Raptors vs. Wizards Preview: Game 3
Game Day: Game 3, Raptors @ Wizards
The Toronto Raptors look to get their first win of their best-of-seven series against the Washington Wizards and avoid dropping to 0-3 (TV: Canada: TSN, US: ESPN 2, Radio: TSN 1050, 8 P.M. ET)
Projected Starting Lineups:
Raptors: Kyle Lowry (G), DeMar DeRozan (G), Terrence Ross (F), Tyler Hansbrough (F), Jonas Valanciunas (C)
Wizards: John Wall (G), Bradley Beal (G) Paul Pierce (F) Nene Hilario (F), Marcin Gortat (C)
Game Notes
- With the series shifting to Washington, the need for a win has increased dramatically. Patrick Patterson and Kyle Lowry each called Game 3 a must-win when speaking with the media prior to flying to DC On Thursday afternoon.
“Going down 3-0 would be very disheartening,†Lowry said. “One win. That’s what we’ve got to focus on. One win, one game, one possession at at time.â€
Patterson shrugged off criticisms from the outside and said the team is focused on the group within the locker room. He pointed to last year’s run to the playoffs as proof of why the team needs to worry about each other and not outside opinions.
“Honestly, we couldn’t care less what other people say about us,†Patterson said. “Whether it's fans, whether it's critics, reporters, analysts, it doesn't matter. Had we worried about that, we wouldn't be in the position we are now, especially last year where everyone was doubting us and we were able to turn things around. For us, we understand we're pretty much playing with our backs against the wall. Game 3 is basically a game that we have. Plain and simple, black and white, we cannot lose Game 3.â€
- After giving up a 26-point, 17-assist game to John Wall and a 28-point effort to Bradley Beal in Game 2, the Raptors hope to be able to avoid a repeat performance from Washington’s dynamic backcourt in Game 3. Keeping Lowry on the floor and out of foul trouble remains a priority for Toronto.
- Much was made of Beal’s trash talking in Game 2. Beyond the conversation on court, Beal had more words during a halftime interview where he said the Raptors “think we’re punks.†Toronto brushed off questions about the level of talking on the court during the series against the Wizards.
“That's all competition,†Patterson said. “That's all the game of basketball. Whether it's playoffs, whether it's preseason, whether it's a regular season game, whether it's going up against your rival opponent, there's always trash talking, there's always explicit language, there's always pushing and shoving. There's always a physical nature of the game. It's just the competitive part of the game.â€
- Dwane Casey said he doesn’t have a problem with guys talking if that’s what they do to get themselves going. As his team looks to get into the win column in the series, he’s concerned more with how his players carry themselves rather than what they’re saying while they’re on the floor.
“We've got to go out and play with supreme confidence and have that swag on the court,†Casey said. “We haven't had trouble doing that throughout the year so we've got to get to that. Yeah, they hit us, they punched us but we're not out. It's two games.â€
- Casey referenced his time as an assistant with the Dallas Mavericks when the Mavs lost two in a row in the postseason and the veteran players on the team didn’t get rattled. He’s hoping that as his team plays with urgency in Washington, they will also be able to execute their game plan.
"You've got to have that type of confidence, that type of belief [where] when everything else and everybody is [thinking its] doomsday and all that, it's basketball†Casey said. âœYou've got to have that belief, no matter what it is, that you're going to get the job done.â€
. He'd be the perfect fit, even if his defense sucks. But no way the Blazers let him go.
