2018 NBA Playoffs: Toronto Raptors vs. Washington Wizards preview

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1. Will the passing continue?

What has plagued the Raptors in years past is their inability to create offense outside their All-Star backcourt. When the game tightens up, they simply isolate the court for either one of them and expect results to follow.

This season, things have changed. Head coach Dwane Casey has implemented more ball movement into their system, and it has the Raptors ranking sixth in the league with 24.3 assists per game.

While ball movement tends to be easier in the regular season, defenses tighten up once the playoffs start. Teams are playing each other multiple times, scouting reports are incredibly detailed, and it becomes harder to be unpredictable.

Toronto can say all the right things before and after games, but it can’t afford to revert back to hero ball once again. If the Raptors can’t get everyone involved on the offensive side, then it essentially becomes a 2-on-2 matchup between the two backcourts.

With Wall and Beal’s ability to get hot, that’s a dangerous game to play.