NBA Playoffs 2017: What We Learned Over The Opening Weekend
By Mason McFee
No One Feared the Deer, and It Was a Big Mistake
If you read any playoff preview piece (hopefully on this website, but if not, you know, shame on you) or panel making their picks, you probably saw that almost everyone picked the Raptors to advance.
Well, it might have been just Game 1, but the Bucks made a statement taking Game 1 in the Six – DeRozan minus Lowry equals the number of games Milwaukee has left to win to advance into the next round.
Wait, what?
No, what the Bucks did in Game 1, er, in the second half which is the only part of the game I watched, was huge – and I’m not talking about the 800 foot combined wingspan of Khris Middleton and the Greek Freak – they can handle Toronto; and not just handle them – win by double digits.
Yes, I know – it was only Game 1. There are (at least) 3 games left. The Raptors are experienced. Yada, yada, yada. Well, they might be experienced, but only 2 of Toronto’s starters finished in double figures – Ibaka and DeRozan.
Lowry shot 2-11, and finished with a mere 4 points and a minus-22 for the game. Malcolm Brogdon, Lowry’s starting counterpart for the series and a 24 year-old rookie, finished with 16 points, nailing 4 3s, and a +17 for the game.
You might have heard that the point guard position is pretty important, so this is not a good look for a Toronto team that went all out in acquiring guys like P.J. Tucker and Serge Ibaka to make a deep postseason run. Right now, Toronto looks like they’re just ready to limp into the offseason.