Standings Watch: Playoff Picture

[Joey]

With 31 games left in the Season, I thought it would be good to have a thread to keep track of where we are in the standings, and discuss our possible playoff opponents.

We currently have a nice cushy 3 game lead over Washington for the 2nd spot in the East, so for the time being, our "If the Playoffs Started Today" opponent would be Charlotte .. and they worry me.

Who do you think we match up well with?

With Brooklyn in 8th, we could be looking at a rematch! I think we destroy them if we get them again.

[SamMitchells]

Standings Watch: Playoff Picture

Toronto vs Brooklyn would be great for the rivalry and the culture as a whole. I personally would LOVE to see that.
Rank 2 would be perfect for raptor fans. We could avoid the bulls/Cleveland if the standings remain which is good I guess.

But it would mean so much more if we beat a good team in the playoffs. Can't wait lol

Interesting times Ahead !

[cinqueda]

I worry about charlotte and miami, I agree we take brooklyn pretty easily in a 7 game series, especially considering last year. and if milwaukee fall I think we're fine against them as long as we accept DD and Lowry don't match up well and need to look to distribute more than score for that paticular series.

[007]

I'd like to face either Brooklyn or Miami in the first.

The Wiz would be an ideal matchup in the second, but the Cavs are hot and the Wizards are not.

The biggest thing is to avoid Atlanta as long as possible.

[007]

It might be me, but I think a Lowry/DD/JJ/2Pat/JV lineup would matchup well with the Cavs, if we do end up playing them.

Lowry-Irving
DD-JR Smith
JJ-LeBron
2Pat-Love
JV-Mozgov

[Mindlessness]

It might be me, but I think a Lowry/DD/JJ/2Pat/JV lineup would matchup well with the Cavs, if we do end up playing them.

Lowry-Irving
DD-JR Smith
JJ-LeBron
2Pat-Love
JV-Mozgov

No, you aren't the only one.

[Jrice9]

Avoiding one of Atlanta, Chicago, and Washington in Round 1 is the key.

We want to play anyone else with some match ups being preferable but we should expect to win any other matchup besides those 3.

Round 2 ideally is Washington but lets just get there first

[rightsideup]

I really think getting at least the 4 seed would mean a first round win if we are focused as we have been for certain stretches. All the opponents present different challenges and have troubled us ie charlotte and Brooklyn , heat and recently the bucks. It is all about being at a peak, healthy and resilient.

[cinqueda]

It might be me, but I think a Lowry/DD/JJ/2Pat/JV lineup would matchup well with the Cavs, if we do end up playing them.

Lowry-Irving
DD-JR Smith
JJ-LeBron
2Pat-Love
JV-Mozgov

I knew I liked that line-up but didn't realize how well it matched with cleveland,

[raptors999]

Avoiding one of Atlanta, Chicago, and Washington in Round 1 is the key.

We want to play anyone else with some match ups being preferable but we should expect to win any other matchup besides those 3.

Round 2 ideally is Washington but lets just get there first

Washington is only team that Toronto could reasonably be favored against. Cavs, Bulls, Hawks are better with better coaching. CHA with Jefferson is tough. Bucks and BKN are worse but have Kidd and Hollins who may have figured out the Raptors defense and offense. Detroit without Jennings if they get in aren't competitive and will be 8th at best and Hawks fodder.

[hotfuzz]

Avoiding one of Atlanta, Chicago, and Washington in Round 1 is the key.

We want to play anyone else with some match ups being preferable but we should expect to win any other matchup besides those 3.

Round 2 ideally is Washington but lets just get there first

Add Miami and Charlotte to that list.

[Jrice9]

Add Miami and Charlotte to that list.

I guess so, but I think its pretty clear that Miami (unless Hassan Whiteside is really Bill Russell 2.0) and Charlotte are on a lower level.

Both these teams have given us trouble but over a 7 game series, I think we would win.

Miami is admittedly to me the scariest non top 5 team

[Abbas]

Rivalries- ATL-IND, TOR-BYK, WAS-CHI, CLE-MIA

A bit more realistic Rivalries that could happen in the playoffs
- TOR-BYK, WAS-CHI, CHI-CLE

My guess
ALT,TOR,WAS,CLE,CHI,MIL,BYK,MIA

ATL beats MIA in 6-7
TOR beats BYK in 5-6
WAS beats MIL in 5-7
CLE beats CHI in 7

ATL,TOR,WAS,CLE

ATL > CLE in 7
TOR > WAS in 6

EASTERN Conference Finals
Atlanta Hawks Vs. Toronto Raptors

[psrs1]

I think if we finish second or third we will be in good shape and the opponent won't matter. If we fall to fourth or fifth we are in big trouble. In my view our season hinges on finishing second or third.

[planetmars]

Interesting to see a thread like this, when usually the Raptors are out of the playoffs race when February hits...

It would be nice to not have to care which team the Raptors face in the first round.. but there will be some tough match ups. Cleveland, Charlotte, Chicago and Miami are all opponents the Raptors seem to struggle with. So I guess you'd want to avoid them. But on the other hand it would be also nice to face Cleveland in the first round and beat them.