As you may have heard at some point, the Toronto Raptors are typically really bad at winning Game 1, even in a series they emerge from. The current Raptors core is 0-7 in Games 1 over the past four years despite winning three of those series. Toronto has lost 10 straight Games 1 overall; the last Game 1 win came against Allen Iverson’s 76ers in 2001 in a series Toronto eventually lost.

Last year, Toronto dropped Game 1 in the first round to the inferior Bucks — that series turned into a six-game war and did nothing but tarnish Toronto’s playoff reputation, especially since it was followed by a trouncing from the Cavaliers.

Please Raptors, I beg you: get this monkey off your back, stick it in Lake Ontario, and drown it. These invented mental beasts manifest so strongly, but they can be slayed so easily. Play loose, give the Wizards the smoke you’ve given bad teams all year, and end this narrative so we don’t have to talk about it in the second round against Cleveland (again!) or Indiana.

If the Cavs do advance, and if the Raptors had lost Game 1 against Washington, the Toronto crowd will look like they are at a horror movie instead of a basketball game for Game 1 of the second round. Don’t put your people through it, Raptors! Just win a game you really ought to win and end this narrative.

Sign up for the newsletter Good Morning It’s Basketball NBA news and links delivered to your inbox each weekday, so you never miss out. Email (required) By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Notice and European users agree to the data transfer policy. Subscribe

The Magic fired Frank Vogel early Thursday morning after two seasons. Orlando was pretty muted about the why, perhaps because it was obvious that a new front office would reboot the direction of the team and Vogel hadn’t shown anything in two seasons. What is there to explain, exactly? Anways, Mike Cali at Orlando Pinstriped Post susses out who is to blame for Vogel’s failure and dismissal.

All of Doc Rivers, Dave Joerger, and Fred Hoiberg appear to be safe this summer, following comments made by their bosses on Thursday. The non-playoff coaches we’re really waiting to hear about at this point: Michael Malone, Stan Van Gundy, and Steve Clifford. If all of them (and everyone who made the playoffs, minus Milwaukee’s Joe Prunty) keep their jobs, we have five openings this summer: Knicks, Magic, Grizzlies, Suns, and Bucks.

A’ja Wilson got picked No. 1 overall in the WNBA Draft on Thursday ... and then got a message from former No. 1 pick Blake Griffin. Here’s all the draft coverage you could possibly want. Here’ some interesting work breaking down an analytic draft model for the women’s game, too.

Brief programming note: in honor of the no-days-off playoffs, draft season, and free agency, this is a seven-day-a-week newsletter until mid-July, though we may skip a day here or there if there are breaks in the action. If you want to receive this daily newsletter in your email inbox so you never miss it, stick your email address in the box a few paragraphs above!

I ranked the 50 most fascinating figures of the NBA playoffs, including ... well, LeBron James, of course, but also Raptors Bench, Doris Burke, and the person who runs the refs’ union Twitter account.

Check out Paul Flannery’s full awards ballot and his reasons for voting the way he did. I’m in pretty much full agreement everywhere except Coach of the Year, where I’d personally go Dwane Casey, Quin Snyder, Nate McMillan, and Terry Stotts over Brad Stevens.

Could the Sixers really make the NBA Finals this season?

How to fix the Knicks.

Tim Cato rounded up 45 records both serious and silly broken in the NBA this year. Threes reign, offensive rebounding is dead, and word to Old Man Dirk.

What would the playoffs look like this year without conferences?

I wrote about how triple-doubles are good, and so is Russell Westbrook.

Kobe Bryant will be doing some deep film study during the playoffs for an ESPN project called Detail. Sounds interesting.

Excellent Mirin Fader piece on the top uncommitted prospect in the country, Romeo Langford.

Ricky O’Donnell assesses the Jay Wright to Knicks rumor.

Nike unveiled its 2018 WNBA uniforms on Thursday. I think one issue with the WNBA’s use of large soccer-style jersey sponsorships is that it hurts casual fans’ ability to know the teams well. Some of the WNBA logos are excellent — the Lynx! — but you don’t really see much of it on these uniforms. But cash rules, understandably.

GAME OF ZONES back.

Be excellent to each other.