3 reasons the Toronto Raptors are better than the Wizards

No. 3: Washington’s poor defense

If you’re wondering how a team that gets a minimum of 50 points a night from Beal and the NBA’s foremost triple-double expert in Westbrook, look no further than the defense, which ranks 28th in the league in points allowed per game. As bad as Toronto has been this season on that end, they’ve clawed their way back to 13th place in that category.

Gafford has helped the Wizards plug their holes on that end, but Brooks’ schematics have gotten Washington in trouble. Only once in his 12-season head-coaching tenure has Brooks had a Top 10 defense, and he has ranked at least 28th or lower in points allowed in each of the last three seasons.

The Wizards could struggle to defend the Toronto Raptors.

Brooks is commiting to living and dying by this up-tempo, “shoot it if you got it” offense, and the Raptors should be able to exploit that if they are locked in. Beal is an average defender, and Westbrook is starting to erode in that regard. With a young squad not well-versed in the ways of NBA defense, the Raptors could be in for a record-setting day if they get clicking.

Washington is by no means an automatic win, but they should be considered at least an automatic 110 points if the Raptors are healthy. Their shooting against a patchwork Wizards defense should be enough to carry them to victory.