The 2022-23 NBA regular season is over, so all the attention is now on the playoffs. But before they officially start, some teams will have some extra stops before the playoffs. With the Toronto Raptors set to host the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, it is time for our Raptors NBA Play-In Tournament bold predictions.
Toronto finished the regular season with a 41-41 record and with the No. 9 seed. This was seven fewer wins than the team had in the 2021-22 season. After being 23-30 at one point in February, the team managed to bounce back to finish at .500.
On the other side of the matchup, Chicago went 40-42 to secure the No. 10 seed and the final Play-In spot in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls had six fewer wins compared to their last season.
In the 2022-23 regular season, the Raptors won two out of the three contests between the organizations.
Although Toronto won the series during the regular season, this is a win-or-go-home battle. It could bring out many surprises and thrilling moments that could go down in NBA history.
With that being said, here are some bold predictions for the Toronto Raptors in their 2023 NBA Play-In Tournament game versus the Chicago Bulls.
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3. Raptors hold DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine to less than 45 points combined
If there is a duo that Toronto should make a plan to stop, it is DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine. Both players have been impactful since joining Chicago and could make a big difference on Wednesday.
DeRozan averaged 24.5 points, 5.1 assists and 4.6 rebounds, all better than his career numbers. He shot 50.4% from the field, 32.4% from beyond the arc and 87.2% from the free-throw line. He ended up earning his sixth All-Star selection, his second consecutive as a Bull.
LaVine put up 24.8 points, 4.5 boards and 4.2 assists plus 0.9 steals a night. He made 48.5% of his field goals, 37.5% of his 3-pointers and 84.8% of his free throws.
During the Raptors and Bulls three encounters in the regular season, DeRozan scored only 14.0 points per game, including failing to reach double digits in one of them. LaVine scored 30 points in Chicago's lone victory but also had five turnovers that day.
With DeRozan and LaVine combining for nearly 50 points per contest, Toronto will need to contain both of them to have a shot at winning the game. The bold prediction is that the Raptors will hold the duo to less than 45 points combined, which will be very helpful down the line.
2. Pascal Siakam records a 20-point double-double
As for the Raptors, they will need all they can get from Pascal Siakam. The power forward is coming off his second All-Star campaign and had perhaps the best year of his career.
Siakam recorded a personal-best 24.2 points, 7.8 boards and 5.8 assists plus 0.9 steals and 0.5 blocks per game. His shooting splits were 48% from the field, 32.4% from the 3-point line and 77.4% from the charity stripe.
Against the Bulls this season, Siakam only appeared in one of those matchups. He shot 7-for-18 for 20 points, eight rebounds and three assists with a steal. The Raptors would win 104-98 thanks to an eight-point advantage in the final quarter.
Since Siakam is having a big year, the bold prediction is that he will continue his elite display with a 20-point double-double on Wednesday. If that happens, the Raptors will be one step closer to advancing in the Play-In Tournament.
1. The game will be decided by less than 10 points
Although the game is at the Scotiabank Arena and the home team won in all three games in the regular season, this one has a lot at stake. A loss would result in the end of the season for one of the franchises, so this should be a hard-fought battle until the final buzzer.
According to FanDuel, the Raptors are the favorites to win this contest. However, the spread is just -5, which is tied for the lowest among all four Play-In games. This means that many expect this matchup to be a close one, with it being decided in the final minutes.
It will come down to whether each team will be able to contain each other's All-Star-caliber players or not. Both DeRozan and LaVine as well as Nikola Vucevic could go off for the Bulls while Siakam, Fred VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr. and Scottie Barnes could lead the way for the Raptors. On the defensive end, Alex Caruso and Patrick Beverley could be game-changers for Chicago with OG Anunoby and Jakob Poeltl making a difference for Toronto.
The bold prediction is that the game will be decided by less than 10 points. This projects to be a competitive one throughout most of the night, especially in the second half. Also, it would not be a surprise if this Toronto-Chicago encounter goes to overtime.
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