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The Toronto Raptors will look to snap their four game losing streak tonight, and pick up their first win in 2015, against the remodelling Boston Celtics. The Raptors have not lost five consecutive games during the We The North era. DeMar DeRozan is expected to miss his 20th straight game as he looks to improve his conditioning after being cleared by team doctors earlier in the week.
Cage’s Keys to the Game:
Pounce
The Celtics are coming off a loss, in overtime, from last night. They’ve lost eight of their last ten. Rajon Rondo, Jeff Green, and Brendan Wright, who was picked up in the Rondo deal, are all gone. This team has thrown in the white towel on this season and is looking towards the future. The Raptors need to take advantage of this early and give their key players like Kyle Lowry some much needed rest.
Stop that man!
That man would be Jared Sullinger. Sullinger always seems to terrorize the Raptors, including his 25 points and 20 rebounds from almost a year ago in an upset victory for the Celtics. Both Amir Johnson and Patrick Patterson need to make a conscious effort of boxing him out and contesting his outside shots.
Defense
Here we are beating the drum again, but it needs to be repeated: The Raptors need to show up on this end of the floor. DeRozan will unquestionably help on this end when he returns, but a bottom five mark in his absence is completely unacceptable. James Johnson should get the start, and the rotations need to be aggressive and on-point.
X-Factor: Amir Johnson
Johnson is key to everything the Raptors do. He’s their best all-around defender, adept at sitting picks, and he provides all out hustle. Injuries this season have taken their toll; he looks like a shell of himself many nights. However, when he’s on, he provides the Raptors with such a huge spark that makes them difficult to beat. Tonight, he needs to stop one of the greatest Raptor killers of all-time, Sullinger, and provide something to the starting line up.
