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After experiencing an unprecedented and unique situation of playing all their home games in Tampa, Florida, the Toronto Raptors are back in Canada and proving once again that they are part of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Despite losing their leader Kyle Lowry in the offseason, Fred VanVleet has raised himself to All-Star status along with Pascal Siakam stamping himself to a possible All-NBA slot once again.
Led by VanVleet and Siakam, coach Nick Nurse has built an athletic and versatile team that is a tough out for anyone in a seven-game series. Completing the first unit are OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, and Gary Trent Jr. as all of them are vastly underrated in the NBA landscape but perfectly fit the Toronto culture. The lack of talent and star power may persist as an issue in the playoffs, but the Raptors will force their opponents to exhaust a ton of energy even if they succumb to a better bunch.
Toronto Raptors 2022 NBA Playoffs – Favorable Matchups
Boston Celtics (3rd)
One of the most likely opponents for Toronto would be another grueling series against the Boston Celtics. Jayson Tatum has expressed on JJ Redick's podcast that their 2020 bubble series against the Raptors were one of the most difficult ones because there were no mismatches, and they played physical every possession. Conversely, Tatum and Jaylen Brown would likely impose their will on the latter part of the series and portray the best defensive team in the association.
Without four of the five starters in a recent match, the Celtics only lost by three points in overtime. Marcus Smart will likely get the VanVleet assignment, while Brown will once again give Siakam an arduous time with his wide array of moves. It has been well advertised that one of the toughest matchups for Siakam is Brown, thus forcing the other role players to step up in a pressure-packed situation.
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Philadelphia 76ers (2nd)
Even with two proven superstars in Joel Embiid and James Harden, the Philadelphia 76ers are one of the franchises known to struggle in the clutch few minutes of most games. Moreover, Nurse and the Raptors are categorized as one of the few ones that formulate a brilliant game plan in defending a MVP-candidate like Embiid. In a recent tilt, Precious Achiuwa held his own against Embiid and forced the Sixers to 88 points for 48 minutes.
If Embiid is unable to rattle off consecutive 30+ points and 15+ rebounds a game in a series, the Raptors raise the probability of pulling off a rare upset. Harden's numbers have plummeted from his prime, and his weaknesses are getting more and more exposed as the season progresses. With the aforementioned relentlessness and determination of Toronto on defense, Harden will definitely be forced to rough outings by guys like Barnes or Anunoby and force the others to convert more shots.
Chicago Bulls (1st)
Welcoming DeMar DeRozan back to his old home in Toronto, the Raptors will have the upper hand if they meet the Chicago Bulls meet in a 4-5 matchup. Nurse has the personnel to utilize against the phenomenal scoring duo of DeRozan and Zach LaVine as majority of the offensive sets of Chicago is ran through DeRozan and LaVine.
The defense of Chicago was unexpectedly above average at the early juncture of the season, but injuries to Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso forced their defensive rating to collapse to an adequate number. Even with Caruso's return, the intensity and ferocity of the Bulls have been lacking ever since the All-Star break. Additionally, the momentum of Toronto is heading toward an upward trajectory heading toward the middle of April, while the Bulls are on the wrong direction.
Half court offense could be an issue for the Raptors when the pace slows down in the playoffs, but the championship experience of Toronto will be exemplified in these circumstances. Guys like Siakam and VanVleet do not fold in these instances, but they elevate their status as legitimate stars in the league. They will rely immensely on their defensive principles and any of these three opponents will unlikely have an easy go against the Raptors in a seven-game series.
