With three to play, Toronto Raptors probably need some help to reach eighth

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Mission accomplished in Charlotte, but if the Raptors, who swept both games against the lowly Hornets, are going to improve on their ninth place standing going into next week’s play-in tournament, it appears they are going to need some help.

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Toronto’s schedule to finish out the season is about as hard as it gets in the East with two games against the No. 2 seed Celtics in Boston starting tonight and then a game at home against the Eastern Conference-leading Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday.

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That is difficult assuming the Celtics and Bucks still have something to play for and unfortunately for the Raptors, the Celtics, who they face twice in the next three nights, now do.

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With a two-point loss in Philadelphia Tuesday night, Boston’s hold on No. 2 in the conference over Philadelphia is down to two games meaning there is a slight chance Philadelphia can still overtake Boston. The odds are long for the Sixers, but it means the Celtics, who own the tiebreaker with the Sixers, probably still feel they need to win one more to clinch that second seed.

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The Celtics opted to keep Brown out of Tuesday’s game officially because of a sore back but one also needs to consider that game was the first of a back-to-back for the Celtics.

Brown is expected to play against the Raptors on Wednesday as is Robert Williams II who also sat out in Philadelphia.

The Raptors almost have to win out to have any chance of overtaking Atlanta which owns the tiebreaker between the two teams who currently share the same 40-39 record.

Atlanta’s schedule is by no means easy as they host Washington and Philadelphia and finish up the year in Boston.

Any loss in those three games by Atlanta would open the door for Toronto to take the eighth seed and require only one win to earn a spot in the playoffs, but that would also require Toronto to win out over these final three games.

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Should the Raptors remain in ninth, which appears to be the most likely scenario, they would host Chicago in the 9-10 play-in game and, if they can win that game, then need another win over the loser of the 7-8 matchup to earn that eighth and final playoff berth.

SO LONG CHARLOTTE

All cards on the table. When the Raptors were looking ahead to the games in Charlotte, before they had even left Toronto, the expectation was a dogfight awaited them.

But that was before P.J. Washington and then Gordon Hayward joined the Hornets growing injury list.

By the time Toronto arrived, the starting five was barely a starting bench five.

That said, the Hornets did have youth and a nothing-to-lose attitude that can sometimes steal a team a win.

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Full value to the Raptors for not letting that happen. They didn’t allow guys playing for contracts for next year – is there any more motivated player than that – to beat them. Svi Mykhailiuk and James Bouknight may very well have improved their chances of a contract for next season based on the last few games, but the Raptors didn’t let the runs led by those guys take the game from them.

Veterans like Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet kept their heads, played their games and ensured the expected wins ended up in the win column.

THAT BENCH WOULD HELP

Forty-one combined points from Chris Boucher and Will Barton, not to mention another 12 from Precious Achiuwa is the type of bench impact this Raptors team could use heading into the play-in tournament.

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Throw in a return by Gary Trent Jr. who has now missed six consecutive games since an elbow injury and a nagging back injury took him out of action and an area of weakness for much of the year could be an area of strength at exactly the time they are most needed.

Boucher has been reliable for most of the season coming off the bench but too often he’s been the lone consistent source of energy and scoring among Toronto’s non-starters.

Trent Jr., when healthy has been effective coming off the bench but the 20 points from Barton were an area of contribution which had not really produced until Tuesday.

Barton has only been with the team a month and the veteran sniper admitted finding his way in Toronto’s offence has not been easy. It didn’t help any when he turned an ankle which set him back for three games.

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But the 20 points Tuesday, if that is an indication of what is to come, would be very welcome. Barton made six three-pointers in the game which is one more than he managed in his first dozen games with the team.

A Toronto roster that is often shy in the three-point department looks a lot more formidable when it’s getting 11 three-pointers (six from Barton, three from Boucher and two from Achiuwa) off its bench.

QUICK HITS

Some interesting moments from Taylor Rooks Bleacher Report interview with Fred VanVleet. VanVleet doubles down on his love for the franchise that gave him his NBA opportunity and his love for Masai Ujiri. But at the same time, he points out that while he never thought he would be traded despite all the mid-season rumours, the coming summer is when the business that will dictate his employer for next season happens. As fond as he is of the city and the team he has been a big part of for six years, that will be a business decision. VanVleet has a player option for almost $23-million, or he can turn that down and become an unrestricted free agent … Very odd stat line for Scottie Barnes who played 29 minutes in the win over Charlotte and did not score a point. He was 0-for-7 from the field in the game with three rebounds and three assists … That was game No. 50 for Jeff Dowtin Jr, the man who has been filling those minutes when VanVleet takes a seat from his starting point guard duties. The only way he plays in any of the three remaining regular season games is if the team converts his two-way deal. To do that, the Raptors would have to waive a player off its roster to make room for him. For Dowtin Jr. to be eligible for the play-in tournament, that move would have to be made by Thursday.

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