Wizards at Raptors
Trash-talking is on high alert status as the Toronto Raptors open the
Eastern Conference first-round series against the visiting Washington
Wizards on Saturday. Washington forward Paul Pierce was part of the
Brooklyn squad that ousted the Raptors out of the first round last
season and he made it clear Toronto doesn’t concern him despite the
Wizards going 0-3 against the Raptors this season.
“We haven’t done particularly well against Toronto, but I don’t feel they have the ‘It’ that makes you worried,” Pierce told reporters. That didn’t sit well with the Raptors, particularly standout guard DeMar DeRozan. “Paul Pierce has always got to say something,” DeRozan told reporters. “He said something last year. He’s always got to say something. Just let him talk. I could care less what he says.” The Wizards are looking to advance to the second round for the second consecutive season.
TV: 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington), TSN (Toronto)
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (46-36): Pierce frustrated Toronto in last season’s playoffs by going on a late scoring flurry in Game 1 for one Brooklyn victory and sealing the series by blocking Kyle Lowry’s shot in Game 7. He figures to be a complementary player in this series with the backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal leading the way as Washington tries to figure out how to defeat the Raptors. “We did a lot of good things in two of those games that we think can be successful again,” Wizards coach Randy Wittman told reporters. “You’ve got to change some things up. They hurt us when they went smaller and spread the floor. We got to do a better job with that.”
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (49-33): Guard Lou Williams is one of the leading candidates for Sixth Man of the Year after the 10-year veteran averaged a career-best 15.5 points per game. “As teammates, we know what to expect from him,” forward Amir Johnson told reporters. “We have ultimate confidence in Lou when he comes in the game. We know what he is going to bring us, so we look for that.” Williams averaged 19.7 points in the three meetings with the Wizards and he finished the season strong by averaging 20.3 points in April.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Raptors won the first meeting by 19 points; the other two were decided by a total of six points, one going overtime.
2. Toronto is the only NBA team with five players who made more than 100 3-pointers – Williams (152), SF Terrence Ross (145), PG Greivis Vasquez (133), Lowry (132) and PF Patrick Patterson (104).
3. Washington PF Nene (ankle) is expected to start after missing the final two regular-season contests.