Will have to find a way to get some road results in play-in and maybe playoffs
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The home slate is all but done for the Raptors this season and that’s extremely bad news for a team that has thrived like few others when playing at its own fortress.
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Toronto has won 65% of the time at Scotiabank Arena in 2022-23 (including victories in 10-of-11), vs. 33% of the road games.
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The 2017-18 Raptors set the franchise record with 34 home wins and three others won 30 or more (2018-19, 2015-16, 2006-07). A win over Milwaukee in the season finale would put this Raptors team tied for sixth in home wins in a season with 27.
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Only five Raptors teams that played a full 82 game season have ever won fewer road outings than this one, though they’ll surely win a few more in the next week (they’re due, having dropped 6-of-7 away). Still, this will be the first Raptors team to win fewer than 20 on the road in a full year in a decade.
Unless the Raptors can move up to No. 7 in the East, the team will have to find a way on the road in the play-in at least once. Seventh would mean hosting No. 8, as well as the 9-10 winner if you lose to No. 8. Staying at nine would at least result in hosting No. 10 (likely Chicago).
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Should the Raptors advance to the playoffs, of course, there’s no way out of beginning on the road.
AROUND THE RIM
- The Atlanta-Cleveland game was a weird one. The Hawks led by as many as 15, including by 12 with under nine minutes remaining, but allowed the Cavs to tie it with two minutes left. Cleveland had a couple of chances to win it, but couldn’t hit a three-pointer. As a result, Atlanta stayed even with the Raptors, instead of moving a game back with six remaining. And Cleveland blew a chance to pull even with Philadelphia in wins (they are jockeying for third place).
- It’s still up in the air whether the Raptors will have to figure out solutions for both Joel Embiid and James Harden in Philadelphia on Friday, just Embiid, just Harden, or neither. Both could have played Monday at Denver but did not and were listed as questionable for Wednesday’s home game against Dallas.
- Does Sunday’s win over Washington, a really bad team, look more impressive in light of the Wizards shockingly blowing out mighty Boston a couple of days later, in Boston no less? I’d say so. Washington proved against the reeling Celtics it can get some points by attacking the rim. Yet, the Wizards managed just 36 points in the paint on 41% shooting against Toronto, compared to 62 points in the paint on 69% shooting against a team that has gigantic Robert Williams III, reigning rookie of the year Marcus Smart and two-way starters Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Bizarre.
THREE STARS VS. HEAT
1 Scottie Barnes
2 Pascal Siakam
3 Tyler Herro
Honourable mention: O.G. Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa
THREE STARS VS. WIZARDS
1 O.G. Anunoby
2 Fred VanVleet
3 Kristaps Porzingis
Honourable mention: Jakob Poeltl, Johnny Davis, Deni Avidja
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