The Toronto Raptors have an infamous curse in recent years: they can’t ever seem to win Game 1s.
7 ways the Toronto Raptors could lose Game 1, again
They’re 0-7 in Game 1s over the past four years, and I’m fairly certain they’ll never ever win one again.
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Not like “oh they lost Game 1” a few times. No, no, no. The Raptors are 0-7 in Game 1s in the past four postseasons, even though they eventually won three of those series. Even when they won a then-franchise record 56 games in 2016, they still couldn’t take the first game in the first series they played. And you bet that Toronto players — the core has remained the same throughout — know all about this. In fact, this quote almost makes poor Kyle Lowry sound panicked.
So the Toronto Raptors are going to lose Game 1. It is a curse that they must bear, and the veteran-laden Washington Wizards — with stars who have risen to postseason challenges in recent years — are the perfect opponent to keep this streak going. I’m not a basketball god. I’m not the one pulling this cruel trick on our northern basketball neighbors. But I am telling you the rules, and those rules state that Toronto will lose Game 1, and there’s nothing they or anyone else can do about it.
We’ve already seen seven such series, so here’s how Toronto could spice things up.
The inflatable raptor runs onto the court causing DeMar DeRozan’s game-winning shot to miss.
Look man, this isn’t as farfetched as you might think.
Dwane Casey gets flustered and tries to play a seven-man lineup and the Raptors are disqualified.
Toronto’s bench is their strength, but how do you play all those guys while also going to a traditional shortened postseason rotation! Casey — who is actually a very level-headed and thoughtful human being — might panic, freak out, and just tell Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam to both sub in without anyone coming out.
Just forfeit the damn thing.
We know the outcome, so why bother exerting all that extra effort?
An ice storm makes it impossible for Kyle Lowry or DeMar DeRozan to get to the arena, and the Raptors lose without them despite Jakob Poeltl’s 37-point explosion.
It is actually gonna be icy this weekend!
Kelly Oubre Jr. hits two flukey buzzer beaters beyond half court. Raptors lose by four.
Oh wow this is actually going to happen now.
Toronto breaks out their secret weapon off the bench: Drake. He promptly shoots 0-of-14 from the field.
I mean ...
The Raptors start slow, get behind by double digits, make a valiant comeback, and lose steam right when they’re within a bucket.
I mean ... that’s how all the other Game 1 losses happened, more or less. It’s a formula at this point.
We’ll see if these Raptors are different.
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