NBA Playoffs: Dwane Casey says ‘nobody respects’ Raptors
By Tom West
LeBron James says he would enjoy facing the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, but Toronto Raptors head coach Dwane Casey isn’t pleased the King overlooked his team in the process.
The Toronto Raptors have made the second round of the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2001, only the second appearance at this stage of the postseason in the history of their franchise. Their win over the Indiana Pacers has ended a drought that should have all of Toronto rejoicing, but the Raptors hardly advanced in convincing fashion.
The series went down to seven games as neither team was able to consistently play at their best, resulting in back and forward victories and wild runs that were always impossible to predict. And even in Game 7, with their series on the line, the Raptors only edged past 89-84 as they shot a mere 38.2 percent.
However, as you’d expect, the team’s head coach, Dwane Casey, was still offended by LeBron James’ comments about possibly facing Dwyane Wade and the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, seemingly writing off the Raptors in the process.
As Ethan Skolnick of the Miami Herald has reported, Casey said the Raptors should “take offense.”
It’s good that the Raptors can get fired up by such comments. After so many early playoff exits and failures to make the postseason at all, they’ve become somewhat of a punch line online alongside the likes of the Los Angeles Clippers. Casey isn’t far from the truth when he says “nobody respects us,” especially among critical doubters and NBA fans.
Yet, even after losing Game 1 in the second round against the Heat 102-96, forcing overtime thanks to a wild Kyle Lowry three at the final buzzer from half court, the Raptors are by no means finished.
Yet, as their star backcourt continues to struggle, highlighted by Lowry’s woeful 30.6 shooting and 16 percent three-point shot in the playoffs so far, the Heat’s veteran experience, led by Wade, and their tough defense won’t make a turnaround easy.
Unfortunately for the Raptors and their tired fans, the team has an awfully long way to go to prove that they can even make the Conference Finals and further prove themselves as a team that can deliver in the biggest moments. Some vastly improved shooting from Lowry would be a good way to start.
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