The Nets will head into the NBA’s restart at Disney World later in July as the No. 7 team in the Eastern Conference. When the league went on hiatus, Brooklyn led the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic by half a game in the standings.
If the Nets hold onto that spot, they’ll face the No. 2 team in the East — which is currently the reigning NBA champion Toronto Raptors. Although Toronto doesn’t have Kawhi Leonard like they did for their 2019 playoffs run, Pascal Siakam and company have shown they’re a force to be reckoned with.
Still, Nets forward Rodions Kurucs told reporters on a Zoom call on Monday that he likes Brooklyn’s chances in a playoff meeting with Toronto, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post:
If we are the 7th seed, we’re going to go against Toronto probably. We definitely have a chance. We have been competing with that team, and I definitely think we can beat them in Round 1.
But this matchup is by no means a lock to happen. Both teams could slip in the standings.
The Nets are without five players going into the bubble, and the Raptors hold a three-game lead over the Boston Celtics heading into the eight-game slate of seeding contests.
Should the Nets slip to No. 8, they will face the top-ranked Milwaukee Bucks — who hold a 6.5 game lead over the Raptors in the East. If the Raptors drop to No. 3, they’ll face either the Philadelphia 76ers or Indiana Pacers — likely the latter given Victor Oladipo has opted out for the bubble.