The Toronto Raptors look to recover from Thursday’s heartbreaking triple overtime loss as they host the Golden State Warriors this afternoon at 4pm EST. Toronto (32-26) needs to leave it all out on the floor, as they will have a full five days to rest up before their next game against the Sacramento Kings. On the flip side, the Warriors (36-23) have won five of their six games since the All-Star break and are in the midst of a six game Eastern Conference road trip. Both teams will come out firing- this could be a game of scoring runs and frequent lead changes.
Cage’s Keys to the Game:
Limit Stephen Curry
Toronto’s number one defensive priority must be Curry. The fifth-year guard has career averages of 27 PPG on 53% field goal shooting against the Raptors. His teammates will look for him on most offensive possessions and his scoring can only be described as dominant. It might not be possible for Toronto to stop Curry altogether, but constant defensive pressure around the perimeter may slow his game down and force looks to secondary scoring options.
Control the Ball
The Raptors turned the ball over 17 times on Thursday, and the Washington Wizards scored 26 fast break points accordingly. Turnovers are always costly, but when they give the opposing team an easy scoring opportunity, they become deadly. At 103.4 PPG, Golden State is 10th in the league in scoring and will not forgive any mistakes from their opponents. Toronto has to take care of the basketball on every offensive possession and play smart. If not, the Warriors will take advantage and do some serious damage on the fast break.
Maintain an energized effort
A five day break in between home games is extremely rare in the NBA. There is absolutely no excuse for the Raptors to slack off today. In terms of injuries, Kyle Lowry is listed as probable, while Terrence Ross remains a game time decision. Regardless of this, sluggish starts are not an option this afternoon. Every man on the floor has to come out with a lasting energy for all 48 minutes. Think of it as a must-win situation.
X-Factor: Jonas Valanciunas
The second-year big man has struggled in his game lately. He played a mere 29 minutes out of a possible 63 on Thursday, and contributed just 7 points on 3-9 shooting. Today’s matchup could serve as a bounce-back for the sophomore. Valanciunas needs to assert himself in the post and take up camp. He’ll see increased productivity and a boosted confidence which may carry over to the next game.
