Twenty teams remain standing after the NBA regular season officially ended Sunday.
The Toronto Raptors (30-52) failed to qualify for the postseason for a third straight season.
The Oklahoma City Thunder, led by Canadian and MVP favorite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, finished first overall with a (68-14) record.
The play-ins begin Tuesday night on two fronts as the seven and eight seeds in each respective conference meet when Atlanta faces Orlando in the east, while Golden State takes on Memphis in the west.
Wednesday evening features the nine-10 seeds between Dallas and Sacramento and Miami and Chicago.
Cleveland and Boston, the number one and two seeds respectively in the east, await their first round playoff opponents, while aforementioned Oklahoma City and Houston will do the same in the west.
Canada’s preeminent NBA reporter is Niagara Falls native in Doug Smith.
Smith recently joined the Niagara Sports Report on Newstalk 610 CKTB and has this to say about the playoffs, including if the Eastern Conference regular season leading Cleveland Cavaliers could continue their winning ways in the postseason.
“They’ve got a ton of talent and a ton of depth, but the playoffs are a different animal,” Smith said. “I’m not sure if they have the experience to withstand the pressure and intensity of four rounds.
I think a team like Boston is going to give them a challenge, and a team like Indiana is a big sleeper because they almost got there last year, they know what it takes, and they’re playing really well.”
As for the NBA Western Conference, Smith offered this.
“Oklahoma City understands the pain of losing and what they know what they have to do to win, and I think they would probably be the favorites right now,” said Smith. “But I would never, ever, sleep on the Clippers if Kawhi Leonard is playing like he has been. He’s been unbelievably good in the last four or five weeks. If Raptors fans know anything, it’s that guy has a different gear i n the playoffs.
I would not sleep on the Clippers.”
Asked by this reporter if the Raptors were to make a big splash before the 2025-26 campaign, who could they acquire, Smith was quick to rhyme a pair of big men.
“I thought they should have traded for Kevin Durant when he was in Brooklyn, and they should try to look at him right now. And the other guy is Giannis Ant if Milwaukee flames out in the playoffs.
I guarantee the Raptors will call about them whether something happens I don’t know, but those are the two names you’ve got to look at, and watch very closely.
Now wouldn’t that be interesting?
As Raptors fans ponder that, NBA playoff time is here.
Rod Mawhood is a lifelong Niagara native who has had the pleasure of working in all three mediums – Radio, Print and TV – for over 20 years. His first announcing gig was with the then St. Catharines Stompers. Since then he’s worked in radio and TV in Toronto, and currently is the announcer for the Niagara IceDogs and Niagara River Lions.
Rod also covers the Buffalo Bills for FOX Sports and the Buffalo Sabres for NBC Sports.
