2018 NBA Playoffs: Toronto Raptors vs. Washington Wizards preview

3. Can Washington win on the road?

The Air Canada Centre is one of the loudest arenas come playoff time, with fans chanting from tipoff to the final buzzer. It’s a hostile environment, one that can swing the momentum of a game in a matter of minutes.

As the 8-seed in the Eastern Conference, the Wizards won’t have home-court advantage in any playoff series, which means they’re going to have to win a game on the road if they even want a chance of advancing.

Winning outside of Washington has been a challenge for the Wizards in the past.

They finished this season with a 20-21 road record. More importantly, they lost to the Boston Celtics in last season’s Eastern Conference semis in seven games, having won all three of their games on their home court.

If Washington isn’t able to steal a game in Toronto, there is literally no conceivable way in which they can win this series. Whether that means Wall and Beal combining for 65+ points or their bench finally finding a rhythm, the Wizards have to come up with a formula that can get them a game in Toronto’s house — against a team tied for the NBA’s best home record.