ANALYSIS/OPINION:
According to a popular theory entering the NBA playoffs, Wizards-Raptors isn’t your typical No. 1 vs. No. 8 series.
Toronto struggled against Washington in the regular season, splitting four games in which the Wizards’ best player, John Wall, played none. The Raptors also carried bad memories of the teams’ last playoff encounter, a sweep three seasons ago.
That series, which began in Toronto, was part of the Raptors’ 10-game losing streak in playoff openers. Six of those series started at home. Embarking on the 2018 postseason with the Wizards in town, the Raptors faced visions of the past, the weight of being No.