Write up for Raptors Wizards and Wolves Rockets

Raptor Wizards

The Raptors looked good in preseason. OG has gotten much better and may end up a front runner for Most improved player. The raptors play fast paced and run on misses. The wizards were subpar with their transition and fast break defense throughout preseason. They are also missing Hachimura badly. They are undersized and forced to play Kuzma at the 4 and Kispert as their back up power forward. The Raptors should get a lot of shots at the rim and get good looks in transition. Without a huge game from Beal I don't see how they will keep up scoring wise. The raptors also beat the Wizards in preseason on a back to back where they had to fly from toronto to washington and were down van vleet and og. The wizards starters outplayed the raptors depleted starters and the second and 3rd unit won the game for Toronto but there was enough to show that the Wizards will struggle stopping OG and company from getting to the rim. 

Twolves Rockets

Two bottom feeders from last season but the Wolves have playoff hopes and played every preseason game as if it was regular season. Guys were playing defense, playing hard and getting on each other for defense lapses etc. This team preached defense all preseason and lived up to it. They are deep and have guys competing for time and roster spots which always helps to get maximum effort. They were cheering hard for eachother and towns and dlo were coaching from the bench. Towns and Dlo looked great on offense and are clearly trying to turn this franchise around. They need to find a way to be that aggressive and still get Edwards involved if they really are going to have a playoff shot but they are good enough to handle the rockets. The rockets will be a lottery team again and the players know that. I saw none of the same intensity or fight in the rockets players. They have a younger and less talented roster and Minnesota will be playing harder.. 

Ps. I am buying into the Twolves turnaround and suspect they might be the suns or hawks of this season with a less drastic turnaround.. 

Other leans/thoughts:

Not sure if Chicago is as good as they looked in preseason. They were playing starters more than anyone so their preseason results are less reliable. I also don't think they move the ball well enough to be as good as they might seem. They seem to end up in one on one situations too often and or take shots after one or two passes. I suspect Detroit will win one of their two early season match ups. 

You have plays?  All that typing but no conclusions.

Raptors -2.5

Wolves -6

I must be the only one on the Wizards.

The only thing that worries me- this is Toronto's first home game in a year and a half almost.