3 biggest play-in tournament threats Toronto Raptors could face

1. Brooklyn Nets

The Nets lost 10 straight games due to some genuinely shocking injury luck. Kevin Durant is out, James Harden was giving half of his effort and Joe Harris has barely played this season. Kyrie Irving’s situation has not changed. Toronto shouldn’t feel too optimistic about their odds against this revamped team, however.

Ben Simmons should be a huge boost to this team’s defense when he returns. Goran Dragic should be a reliable bench scorer, and they have a nice new inside-outside duo in Andre Drummond and Seth Curry. Toronto might not get the same dejected Nets team we saw the last few weeks.

A healthy Nets team is dangerous for the Toronto Raptors

While the Raptors managed to nearly take down a Brooklyn team that had a healthy Durant on two separate occasions, potentially facing off against Irving in Brooklyn during a play-in scenario alongside Durant changes the calculus. Add Simmons, Drummond, and Curry to the mix, and Brooklyn could have Toronto outgunned.

The Raptors will need to rely on their unique lineup combinations if they want to tangle with a fully-loaded Nets squad. With the two teams currently scheduled to meet in the play-in, the Raptors need to do everything possible to avoid suffering the wrath of Durant.