I'd rather choose Raptors to play in playoffs (over Bucks and Sixers). We know their best bastketball is in regular season, after that they are slowing. Yet, Celtics, as season progresses, they play better and better.
This Raptors team is a lot different than years past. Kawhi is as elite as they come, Danny Green adds a lot and Siakam is very good. We can’t expect them to be anything like they have been in the playoffs recently.
I do expect that Ibakas and Lowry's production will fall in the playoffs, but as a team, I still think that they have the highest ceiling of all other Eastern teams.
It's not about Kawhi or Green, it's about the franchise. We're talking about Raptors mentality. 2 players can change some things, but some of them not. All these players except Kawhi/Green have been part of their chokes in PO's. Just can't ignore that.
Sure you don't ignore it, but you also acknowledge the fact that they are led by a new "young" coach, that their best player now is a top 5 two way guy and not defenseless and 3PTless, disclosed DD. Also, Siakam made great strides this year. Green added space, defense, and experience, Powell is playing better, OG looks like he will contribute in the playoffs. Vleet, Wright... there a lot of factors to include in while projecting them. Theoretically, they can get switching defense and 3pt shooting throughout their whole 5-man unit. Only we, GSW and Houston can say that out of 30 teams and those teams are the biggest threats for this year's title IMO.
If we stick to the same old judgments each season then there is no fun in following the game. We can unfollow basketball for 3 years and we would still know "everything".
And just like we like to see when people change for the better (feels like they rarely do, but we appreciate those times), I like to see a team change its path (not over our Celtics of course). Think of 2011 Mavs who extinguished the Heat, they were also often labeled as chokers.