Toronto Raptors should want Dwane Casey, Pistons in playoffs

Despite losing to Dwane Casey and the Detroit Pistons during the regular season, the Toronto Raptors should want to show they can get the job done in the playoffs.

In both games against the Detroit Pistons this season, the Toronto Raptors were put to the test in the way Dwane Casey’s teams have done historically.

Should that make the Raptors nervous about a potential matchup against the Pistons in the first round of the playoffs? Considering how both teams have played this season it is tough to see how Toronto wouldn’t welcome that.

Through 31 games this season, Detroit is 31-31 with a 17-6 record at home and are 12-18 on the road. The Raptors are 46-18, 27-6 at Scotiabank Arena and 19-12 on the road so Toronto already has the biggest edge which is home court advantage.

Let’s not forget that Kawhi Leonard did not play in the second game and he would have made a difference down the stretch and in overtime. However, many still seem concerned because of some of the things the Pistons have done well like their strong shooting from beyond the arc where they are 41.1 per cent.

Really the only concern for Raptors fans should be Leonard’s health because he is getting more games off than anticipated (the team expected him to be able to play on back-to-back nights) but that doesn’t seem to be a big issue at the moment since he is still performing when he’s in the lineup.

The reason why the Raptors should want the Pistons in the playoffs is for the comments being made by Casey about his former team. After winning in overtime, he made it a point to take a shot at Toronto when discussing his desire to play the Raptors in the playoffs.

While Casey has every right to speak his mind and shouldn’t holding back on Toronto it is ironic to hear him say that Detroit knows what winning a championship is all about when he had his chances to do the same.

Sure he won coach of the year but in his seven years as coach, he only made it to the conference finals once and got swept by LeBron James two straight years in a row after that. If I’m Nick Nurse I would want to send a message to his former colleague that he is capable of taking this team to another level and what better way then to beat them in the first round.

What did you think about Casey’s comments? Would you like to face the Pistons in the first round of the playoffs? Let us know in the comments below.