The Toronto Raptors are still two weeks away from opening the regular season, but the pressure to get off to a good start is already mounting for a team that intends to build upon the success of the past year.
Through the first week of the NBA preseason, the Raptors have had to deal with a few small injury concerns. Terrence Ross missed a few games with a sore knee and ankle, Patrick Patterson had a sore hand that kept him out, Greg Stiemsma missed the last game against Boston due to a concussion, and Lucas Nogueira is dealing with a severe groin strain.
But outside of Nogueira, Toronto is not currently dealing with any injuries that will keep anyone out come opening night (knock on wood), and Dwane Casey is going to do as much as he can to get it that way.
Look for Casey to monitor DeRozan/Lowry's minutes closely on road this week/for duration of preseason. Risk not worth reward in exhibition
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) October 12, 2014
That’s the risk of preseason. The games give players and coaches an opportunity to implement what they are practicing against a live opponent, but the only time preseason truly matters is when it negatively impacts the team moving forward, which is exactly what has happened to the Washington Wizards.
The Wizards announced that starting shooting guard, Bradley Beal, will require surgery on a broken left wrist that was suffered last Friday in a preseason game against the Charlotte Hornets. Although no official recovery timetable will be given until after the surgery is complete, it is estimated that Beal will miss 6-8 weeks, which optimistically means that the Wizards will be without Beal’s services for the first 13 games of the season.
No basketball fan should celebrate such a loss. We should never take joy in an injury. If it’s bad for competition, it’s bad for the league. But with that being said, it is still up to Toronto to take advantage of injuries to their top competition, just as their opponent would do to them.
After all, the general consensus is that the Cleveland Cavaliers will win the East, closely followed by the Chicago Bulls. This thinking leaves the Wizards and Raptors to battle for third in the East and for what is generally a favorable first round opponent.. During their summer forecast for the Eastern Conference standings, ESPN even predicted that the Wizards and Raptors would both finish with a record of 47-35.
Barely over a week into the season, the Wizards will visit Toronto for a game on Nov. 7. Without Beal, the Wizards will be forced to go with a shooting guard rotation that features Martell Webster, Rasual Butler (formerly of Raptors lore), and Glen Rice Jr.
All of this could matter very little to Toronto if a Raptor suffers a significant injury in the four remaining preseason games. Casey can do everything he can by limiting the minutes of key players, but all it takes is one fluke play in either practice or a game, just as Beal has already reminded us.
The Raptors will need to bring their best basketball to the regular season, but with Beal’s injury in Washington, the road to the top of the Eastern Conference may have gotten a touch smoother for Toronto.