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Toronto Raptors: 3 most exciting potential play-in opponents

By Jose Guzman

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 12: OG Anunoby #3 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles against Gordon Hayward #20 of the Charlotte Hornets during the first half of their game at Spectrum Center on December 12, 2020 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 12: OG Anunoby #3 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles against Gordon Hayward #20 of the Charlotte Hornets during the first half of their game at Spectrum Center on December 12, 2020 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /
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Bradley Beal, Toronto Raptors
WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 10: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

2nd best: Washington Wizards

If the Wizards finish ninth and Toronto sneaks in at 10, a match-up against the Wizards would be interesting mostly to see how OG Anunoby and the Raptors defend the two-headed monster of Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook.

The Wizards two stars are on pace to make history as Beal is currently leading the NBA in points per game with 31.3 and Westbrook leads the league in assists per game. Against a Raptors team that is simply not doing a very good job of playing perimeter defense, the Wizards could have a field day on the perimeter.

Westbrook and Beal against the Raptors would be must-watch basketball

Beyond how the Raptors would contain these scoring machines who would certainly come out guns blazing, a better question would be how will Toronto match them offensively? Who could step up with numbers to match two of the leagues’ best?

Will Pascal Siakam make up for last year’s struggles? Will Fred VanVleet and Kyle Lowry lead from the backcourt and chip in with needed jumpers and threes? Will someone like Khem Birch prove to be an X-factor?

It’ll be tougher than years before, but this core still has championship DNA and will to win in their core, so they could grind out a game against the Wizards and end up snatching one of the last playoff spots.