Hoops Habit
Fansided

Toronto Raptors: What Must Be Done To Exorcise Playoff Demons

By Ben Gibson

Apr 16, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) holds onto the ball after being knocked down against the Indiana Pacers in game one of the first round of the 2016 NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. Indiana defeated Toronto 100-90. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 16, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) holds onto the ball after being knocked down against the Indiana Pacers in game one of the first round of the 2016 NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. Indiana defeated Toronto 100-90. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 5
Next

The Toronto Raptors can’t let past playoff failures haunt them if they want to get past the Indiana Pacers in the first round of this season’s playoffs.

Toronto Raptors
Apr 16, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) holds onto the ball after being knocked down against the Indiana Pacers in game one of the first round of the 2016 NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. Indiana defeated Toronto 100-90. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports /

It is happening again.

The Toronto Raptors are going to lose a first-round playoff series.

Or at least that what it feels like for those who look at the Raptors’ recent playoff history and wonder if this is another case of Toronto losing in the first round. In all but one of the Raptors playoff runs, that has been the story.

But it doesn’t have to be.

"“It’s different, man,” DeMar DeRozan said. “Last whatever times, that’s different. Different team, different moments. We’re not panicking. We understand we just played bad. We played terrible at home.”"

CBS Sports’ James Herbert quoted DeRozan’s comments to the media during a practice on Sunday. Those words are either masking a real fear or the Raptors are keeping their heads on straight after their Game 1 loss to the Indiana Pacers.

And they have good reason not to fear. They are the No.2 seed and the Pacers are a No. 7 for good reason. The Raptors have played solid basketball all year and trailed only the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference standings.

But more than the regular season standings, when Toronto looked at the tape on Sunday they probably saw a few things that favored them despite the final score.

For starters, Indiana won’t be able to rely on Paul George scoring 33 points — 27 in the second half — in every game. George is good, but it isn’t a very strong game plan for the Pacers if that’s their only idea for overpowering Toronto. PG proved he still belongs in the conversation for being one of the league’s best players, but Indiana can’t expect him to take over every game for them.

There are a few things Toronto can control, starting with …

Next: Making and Defending 3-Pointers