Following a massive roster overhaul, the Toronto Raptors return north of the border to host the San Antonio Spurs Tuesday night at the Air Canada Centre.
Toronto (7-12) snapped a five-game skid with an unanticipated 106-94 road victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. San Antonio (15-4) is recovering from a tough 111-100 loss against the Indiana Pacers and will be looking to turn the corner.
San Antonio has dominated Toronto recently, winning five straight meetings.
Here are the Cage’s Five Keys to the Game
1. Containing the three
San Antonio’s lineup features sharpshooters throughout including Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Matt Bonner, Danny Green, Marco Belinelli and Patty Mills – a big reason why they rank fourth overall in the NBA in 3-point field goal percentage (.397). Toronto has long struggled to defend from downtown and tonight will be another tough test.
2. Restricting Ball Movement
The Spurs offense is predicated on ball movement (unlike the Raptors) since multiple players are capable of drilling perimeter shots. Coach Gregg Popovich values unselfish behavior and it shows in the stats since the Spurs currently rank first overall in assists (24.8). The Raptors will need to be extra aggressive and opportunistic on the defensive end to counteract the spacing and screening of San Antonio.
3. Bring Them To The Line
San Antonio ranks dead last in free throws attempted per game (16.4) and free throws made per game (12.3) – stats that further evidence their reliance on perimeter shooting and post play. The Raptors need to minimize the Spurs elite outside shooting and force them to earn baskets at the charity stripe. Start hacking!
4. Tony, Tony, Tony
Parker ages like a fine wine and is yet again posting a quality season with averages of 17.8 points, 6.1 assists and 2.6 rebounds on an extraordinary .525 % shooting. The 31-year-old is one of the swiftest players in the NBA and thrives on breaking down defenses with his drives and creativity. The French native torched Toronto for 32 points last November and is always capable of mastering the opposition.
5. Matching Bench Production
The Raptors are already thin at bench and unfortunately the new arrivals via the blockbuster deal are not scheduled to play (physicals have yet to be passed). Furthermore, the absence of Quincy Acy and the beloved Aaron Gray means no centers power forwards can come off the bench to defend San Antonio’s bigs. In this contest, Toronto will need to have top-notch production from their starters.
X-Factor: DeMar DeRozan
The former USC Trojan had an impressive game in his home state Sunday night, scoring 26 points (8-19 FG, 10-11 FT) with five rebounds and three steals. Gay is no longer a Raptor and now DeRozan will be expected to be a key offensive cog and primary scorer.
