2018 NBA Playoffs Preview: Toronto Raptors vs Washington Wizards, SWOT Analysis & Prediction

Opportunities and threats

John Wall must outplay Kyle Lowry for the Wizards to have a chance

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.