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Raptors’ playoff hopes receive major boost with lengthy Nets injury report
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- Raptors’ playoff hopes receive major boost with lengthy Nets injury report
Raptors' playoff hopes receive major boost with lengthy Nets injury report appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Toronto Raptors ' race to clinch a playoff spot has come down to the wire. Darko Rajaković's squad holds the same record as the Orlando Magic entering Sunday's season finale but sits in sixth place due to a tiebreaker. Toronto must beat the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday to avoid potentially playing the play-in tournament.
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Luckily for them, the Nets are tanking and feature a lengthy injury report for Sunday matchup. With Michael Porter Jr. , Egor Demin , Day'Ron Sharpe and Danny Wolf already sidelined , Brooklyn ruled out Nic Claxton , Noah Clowney , Ziaire Williams , Terance Mann and Josh Minott vs. Toronto. Nolan Traore is questionable due to an illness .
If Traore is ruled out, the Nets will have nine available players: Ochai Agbaji , Ben Saraf , Drake Powell , Jalen Wilson , Malachi Smith , E.J. Liddell , Chaney Johnson , Trevon Scott and Tyson Etienne . Brooklyn has clinched a bottom-three finish but sits one game behind the Indiana Pacers for second place in the draft lottery standings.
Raptors attempt to clinch playoff birth during season-finale vs. Nets
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Meanwhile, R.J. Barrett, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Colin Murray-Boyles are questionable for Toronto. The Raptors enter the matchup as 23.5-point favorites, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
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Barring a stunning upset, the Raptors will clinch a playoff birth on Sunday, with the New York Knicks being their most likely first round opponent in the 3-6 matchup. Toronto can move up to the fifth seed with a win and losses by the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic, in which case they would play the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round.
The Hawks are five-point underdogs against the Miami Heat on Sunday. However, the Magic play the Boston Celtics , who are resting most of their rotation. Orlando enters the matchup as a 13-point favorite.
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