The Rap-Up: The dreaded ‘P’ word

Maybe this is the week where the Raptors have a losing streak?

There’s a new series on Netflix called Running Point, Mindy Kaling’s latest project that stars Kate Hudson as a newly minted President of the family-owned business — the Los Angeles Waves, a professional basketball team. The comedy follows the ups and downs of running a team with, surprisingly, minimal basketball scenes.

Sorry. This is not meant to be a review of the show. I haven’t even watched it! My wife did and mentioned a scene that applies to the Raptors’ current situation.

“Do not say the ‘P’ word!” Hudson’s character reveals her superstition and refuses to say the word ‘Playoffs’ as her team makes a late playoff push.

Have we reached the point in Toronto’s season where “Play-In” should be stricken from everyone’s mouths? It will get more complicated to avoid the term as the season draws to a close. The Chicago Bulls have a 4.5 game lead on the Raptors for the final play-in spot. They still have games against Denver, Cleveland, Oklahoma City, Sacramento, and the Lakers (twice) remaining in their schedule. Meanwhile, the Raptors have ONE game remaining (in Golden State on Thursday) against a team above .500.

That 4-point play by Coby White which forced overtime and eventually clinched the season series for Chicago looms large. Immanuel Quickley earned his salary with that foul!

March 17 @ Phoenix Suns

The Phoenix Suns spent all their draft capital and filled their cap space to field a Big 3 of Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant. Not to pin everything on one player, but Beal has been less-than-ideal as a third banana. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but a Big 3 without a Point Guard or a Center has struggled to win games.

While Beal is the logical trade chip in the inevitable rebuild, he’s also the most difficult to trade. It’s unfathomably bad asset management that the Suns would need to trade Durant, who is still one of the best scorers in the league, even at 36 years of age, or Booker, the team’s franchise leader in points, to get out of this mess.

Phoenix’s roster construction is dire, they’re currently in 11th place in the West, and they do not have first-round picks for the foreseeable future. Yet, the Suns could still back their way into the play-in because the team they’re chasing is in danger of forfeiting games!

Dallas does not have enough room under the first apron to sign anyone until April 10 (with only two games remaining). Teams must dress a minimum of 8 players and the Mavericks have 3 two-way players nearing their eligibility limits. They could play Kai Jones (11 games left) after Kessler Edwards’ (3 games left) season wraps up to maximize the team’s 14 remaining games. There would still be a 6-game stretch between Brandon Williams’ expiration and when the team can sign someone else where the team would only have 7 healthy bodies. During that stretch, the hope would be for one of the injured players to return — Jaden Hardy, Daniel Gafford, and Dereck Lively are the only injured players who have not been ruled out for the season.

Fun fact that may only interest me

The Suns are 1.5 games behind the Dallas Mavericks for the final play-in spot and have the hardest remaining schedule in the NBA.

The Raptors are 4.5 games behind the Chicago Bulls for the final play-in spot and have the easiest remaining schedule in the NBA.

According to Basketball Reference, both teams have an identical 1.7% chance of making the playoffs.

Prediction

Suffice it to say, the Suns desperately need to win this game, especially since it’s one of the three games remaining against a lottery-bound team. Phoenix needs this victory as much as Toronto needs to lose. It’s a match-made in tanking heaven! Phoenix covers the -6.5 spread.

March 20 @ Golden State Warriors

Jimmy Butler continues finding ways to come out on top.

After getting drafted last in the first round of the 2011 Draft, he led the Chicago Bulls to the playoffs in five of his six seasons, winning a Most Improved Player award along the way.

In his one full season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Butler finished 10th in MVP voting and landed on the All-NBA third team for a second year in a row.

He spent less than one season with the Philadelphia 76ers who, Raptors fans will attest, could have won the title with Butler at the helm.

In five-and-a-half seasons with the Miami Heat, Butler led the Heat to two NBA Finals appearances and the Eastern Conference’s best record in another season.

With Golden State, Butler has won 14 of his first 15 games with the club, vaulting them from play-in mainstay to title contender.

Fun fact that may only interest me

Steph Curry surpassed 4,000 three-pointers made last week, extending his NBA record for career threes.

The top-4 in Toronto Raptors history — Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet, Morris Peterson, and OG Anunoby — have combined for 3,980 threes made!

Prediction

The Warriors are one of four teams in the top 10 in both offense and defense over the last two weeks, joining the Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Milwaukee Bucks. Jamal Shead has shown flashes of Fred VanVleet in his game. It should be interesting to watch how he does against Steph Curry. How about some box-and-one, Darko? Warriors cover the -10.5 spread.

March 23 vs San Antonio Spurs

Being a San Antonio Spurs fan is an endless supply of good fortune.

1989: Draft David Robinson, win 56 games in his first season, then proceed to make the playoffs for seven straight seasons.

1997: After losing Robinson to a season-ending injury, the Spurs bottom out for one season, then land Tim Duncan in the draft. San Antonio wins 5 championships over the next two decades.

2023: In the most anticipated draft lottery since the LeBron James draft, the Spurs win the first overall pick and land Victor Wembanyama.

2025: After losing Wembanyama to a season-ending injury, the Spurs are primed to re-tool quickly (again) with two lottery picks (three if Bulls land in the top-10) in a stacked draft!

San Antonio landing Cooper Flagg would alter more than the Spurs’ future — the NBA would surely make drastic changes to the lottery system.

Fun fact that may only interest me

Gregg Popovich owns the all-time record for coaching wins with 1,416. Since he took over as Head Coach of the Spurs in 1996, San Antonio owns a winning record against every single NBA team! Popovich is tied with Don Nelson and Pat Riley with the most Coach of the Year awards (3 each).

None of these facts mean anything as Pop recovers from a mild stroke he suffered in November. Get well soon, Coach!

Prediction

Despite losing Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox to season-ending injuries, the Spurs have not thrown in the towel (intentionally) yet, as they continue playing everyone else on the roster. Stephon Castle has a shot at the Rookie of the Year award. For the first time in 10 years, Chris Paul might play the full 82-game schedule. San Antonio is also only four games behind Dallas and have an easier remaining schedule than the aforementioned Suns. The Spurs cover the +1.5 spread.

********

Last Week’s Record: 1-3

Season Record: 27-41