Live updates, highlights, and jokes from Wizards-Raptors Game 1

Can the Wizards prolong Toronto’s bizarre Game 1 curse?

Raptors 22, Wizards 15, 3:43 left in first quarter

This ... is not going well for the Wizards’ defense. They keep getting smushed on ball screens, which puts their shaky defense into rotations and leads to openings galore for Toronto. Serge Ibaka snuck in for a layup on one easy side pick-and-roll, and Kyle Lowry has already sliced through for one easy layup and another easy setup for Jonas Valanciunas.

Ian Mahinmi picked up two fouls in two-and-a-half minutes after Marcin Gortat picked up two himself. So, right about on schedule. With both his expensive and declining centers injured, Scott Brooks put in Mike Scott to play with Markieff Morris. The Wizards allowed nearly 120 points per 100 possessions this season when that combo shared the floor, by the way.

O.G. Anunoby was considered the weak link of the Raptors’ starting lineup. He’s made his first two threes in this game, and got an offensive board putback is well.

John Wall has two missed layups and several angry glares at the referees already. He did hit a three-pointer, though, and is at least trying to make things happen.

Raptors 10, Wizards 4, 8:39 left in first quarter

When these two teams played in the postseason four years ago, Jonas Valanciunas was a complete liability on both ends. A lot has changed since then. Valanciunas ended the year with a flourish and carried that momentum into Game 1 with four early points. The Wizards are trapping pick and roll and Valanciunas is eating from there.

JV’s already forced Marcin Gortat out of the game for Ian Mahinmi. That’s ... not a great sign for the Wizards.

THE ROOF IS LEAKING!

Uhh, there’s a rain delay. In a basketball game.

It’s 27 degrees with freezing rain outside, and clearly the Air Canada Center wasn’t ready for it. This delayed the start of the game by a few minutes.

This brings back memories of the shot clock malfunctioning before Game 1 against the Nets in 2014. There’s always something with Toronto.

Don’t worry, though. Our Raptors blog made the obvious joke for you.

Before 1st quarter

This seems like a bad idea, Raptors.

It sounds like the Raptors were calling out Pierce for picking against them. Pierce, of course, toyed with the Raptors in a four-game sweep as a member of the Wizards. Maybe this is Toronto’s way of trying to exorcise these demons.

Pregame

This is gonna be a different kind of Game 1. It’s currently 27 degrees with freezing rain in Toronto, so Maple Leaf Square was shut down. All those cutaways outside to rabid Raptors fans that you’re used to seeing won’t be happening.

Inside, Toronto continues its tradition of placing creative T-shirts on every seat. I’ve seen better from Toronto. I’ve seen worse.

Meanwhile, here is John Wall’s pregame outfit.

Let me offer a totally baseless theory for why he chose to wear a Gucci sweater with a bumblebee on the front:

• Bumblebees are known for buzzing around.
• Wall isn’t getting much buzz this year because of his injury and his public in-fighting with teammates.
• Wall knows this.
• Wall constantly believes he’s being overlooked.
• Hence, the bumblebee is a nod to the lack of “buzz” he’s been receiving this year, and this is his way of saying that he will bring that buzz back in the playoffs.

Or he just likes the sweater. I dunno.

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Preview

By Eric Stephen

The Toronto Raptors had their best regular season ever and enter the NBA playoffs with the top record in the Eastern Conference, the first time in franchise history they have been the No. 1 seed. But even with home court advantage over the No. 8 Washington Wizards, the Raptors on Saturday evening will look to make history of sorts.

Toronto is been abysmal in Game 1s in their history, just 1-12 in a playoff series opener. The lone win came in 2001 against Philadelphia in the second round. In the previous four seasons it has been even worse, with the Raptors 0-7 in Game 1 of any playoff series, including 0-5 in Toronto, where Saturday’s game will be played.

These two clubs have split their four meetings during the regular season, with each team winning once on the opponent’s floor. Bradley Beal averaged 28.8 points this season against the Raptors, while DeMar DeRozan scored 26.3 per game against the Wizards.

Wizards vs. Raptors Game 1 info

Location: Air Canada Centre, Toronto

Game time: 5:30 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Announcers: Ryan Ruocco, P.J. Carlesimo, Jorge Sedano

Online streaming: Watch ESPN