The Toronto Raptors have been surging lately. Just a couple nights ago, the team continued its recent tear by taking down the Indiana Pacers in front of a sold out ACC crowd. Tonight, the Raptors head back out on the road to take on the Washington Wizards at the Verizon Center.
This is a huge game for both teams involved— the Raptors (15-15) are looking to move above .500 on the season for the first time since November, and the Wizards (14-15) are trying to break even after 30 games. Should be a fun one.
Here are the Cage’s 5 Keys to the Game:
Slow Down John Wall:
A lot has changed in Raptor Land since the last time these two teams met. Toronto is suddenly a surging team, and Washington has made strides to become close to attaining an even win-loss record. However, one common element shared in tonight’s matchup and the game played back on November 22nd is the ever-dangerous John Wall. Though the Wizards came up short when these teams went head to head earlier this season, Washington’s point guard netted 37 points against Toronto in the eight point loss. The help defense on John Wall needs to be better tonight. Also, Kyle Lowry may have to take a few less gambles for steals in order to stay in front of the former Kentucky Wildcat in this one. Coming off a tough loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night, Wall will looking to take advantage of whatever opportunities the Raptor defense presents. Communication will be key for Toronto’s players on this end of the floor.
Unselfish Play:
The New Year’s Day matchup against Indiana had the Raptors posting a season-high 27 assists in front of a great home crowd. On the road, Toronto has to try and duplicate this effort in order to come out on top after the final buzzer sounds. With the opposition boasting talented players like Wall and Bradley Beal, the Raptors backcourt needs to try and limit the “mano-a-mano” play that could potentially hurt the team. The Atlantic Division leaders have played more “team-ball” than “me-ball” as of late, and it’s been working. Why change now?
Smart Adjustments:
Don’t look now, but Dwane Casey has stepped his game up since the roster shake up back on December 8th. From smart timeouts to decent substitutions to actually having something that resembles a respectable NBA offense, Casey has been helping the team more than he’s been hurting the team for almost a month now. Tonight, Toronto’s head coach can earn his money by ensuring that Washington has to work for every basket they get. If John Wall is shredding the Raptor defense and getting easy layups, switch to a zone. If Greivis Vasquez gets caught with his foot in the mud for an extended period of time, don’t be afraid to throw Lowry back onto the floor. After defeating some decent to good teams over the past while, the Raptors need to avoid overlooking this Wizards squad. This happens by keeping preventable mistakes to a minimum.
#LetRossShine:
Is this the best stretch of Terrence Ross‘ young career? It just might be. T-Ross is getting the chance to develop before our eyes, and it’s a beautiful sight to see. He’s been red-hot from three, he’s looking more confident than ever, and he’s actually been playing exceptional defense. Against a fellow sophomore in Bradley Beal, Ross could help his team by playing with a chip on his shoulder and continuing to do the right things while he’s out on the court. Coach Casey looks like he’s been giving Ross some room to breathe, so if there’s ever been a time to establish some consistency, it’s now.
Play Hungry:
It’s sort of ironic that the Raptors may have to forget about their winning streak in order to keep it alive— but that’s what they have to do. On January 1st, the Raptors scrapped and clawed their way to victory against the gritty Indiana Pacers. In that game, we saw Toronto fight as if their season was on the line. They played like a desperate team that was hungry to walk away with a W. Winning stretches have a potential trap game every now and then, and tonight’s matchup fits the description. Respect the opponent, play hard for 48 minutes, stick together, and this winning streak could hit 5.
X-Factor: Jonas Valanciunas
Jonas Valanciunas gave it his all against a tough Indiana frontline the other night. He may still be feeling the effects that came with the hard-fought W, but this is the NBA. With Tyler Hansbrough sitting out tonight, JVal needs to keep up his post-trade production on the floor to help his team get their 16th win of the season.
