The Toronto Raptors enter play Friday two games behind the Milwaukee Bucks for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Despite that, head coach Nick Nurse isn't buying that his squad should chase the Bucks for the top spot, instead choosing to prioritize getting wins each night, saying via Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports:
“We're gonna play this out and we're trying to win each night. Where we end up seeded, we end up seeded. … We want to get a decent seed, but you get caught up in it.”
Toronto entered the postseason last year as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference but was bounced in the second round by the Cleveland Cavaliers. That led to a massive offseason overhaul, which included trading a package centered around DeMar DeRozan to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for a collection of players headlined by Kawhi Leonard, as well as firing Coach of the Year Dwane Casey in favor of Nurse, who was handed the reins for the first time in his NBA coaching career.
The Raptors have had their eye towards the playoffs throughout the year as it pertains to the aforementioned Leonard, whom they have kept away from the court on back-to-backs. Nurse also talked Friday about how the team would remain cautious with point guard Kyle Lowry's ankle injury, not choosing to rush him back just in favor of chasing down the Bucks. The two teams won't meet over the final few weeks, so if Toronto is to earn the top seed again, they'll need to close out the 2018-19 regular season on a run.
Follow Us
Subscribe