Fansided

NBA Contenders and Pretenders

By Luke Dahlgren

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Feb 6, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry (7) is congratulated by guard DeMar DeRozan (10) after making a basket against the Los Angeles Clippers at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Clippers 123-107. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 6, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry (7) is congratulated by guard DeMar DeRozan (10) after making a basket against the Los Angeles Clippers at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Clippers 123-107. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /

CONTENDER: Toronto Raptors

There are legitimate concerns over the Toronto Raptors’ ability to win in the playoffs. The franchise has won one playoff series in its history … in 2001 when they beat the New York Knicks. With the current nucleus of talent, the Raptors have lost in the first round in each of the last two seasons, getting swept by the Wizards last year and falling to the Brooklyn Nets in seven games the year before.

If anything should indicate a team’s future playoff success, this ought to speak volumes about the Raptors’ chances:

The first series victory in fifteen years looks like a serious possibility. The one team that could throw a wrench in the gears is Chicago.

Right now, the Bulls sit just outside of playoff contention with a 32-32 record and the ninth seed, but if they are able to catch up to the Pacers and claim the seventh seed they likely play Toronto. The Bulls currently hold a 3-0 record over Toronto this season, have won the past eight meetings between the teams, and since 2010-11 have gone 15-5 in their head-to-head matchups.

But if this is going to happen, the Bulls are going to have to stop beating themselves. With injuries and inefficiency sinking Chicago’s chances with a month to go in the season, this does not seem likely.

Unlike the Bulls, Toronto has been one of the league’s most efficient teams, staying in the top ten in the league for offensive efficiency (107 pts/100 poss), shooting (50.5% eff. FG) and crashing the boards (grabbing 51.5% of available rebounds).

Toronto has proven this year that they perform well against the NBA’s best teams and the numbers statistics support their claim to being a real threat in the playoff. This appears to be the year the Raptors finally reach the conference finals.

Next: Pretender: Charlotte Hornets

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