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After a regular season in which they largely failed to meet expectations, the Washington Wizards limped into the playoffs, failing to win five of their last six games.
A victory against the lowly Orlando Magic would've secured the seventh seed and a match-up against the hobbled Boston Celtics, who ousted the Wizards in last year's playoffs. However, Bradley Beal and company fell short once again, condemning them to a series against the Toronto Raptors, the East's number one seed.
All hope is not lost for Washington, though, as they went 2-2 against Toronto in the regular season, despite the absence of star point guard John Wall. While they have largely flattered to deceive, Scott Brooks' men still have the playoff experience to take the Raptors to the brink.
So, without any further ado, here is Sportskeeda's preview of the first round series between the Washington Wizards and the Toronto Raptors:
Strengths:
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors were easily the best Eastern Conference team during the regular season and were the only NBA team to record a top-5 offensive and defensive rating.
While the performances of DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry have been crucial to the Toronto's ascent, one could argue that their depth and malleability remain their biggest assets.
The Canadian outfit boasts the deepest rotation in professional basketball with several bench players who provide starter-level production; in fact, the second unit have outscored their opponents by almost twenty-five points per hundred possessions.
The defensive ferocity of the reserve line-up, comprising of Pascal Siakam, Delon Wright, Jakob Poeltl, CJ Miles and Fred VanVleet, could make life miserable for the Wizards who don't have much depth beyond Tomas Satoransky and Kelly Oubre Jr.
Since rotations tend to shorten in the playoffs, the second unit may spend less time together on the floor than expected, but the Raptors' depth will allow them to field a greater variety of line-ups and make adjustments on the fly.
Washington Wizards
When they fire on all cylinders, the Wizards are easily the best Eastern Conference team seeded between five and eight. They arguably have a more talented starting five than Toronto and are not a traditional eight seed by any stretch of the imagination.
Washington's talented backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal can torch any defence in the NBA on a given night and have performed quite consistently in the playoffs. In fact, during the 2015 postseason, the talented duo outplayed their Toronto counterparts, setting the stage for a sweep that no one saw coming.
Weaknesses:
Toronto Raptors:
During the regular season match-ups between these two teams, the Raptors were significantly out-rebounded by the Wizards. Since Lowry and DeRozan aren't particularly efficient in the playoffs, they'll need a big man to claim the offensive rebounds and score easier buckets.
This means that Jonas Valanciunas will have to be in the rotation and may even need to play a significant number of minutes. In the past, the Lithuanian International has been the target of John Wall-Marcin Gortat pick-and-rolls which have forced Dwayne Casey to take him off the floor.
Casey has attempted to make adjustments by having Valanciunas slide back into the paint, but Wall has managed to beat the 25-year-old off the dribble on a number of occasions.
Washington Wizards
The Wizards were plagued by chemistry issues and petty infighting throughout the regular season as a number of players appeared to be disgruntled with John Wall.
In the 27-year-old's absence, the team appeared to play a more aesthetically pleasing brand of basketball and even went on a brief run where they defeated some of the best teams in the league. However, Washington soon reverted to the mean and realized that they wouldn't be able to make an impact in the playoffs without their all-star point guard.
The Wizards were also poor in crunch time during the regular season, finishing with the seventh-worst clutch net rating and the fourth-worst offense in clutch situations.
They also experienced similar struggles in the 2015 regular season, but Paul Pierce's masterful fourth quarter performances in the playoffs helped them eliminate the Raptors and almost make the conference finals.
Opportunities and threats
Kyle Lowry's inability to produce has arguably been the biggest impediment to the Raptors' playoff hopes in recent years. The Philadelphia native has a 39.4 field goal percentage in the postseason, a paltry figure for an all-star point guard, as opposed to 42.4 in the regular season.
In the first round of the 2015 playoffs, John Wall comprehensively outplayed his counterpart, averaging five points and four assists more than Lowry — who was a pale imitation of himself.
Thanks to his superior size and explosiveness, Wall can also perform at a higher level than Lowry on any given night. If he can dominate the four-time All-Star at the point of attack while driving to the rim and consistently making open three-pointers, the Wizards will have a foundation that they can use to potentially upset the Raptors.
X-Factors:
Raptors:
Fred VanVleet
Aside from being the heart of the Raptors' prolific second unit, VanVleet also plays a significant number of minutes in crunch time. The 24-year-old's tenacity on defense and ability to create his own shot could make him a key figure in Toronto's playoff run, even if the three-guard lineup isn't particularly effective against the Wizards.
VanVleet also ranks twenty-second in Real Plus-Minus — an advanced statistic that attempts to determine a player's on-court value after taking the performances of his teammates and opponents into account.
The second-year player is currently suffering from a shoulder injury and is questionable for the opening game against the Wizards. If he happens to be in "street clothes" at the Air Canada Centre on Saturday, don't be surprised to see the Raptors suffered their eleventh consecutive defeat in a Game 1.
Wizards:
Tomas Satoransky
Even though Washington haven't been blessed with nearly the amount of depth as their first-round opponents, Tomas Satoransky has proven that he can make significant contributions for the Wizards.
In the absence of John Wall, Satoransky was given more ball-handling responsibilities and came into his own as a playmaker, averaging almost five assists a game after the turn of the year. At 6 feet and 7 inches, he is also tough to guard and can cause Toronto a number of match-up problems.
Prediction:
Despite stumbling into the playoffs, the Wizards have enough talent and playoff experience to make this a compelling series. John Wall and Bradley Beal both have the ability to be the best player on the floor during any game in this series. In the NBA, that alone is enough to ensure that a team remains competitive.
However, while Washington can take the Raptors to the brink, the Canadian Outfit's depth should be enough to ensure a series win. The Wizards have also developed a few bad habits over the course of the season which could come back to bite them in crucial moments.
Toronto Raptors win 4-2
