First up was a back-to-back against the Philadelphia 76ers, coached by Nick Nurse and featuring the GROAT himself, Kyle Lowry, who may have been making his last appearance in the game in Toronto. Then there’s Wednesday’s game against Pascal Siakam and the Indiana Pacers.
Now, the Raptors’ week of familiar faces culminates with a showdown at Scotiabank Arena against Kawhi Leonard, the franchise’s only Finals MVP (so far), and the Los Angeles Clippers.
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While the Clippers’ 17-23 record is nothing to write home about, they are currently on a four-game winning streak, and have won 11 of their last 13 games. As the Clippers continue to climb into the middle of the pack in the Western Conference, they are facing a Raptors team that is just one game back in the East.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 pm on Sportsnet.
Here are the storylines to consider before the game:
Everyone agrees
With Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett and Ja’Kobe Walter out, and Jamison Battle leaving midway through the game, Gradey Dick was given an opportunity Wednesday night to play an additional role off the bench. Dick was pedestrian from three, shooting 1/5 from beyond the arc – yet it was one of his best games of the season.
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Dick registered his first career double-double, playing 30 minutes and putting up 21 points, 11 rebounds and three assists on 9/15 shooting. His effort earned him a streak for the Raptors, and led to the post-game photo we’ve all been waiting for: the entire team doing the Gradey Dick flex. Tonight, with the Raptors still short-handed, Dick will look to build on his recent success, which has involved finishing strong at the bucket and playing well as a roller. Now the key question is whether he can break out of his shooting funk.
Clawing back
The Clippers have won 11 of their last 13 games, and Kawhi Leonard has been the engine of their game. Leonard averaged 32.7 points per game in that 13-game span, including a 55-point performance against the first-place Detroit Pistons. His reign is familiar to Raptors fans (apparently it’s been six years??!!) — but now the Raptors will need to do everything they can to slow down the 34-year-old forward. Look for a mix of strong wings like Scottie Barnes, Ochai Agbaji and star player Collin Murray-Boyles to try and protect him.
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The next man up
The Raptors’ shorthanded play will continue tonight, with Barrett, Poeltl and Walter all out with injuries. The team is likely to miss the space provided by Battle, as he is doubtful with an ankle injury, while Quickley and Mamukelashvili are both doubtful. While All-Star voting is now closed, Barnes and Ingram can continue to speak for the team by carrying the burden of the shortstop. Players like Agbaji and AJ Lawson will also get a chance to play the “next man up” role in the team.
But the most exposed of the short group has been the rookie, Collin Murray-Boyles. Poeltl’s absence has given CMB a way to establish himself as a surprisingly strong defender — he’s 99th in the league in deflections — and a promising offensive player who is just scratching his head. In his last six games, Murray-Boyles is averaging 11.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game on 57% shooting.
