“The Toronto Raptors will contend”

In this coming season, the Eastern Conference will be significantly less top-heavy compared to the past few years, which is going to give the Raptors a real shot at making the finals. No, the Raptors are not the favourites, Chicago and Cleveland (depending on chemistry) own those rights, but the Raptors should definitely be considered strong contenders by any unbiased NBA fan or analyst.

The Toronto Raptors are heading into the 2014-15 season without any mention of them as Finals contenders which is ridiculous. Last season, they placed third in the conference behind Miami and Indiana who will be competing this upcoming year without their top performers from last season, James signed in Cleveland and George is injured. The Raptors were widely considered locks to be playing in the spring of 2015 before the offseason began, and now that the East has thinned out because of offseason changes, and the Raptors have made some minor adjustments to their young team in order to improve, they have given themselves a chance to contend.

In total, there are 15 teams in the Eastern Conference which theoretically gives every team a 6-7% chance at winning the conference. In theory that might make sense, but realistically that is not the case as some teams have already proven to be better than others. Including the Raptors, there are 4 teams who are locks to make the playoffs with the three others being Cleveland, Chicago, and Washington. Other than those four teams in the East, there are 3 teams who have virtually no shot at even competing for a spot in the post-season and seem destined to occupy the conference’s basement throughout the year (Milwaukee, Philadelphia, and Orlando). With 4 teams set as locks and 3 teams set with no chance at being in the top-half, this leaves another 8 teams who will compete for the remaining playoff positions. Theoretically, the Raptors can face any of 11 different possible teams in the Eastern Conference on their route to the Finals. Here is how the Raptors stack up, in a seven game series, against every team that they could possibly face on their path to the Eastern Conference crown.

 

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Indiana Pacers

2013-14 Record: 56-26

Indiana is one of the two Eastern Conference teams who managed to climb higher than the Raptors in the regular season standings last year. They managed to finish the season with the number one seed, but after that it seemed to go downhill from there, and that downward trend has continued throughout the offseason. In a seven game series against the Pacers, the Raptors stack up phenomenally. Since the Pacers were eliminated in the playoffs they have lost their franchise player, Paul George, to a season ending injury, and also another key contributor in Lance Stephenson to free agency (Charlotte Hornets). Without those two impact players on their wings, the Pacers roster as it stands now, looks incredibly thin. After last year’s regular season series ended in a draw at 2-2, Indiana has gotten much worse and the Raptors have generally improved with additional talent and they can also expect to get better because of the growth of their existing young players: in essence, the series this year shouldn’t even be close. DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry should wreak havoc on Indiana from the guard positions and Jonas Valanciunas could be able to match anything Hibbert has to offer down low. If Indiana does qualify for a spot in the postseason, and they do face the Raptors, Raptors win.

Prediction: Toronto wins in 4

 

Brooklyn Nets

2013-14 Record: 44-38

Entering the 2013-14 season, Brooklyn was viewed as a championship contender, but after a devastating injury to star center Brook Lopez, they failed to realize any of their goals from the beginning of the season. Brooklyn enters this season mulled by uncertainty and with many questions that will not be answered until the NBA resumes. With Deron Williams and Brook Lopez both coming off injuries, Kevin Garnett and Andrei Kirilenko getting up there in age, and the team having already lost some depth due to free agency departures, the playoffs might not even look to be achievable this year. However if the Nets do qualify in April and are pitted against the Raptors, a 2015 series would go the opposite direction of the year before. Brooklyn lacks the defensive presence and non Joe Johnson offensive go-to options to compete with Toronto. If matched up, expect Terrence Ross to play up to his potential after a miserable performance in last year’s playoffs and for the Raptors to take care of the Nets with relative ease.

Prediction: Toronto wins in 5

 

Boston

2013-14 Record: 25-57

After an abysmal season which saw the Celtics climb high in the lottery, a playoff berth is no promise for this rebuilding squad. With the uncertainty surrounding Rajon Rondo and if he will be traded for long-term assets complicating reports heading into training camp, the Celtics are a real unknown. If Rondo is traded, then they have virtually zero chance at qualifying for the post-season. If he is not traded, then they do have a very good chance to qualify, but their chances at advancing past the first round aren’t great. Since Rondo, as of this second, is still a Celtic, I am foreseeing a series with him still playing the point in Boston. If pitted against Toronto, Boston will need a miracle to advance. The Raptors depth and scoring potential would be too much for the rebuilding Celtics to handle. Conclusion, Raptors win easily.

