Raptors use hot start to hold off Wizards in Game 2: 3 takeaways

The Toronto Raptors are just two wins away from a third straight trip to at least the Eastern Conference semifinals after a Game 2 win over the Washington Wizards.

Toronto is one step closer to the next round after knocking off Washington 130-119 in Game 2 of the team’s opening round playoff matchup.

The Raptors threatened to turn Game 2 against the Wizards into a non-contest with an explosive first quarter. Toronto continued its hot shooting from Game 1 by knocking down seven 3-pointers in the opening frame en route to a 17 point lead.

A second half resurgence from the Wizards’ John Wall pulled the score back in the fourth. Wall’s two free throws with 7:52 remaining in the game shrunk the deficit to just five before a 7-0 run from Toronto shut the door.

DeMar DeRozan’s 37 points on 14-of-23 shooting from the field led the way for the Raptors. Kyle Lowry added 13 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds. Wall’s 29 points powered Washington.

Takeaways

Toronto’s opening jump started its win. The Raptors put to bed any worries of a potential hangover from their Game 1 win with a scorching first quarter. After the opening 12 minutes, they led 44-27. Toronto scored 1.57 points per possession in that frame while posting a 72.2 effective field goal percentage and nailing seven 3-pointers. By the end of the first half, the Raptors had amassed a franchise playoff record 76 points and 11 made 3-pointers. Although Washington was able to make up quite a bit of ground in the second half, the die was largely cast on this one early.

The shot quality gap was wide. Modern NBA offenses are primarily designed to generate shot attempts at the basket or from behind the 3-point arc in the name of efficiency with teams eschewing the mid-range because of its low points per possession outcome. It wasn’t a great sign, then, that Washington attempted 37 mid-range jumpers in this one, accounting for 41.0 percent of its total field goal attempts.

Toronto was content to defend the Wizards’ ball screen actions with just two defenders, often dropping its big back to the rim and conceding an elbow jumper while its guard fought through the screen. On the other end, Washington was regularly forced to tag the Raptors’ roll man with a third defender, sending the defense scrambling to recover. The result? Toronto hoisted 35 3s as the ball whipped from side to side.

Next: How the Pacers slowed down LeBron James

Questions about the Wizards future are about to crescendo. With John Wall, Bradley Beal and Otto Porter signed to long-term deals, Washington’s cap sheet is tied up well into the future, but there are already looming questions about what to do with this roster. Staring down a potential first round exit, expect those to grow louder.

There are already persistent rumblings about the group’s dissatisfaction with one another that seemingly manifests itself on the court. On Tuesday night, for example, the Wizards rarely communicated defensively. Given Washington has minimal flexibility to build around the trio going forward, questions about how its front office should proceed — including possibly offloading one of its big contracts — seem inevitable.