Wizards at Raptors, Game 5 – Preview & 3 keys to victory
By Brian Boake
After building up a healthy lead, the Toronto Raptors threw away a Game 4 victory when the offense sputtered late. Now the team must re-group at home.
The Washington Wizards are displaying in the playoffs the kind of energy and resilience they were expected to provide all season, but didn’t. If the Raptors are going to avoid the ignominy of becoming that rarest of teams, a #1 seed which loses to a #8, winning this game is essential.
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Toronto’s metamorphosis into a modern ball-movement oriented outfit received great praise prior to the playoffs, but was absent in Washington. Countless Raptors sceptics suggested the team would revert to its isolation-heavy ways of the past in the post-season. That certainly was the case in Game 4, as DeMar DeRozan took 29 shots. That’s the same number as the rest of the starters, in total.
So many aspects of Game 4 were maddening, and can’t be repeated. The Raptors made too many lazy or otherwise ill-judged passes leading to turnovers. Our guys hit 2 3-balls in Q3, and none in Q4. Dwane Casey parked Jonas Valanciunas on the bench in Q4, and the Raptors scored a pitiful 18 points.
I don’t enjoy rubbing salt in anyone’s wounds, including my own, so let’s get to the next game.
3 keys to victory
- Establish DeRozan early, then let him be the decoy. Obviously for this tactic to work, DD has to actually make some shots. He was nada for 5 tries in the latest loss in Q1, but if he can get off the schneid quickly, we’ll be OK. I want him out there with C.J. Miles, who should get more room to shoot if DeMar is hitting early. C.J. is another guy who flopped in Washington, and we can’t afford that at home.
- Get JV more minutes. Jakob Poeltl is Exhibit A for those who believe the refs don’t like the Raptors, as he gets whistled for anything and everything. Admittedly, he’s not entirely innocent. I can’t see the purpose in leaving him out there until he fouls out.
- Keep Delon Wright on the floor to cover John Wall. He may not have the wheels to stick with Wall (nobody does) but his length can compensate. A four-smalls-plus-Serge lineup to close the game should be effective at both ends of the floor. I sure hope Fred VanVleet is healthy enough to suit up.
Prediction
The Wizards didn’t shoot well, which made the Game 4 defeat all the more frustrating. I suspect both teams will get into a better offensive groove. I’m not picking our team to lose, so:
Toronto 123 – Washington 118