Rodions Kurucs remains confident that the Brooklyn Nets can knock off the Toronto Raptors in a seven-game series.
With only eight games to be played before the playoff seedings are set upon the NBA’s return to Orlando, Brooklyn Nets small forward Rodions Kurucs is already confident in his team’s likely playoff opponent.
Per Brian Lewis of the New York Post, Kurucs believes the Nets’ playoff chances in a potential matchup with the Raptors would be favorable.
“If we are the seventh seed, we’re going to go against Toronto probably. We definitely have a chance,” Kurucs said. “We have been competing with that team, and I definitely think we can beat them in round one.”
The Raptors won three of their four meetings during the 2019-20 season. In the one victory for the Nets on Feb. 12, Brooklyn won 101-91 behind a 17-6-9 split from Spencer Dinwiddie and a 20-point output by Caris LeVert.
Still, the optimism from Kurucs seems bleak, as the Nets have gone through some major changes to the rotation due to COVID-19. The aforementioned Dinwiddie recently tested positive for coronavirus and will sit out the restart as a precautionary measure.
Additionally, DeAndre Jordan and Wilson Chandler have opted out due to concerns over the safety of the resumption. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant will continue to rehab their injuries, leaving the Nets with a thin lineup come its trip to Orlando.
Holding onto the seven-seed — let alone a playoff spot entirely — may be a tall task with the plethora of absent players, but one thing that very well could keep the Nets afloat, especially against the defending champs is a confidence level that matches Kurucs. Hitting the court with confidence is just one piece of the puzzle, but it’s certainly a step in the right direction for a team that has gone through so much change over recent weeks.
