team from the playoffs in four miserable games last spring. However, it’s been the Raptors who have taken a step or two upwards this season, while the Wiz, expected to be playoff-bound again, are on the outside at the moment. The last few seeds will be fiercely fought for. I expect the Wiz to finish at .500 and grab #8.
Toronto has won all three games so far this season, though none has been easy.
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The Wizards’ roster has never jelled in my mind. They have quality wingmen with Bradley Beal and Otto Porter (well, one of these days anyway; Porter is like Terrence Ross – next season’s story) and a speedy do-everything point guard in John Wall, so they seem to be building towards Golden State East. They rank fourth in the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage. Yet they employ traditional big men like Marcin Gortat, Nene, Drew Gooden and Kris Humphries. [Editor’s Note: Beal will not play tonight due to broken nose suffered against Celtics.]
They drafted another swingman, Kelly Oubre, who looks like he’ll be at least a rotation player within a few seasons. Is he being groomed to eventually replace Ramon Sessions, who’s playing too well to lose his job? Do they have high hopes for Garrett Temple, in spite of all contrary evidence so far? I’m confused. To me, they are treading water. I don’t see anyone who is likely to make a jump to stardom.
The Wiz arrive in Toronto on the second night of a back to back, having lost against Boston on Monday. The Raptors are rested and ready, and should be able to stretch their winning streak to nine if they…:
- …make Wall work on D. He’s a wonderful offensive player, and can’t be allowed to concentrate on that end. I hope we’ll see a bunch of high pick and roll with Jonas Valaciunas and Kyle Lowry. If Wall bangs into JV enough times while fighting through screens, he’ll falter – anyone would.
- …crush their second unit. While we aren’t likely to see a dominant performance like Ross, Patrick Patterson and Big Biz put on against the Clippers, we don’t need that. Our guys should be able to win the substitutes inner game. If they average plus_10, I’ll wager our first team can bring the win safely home.
- …go right at Gortat. The Polish Hammer is a quality paint protector, but our team should be able to get him in foul trouble. Washington’s backups are all on their downward side of their careers. DeMar DeRozan, JV and others might get a few shots changed or blocked, but that’s a small price to pay for sitting Gortat down.
Next: Alternate 5-man units for Raptors
Washington has a reverse split; they are a better team on the road (10-8) than at home (10-14). The Raptors haven’t reached a century in any of the three victories. A tough, even nasty game is in the cards. Toronto 95-Washington 91.