Raptors up 2-0 over Wizards: What have we learned?

The Raptors have jumped in front of their quarter-finals series versus the Wizards. Here’s how they have managed it so far.

The Toronto Raptors raced out to a 44-point Q1 against the Washington Wizards in Game 2. While the Wizards didn’t fold, and managed to whittle a 23-point deficit down to 7 in Q4, the Raptors were never caught.

Toronto holds a 2-0 series lead as the scene shifts to the U.S. capital for a pair of games. What conclusions can we draw about what we’ve seen so far?

Throw the first punch, and make it hurt

Toronto has opened both games with strong and confident offensive sets. They led Game 1 by 5 points, and Game 2 by a massive 17, after the first quarter. The results were 8-point and 11-point bulges at the final buzzer.

Jonas Valanciunas is a beast in the half-court

When Marcin Gortat has been on the floor, the Raptors have thrived. JV has owned the Wizards center. Gortat was pointless in G2 while playing 12 minutes. By contrast, JV had a 19-14 double-double, and a pair of blocked shots.

But wait – there’s more. Markieff Morris, the starting power forward, has been worse than a non-factor. He was an embarrassing minus_31 in G2, as Serge Ibaka has wrapped him up defensively.

The Wizards are scary when they go super-small

As I suggested was likely to happen, Washington coach Scott Brooks tapped Ty Lawson to provide some energy to his club, and the veteran responded. With Bradley Beal ineffectual, Lawson and John Wall were the only Wizards to cause problems, but they were large ones for small guys. They combined for 20 points in Q3, when Washington clawed back, and 13 more in the fourth. The duo dished out 17 of the Wizards’ 26 assists.

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Mike Scott is the only big man to provide offense for the Wizards. (OK, fine – Ian Mahinmi had 12 points. That won’t happen again.) If Scott’s shooting percentages return to normal, the Wizards are going to suffer.

Kyle Lowry hasn’t been scoring from deep

Our point guard has been strong in every department save 3-point shooting. Kyle is a sad 2 of 12 in this category, lending fuel to the fire of those who denigrate him as a severe disappointment in the post-season. If he starts draining them like we know he can, this series may be over quickly.

Fred VanVleet needs more rest

After Fred was hammered by Miami’s massive Bam Adebayo in the season’s final game, Steady Freddie got up and wandered about like a drunk. I thought he might be slotted into the NBA’s concussion protocol, but instead we were told he suffered a shoulder injury.

Maybe so, but based on his struggles last night, the thump he took to the head is the bigger issue, and still affecting him. I’d let him practise on his own for the next few days, then put him back in street clothes for Game 3. These cranium knocks take their sweet time to heal.

Depth really matters

We knew that already – the first two games just underscored the point.