Raptors vs Wizards – Who Wins the Battle of the Tanking Teams?
Alright, basketball fans, let’s talk about tonight’s Eastern Conference matchup between the Toronto Raptors and the Washington Wizards. This isn’t exactly a clash of titans—in fact, it’s quite the opposite. Both teams are in full-on tank mode, but one of them has to walk away with a win. The big question is: Who will “unfortunately” come out on top?
Now, the Raptors have made it pretty obvious they’re not exactly pushing for victories. Whether it’s juggling the injury report or making some questionable in-game decisions, Toronto is subtly making sure they don’t rise too high in the standings. Despite that, they’ve still been playing decent basketball, hovering around .500 since the end of January. Darko Rajaković’s squad has shown flashes of effort, especially on defense, ranking ninth in defensive rating since the All-Star break. The problem? They just can’t seem to lose as effectively as the Wizards.
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Washington, on the other hand, has fully embraced the tank. Sitting at 15-55, the Wizards have locked in some of the best odds for the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA draft. They’ve lost four straight games, just like the Raptors, but their struggles have been far more convincing. Their offensive rating is second-worst in the league over that span, and they continue to have serious issues rebounding the ball.
So, what’s the call for tonight’s game? The Raptors may not want to win, but they just might do it anyway. Even with RJ Barrett sitting this one out and Chris Boucher listed as questionable, they still have Scottie Barnes logging major minutes, Immanuel Quickley settling into a rhythm, and Jakob Poeltl suiting up on his bizarre one-game-on, one-game-off schedule. Poeltl has been quietly dominant, averaging 16.8 points on nearly 74% shooting in his last five games, and he’ll be up against a Wizards defense that’s ranked near the bottom of the league.
Let’s not forget that Washington is also struggling on the glass, which could mean a big rebounding night for Barnes. He’s averaging 7.8 boards per game this season, but that number jumps to 8.4 over his last nine outings. If the Raptors bring their usual defensive intensity and take advantage of the Wizards’ weaknesses, they should be able to pull out the win—even if they don’t necessarily want to.
Prediction? Take the Raptors moneyline. It might not be the prettiest game, but expect Toronto to come out on top against a Wizards team that has fully committed to losing. And if you’re looking for a little extra action, consider a same-game parlay with Poeltl hitting 15+ points and Barnes grabbing at least 8 rebounds. Let’s see how this one plays out!
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