Prediction: Toronto wins in 5

 

Detroit Pistons

2013-14 Record: 29-53

Detroit is a team that has undergone a lot of change throughout the offseason, but they may still have the same problems as last year. As of now, Greg Monroe has not re-signed with the Pistons but he is a restricted free agent and the club’s front office has shown every intent on keeping him around. With new boss Stan Van Gundy in town, Detroit might be a dangerous out looker on the playoff race. At this moment, without Monroe, their chances of placing in the East’s top 8 aren’t very good, but add a player like Monroe to their roster and they should be a lock for a lower seed. Against the Raptors, the Pistons would struggle. They have added a lot of shooting to their roster to go along with their quality big men, but the depth at every spot is lacking. An increasing amount of uncertainty surrounding their SG position is also to no benefit to them against the Raptors who own one of the league’s elite shooting guards in DeMar DeRozan. With Monroe the Pistons have a chance to keep it close against the Raptors. Without him, an early exit against Toronto is most likely.

Prediction: Toronto wins in 5

 

New York Knicks

2013-14 Record: 37-45

Derek Fisher will be manning the bench with Phil Jackson surveying from up top, and Carmelo Anthony is back. The Knicks have had a stellar offseason, one in which they helped themselves in the right-now, and in the future. Jose Calderon is a perfect fit for the system that New York will be running offensively and acquiring Shane Larkin to back him up was an ideal get. Veteran Canadian center, Samuel Dalembert should serve a big role in helping the Knicks get back to the postseason after a great season in Dallas. Cleanthony Early who was another offseason addition, via the draft, is expected to back up Carmelo after 4 years of college ball has him seasoned and NBA ready. All of the above players mentioned were are the results of offseason moves to aid the Knicks in their pursuit of a title. Expected to qualify, missing the playoffs for the second year in a row would be a huge disappointment for the club. Unfortunately, if they do qualify and face the Raptors, their road to a championship will end there. Kyle Lowry will bully Calderon on the offensive end and Demar DeRozan will be able to efficiently produce against the likes of JR Smith and Tim Hardaway Jr. The only foil to the Raptors game plan could have been Carmelo, one of the best scorers league-wide, but the Raptors went and got themselves a good, physical, and large wing defender in James Johnson who should be able to slow down Melo. This series would be much closer than it would have been if the Knicks hadn’t had such a stellar offseason, but either way, Raptors win.

Prediction: Toronto wins in 6

 

Atlanta Hawks

2013-14 Record: 38-44

For the Atlanta Hawks to have a successful regular season, they need Al Horford to stay healthy. Horford has missed large portions of two of the last three NBA seasons and it has severely hurt the Hawks. With Horford able to play for the full season, Atlanta is a virtual lock to secure one of the lower playoff seeds in the East. Problem for the Hawks if they were to be playing the Raptors is that they do not match up well. Team and individual matchups are huge in the NBA and those factor in this series would play straight into the Raptors hands. Unlike most matchup scenarios where a significant advantage is to be had, this has nothing to do with the starters of either team. Both teams starting five match up relatively evenly but it is their benches where the differences stand out tall. The size of Greivis Vasquez will completely overwhelm either Schroder or Mack and the scoring potential of Williams is too much for any of the Hawks bench players to match. Adding to the Raptors guards’ effectiveness, the Raptors have Patrick Patterson who can stretch the floor and leave driving lanes open for Vasquez and Williams to get to the rim along with James Johnson. The Raptors bench makes the difference in this one, Toronto wins.

Prediction: Toronto wins in 6

 

Miami Heat

2013-14 Record: 54-28

Miami lost Lebron James this offseason. No other team needed to fill a bigger hole than the Heat after James’ chose to go home, but they did do a relatively good job snatching Luol Deng off the free agent market. Adding McRoberts and Deng to a team that already had Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh will lead towards a successful season. To truly contend for a top 4 seed in the conference they will need Bosh to emerge once again as a star, like he was back in Toronto before he bolted to South Beach. With a strong core group the Heat will be able to challenge the Raptors in a seven-game series. Biggest difference in this matchup however is Kyle Lowry. Lowry is a star guard and he will be able to get the most out of any matchup in the series as he will be set against either Mario Chalmers or Norris Cole, maybe even rookie Shabazz Napier. Point guard being a deep position for the Raptors, Greivis Vasquez will be able to torch whoever he is up against in that department while playing with and behind Lowry. Behind the strength at the PG position, Raptors win.

