The Associated Press
NEW YORK–The Toronto Raptors know they are headed for another wake-up call–no matter how much they would like to sleep in.
They’ve had the noon start on the opening day of the NBA playoffs the last few years and expect it again.
So while playing some no-name Knicks yesterday may not get them ready for the calibre of competition, at least it provided a glimpse of the timing.
DeMar DeRozan scored 35 points as the Raptors overcame a slow start to wrap up at least the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 110-97 victory over New York.
The Raptors pulled away in the fourth quarter to reach 50 victories for the second-straight season.
They still can finish second if they beat Cleveland in their regular-season finale and Boston loses its final two.
Kyle Lowry had 17 points and 11 assists for the Raptors, who swept the Knicks for the first time since 2009-10 in a strong follow-up to their franchise-record 56-win finish last season.
“A lot of teams don’t get the opportunity just to win 50 games,” DeRozan noted.
“For us to do it back-to-back years just shows the process and the progress that we made over the years,” he said.
The Knicks only trailed 76-75 after three quarters despite playing without most of their top players.
But Toronto broke it open behind the three-point line and won its third-straight game.
The three victories have come since Lowry returned after right wrist surgery sidelined him for 18 games.
He played 38 minutes yesterday, and then begged the NBA not to give the Raptors the sleepy-start schedule again next Saturday.
“It’s a difference for us, but at the end of the day we’re still professionals,” Lowry reasoned.
“We’ve got to out there and do our job.”
