TORONTO — The company line was that the Raptors did not care whether or not the Nets “rested” themselves into a sixth seed in the East to avoid the Bulls. Whatever or however it happened, the Nets instead face the Atlantic Division champion Raptors, who suggested a “Be Careful What You Wish For” caution.
“I guess they’re going to get what they want. They want us, we’re definitely here to play,” forward/center Amir Johnson said. “I’m going to use a quote coach [Dwane Casey] usually gives us: ‘You can’t really mess with the basketball gods.’ If you really sit down and lose games and you’re not in rhythm, you’re going to come here and just get hit in the head.”
So yeah, be careful what you want, because it just might bite you in the butt. Or hit you in the well-rested head. The remaining Raptors basically shrugged off whether or not the Nets rested starters to fall out of the five spot and into six for the series that starts Saturday.
“I don’t care. That’s on them,” All-Star DeMar DeRozan said. “We’re going to have to play somebody good in the playoffs obviously, so I really don’t care.”
What the Raptors do seem to care about is a general lack of respect from everybody, not just the Nets.
“I’m sure that nobody else is giving us a snowball’s chance in you-know-where to win. But we’re going to go out with a big two-by-four on our shoulder and scrap and claw and have confidence in what we do,” Casey said. “If other people feel like it’s already over with, then shame on them.”
The notion of the Nets tanking gained momentum when they lost four of their final five games. The idea blossomed when Jeff Van Gundy, on a playoffs conference call, didn’t just suggest it, but claimed it.
“We are not of that mindset. They rested guys. That’s what they did. We are going to go out there and do our job and motivate ourselves,” said guard Kyle Lowry.
“That’s the first time I’ve heard about it, so no thoughts,” said Terrence Ross, who backtracked on his earlier claim the Raptors wanted to face the Nets, saying he was taken out of context and that to face some of his idols “was a dream.”
But if the Nets did tank, isn’t that an insult to Raptors pride, manhood, the nation of Canada — even with its insistence on spelling defense with a C?
“Everybody looks at us that way. They’re not a believer in our three seed. They know we’re a good team because our record proves we’re a good team,” veteran Chuck Hayes said, admitting the Raptors are not a big deal stateside. “There’s no TSN in the States.”
Casey said only the Nets really know if they set themselves up for Toronto.
“Everyone has their opinion,” he said. “You have to ask Jason [Kidd] that question ’cause I don’t know. The whole time I felt they were resting guys.”