Prediction: Toronto wins in 6

 

Charlotte Hornets

2013-14 Record: 43-39

After qualifying for the playoffs last season, Michael Jordan and the Charlotte Hornets (formerly Bobcats) have their eyes set on bigger and better things. After losing Josh McRoberts in free agency they added Lance Stephenson to their roster already containing the likes of Al Jefferson and Kemba Walker. With a solid big three in Stephenson, Jefferson and Walker, the Hornets should have no trouble qualifying in April once again but advancing past the first round will be troublesome because of their lack of depth. With McRoberts gone, Cody Zeller and rookie Noah Vonleh will be relied upon perhaps too much and with only Bismack Biyombo to back up Jefferson, their frontcourt depth is a real issue. Against the Raptors, the lack of depth to their roster will become glaringly obvious to all onlookers and for the reason of depth alone the Raptors will win.

Prediction: Toronto wins in 6

 

Washington Wizards

2013-14 Record: 44-38

Washington is the popular pick as a dark horse to make the Finals in the East. Most people are giving them a better chance than Toronto. The way I see it, the teams are evenly matched, but the matchups, especially with the Wizards stars, play to Toronto’s strengths. Kyle Lowry is the perfect match for the style John Wall plays. Lowry is a pesky defender who gives it his all and puts his body on the line every play. He has always played well when guarding players like John Wall, Russell Westbrook or Derek Rose and with Wall being the player he will most likely be matched up against in this series, that’s one positive for the Raptors. The next matchup advantage that the Raptors have is that of Bradley Beal and DeMar DeRozan. Beal’s strengths surround mainly his shooting and off the ball movement which fits perfectly for DeRozan’s defensive play. The Raptors star struggles mightily defensively when covering a player who excels in isolation sets or when running the pick and roll, but lucky for him Beal doesn’t do either of these things that often and plays into DeRozan’s strengths of running around and simply covering his man. Beal’s defensive stature also lays into DeRozan’s favour as, for a guard, he loves to post up and at 6’7 against Beal’s 6’4 he has the obvious advantage there and should be able to put up easy points. Because of the advantage that the Raptors have with their star players versus the Washington’s stars, I have them winning this one in a tight series.

Prediction: Toronto wins in 7

 

Cleveland Cavaliers

2013-14 Record: 33-49

The winners of the NBA offseason. Cleveland won the NBA Draft Lottery, signed Lebron James, and is now using that NBA Draft victory to secure themselves a deal in which they receive Kevin Love. And they also got Kyrie Irving’s extension in place. Now that they have the star power to truly make themselves contenders, and we all know they are contenders, it is time to look at what they do not have. With the additions of Miller and Jones, they now also have some spacing and depth so really their biggest need right now is a rim protector. Secondly, chemistry. Bringing in star players who haven’t played with each other has happened before and hasn’t always worked out. The first season of Miami’s big 3 saw huge struggles on offence for the first half of the season and eventually again in the Finals against the Mavericks. The 2012-13 Los Angeles Lakers who were primed to take the league by storm struggled all year long until they were swept by the Spurs in the first round. With so many new additions and different bodies that will be patrolling the court for the Cavs, it is impossible to predict how they will finish during the regular season much less the playoffs. Without seeing how this team will play together, there is nothing to base a prediction against the Raptors off.

Prediction: N/A

 

Chicago Bulls

2013-14 Record: 48-34

The Bulls are the true favorites to win the Eastern Conference. With Derrick Rose spending his summer months with team USA, and looking just as good as he was during his MVP season. With Nikola Mirotic finally coming over from Europe and deciding to play in the NBA with Chicago and with the additions of Pau Gasol and Doug McDermott. The Bulls are the undeniable favorites to win the East. With the evidence we have to base a prediction off, as of now on paper, Chicago beats Toronto. Lowry might be able to slow Rose down, and DeRozan could put up points during the series, but the Bulls defensive intensity and killer front-court look to be too much for the Raptors as of now.

Prediction: Chicago wins in 6

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Owning the upper hand against all but one (maybe two) teams in the conference, the Toronto Raptors are entering the 2014-15 season as true darkhorse contenders to make the NBA Finals.