After a heartbreaking loss against the Bobcats at home the Toronto Raptors look to bounce back on the road against the Dallas Mavericks. This shouldn’t be an easy task as the Mavericks hold an 11-2 record at home (which is fourth in the league). Dwane Casey faces his former team, as does Jose Calderon and Vince Carter, so this game has plenty potential for dramatics. This game against the Mavericks is a critical game in the scope of things. This four-game road trip is the first true test for this deeper Raptors team, and they play some quality opponents. If the Raptors come out limping after these next four games, they could very well be at the bottom of the East in a prime position to tank…just saying.
Cage’s Keys to the Game
No Disco for Dirk
I honestly hate this guy sometimes. Dirk Nowitzki is virtually unstoppable, makes the most insane shots and I have not explanation for any of it. He can do everything, and there’s not really a game-plan to stop him. You just have to have good faith the Raptors are able to contain him. I fear that his footwork may get Jonas Valanciunas looking silly if they somehow get matched up, but we’ll see.
Wear Em Down
The Raptors are young, and have bodies to cycle through. Use the team’s youth and try to wear down the bodies Mavericks. Having all of these big men on the team is a blessing, Casey needs to utilize this and get them playing some smash-mouth basketball. The Mavs allow 101.2 ppg, so the Raps will get theirs, but it starts inside.
Composure
The Mavericks have a terrific home crowd, so it’s gonna get loud down in Dallas tonight. The Raptors will need to communicate to the best of their abilities because they are facing a seasoned veteran basketball team with championship pedigree. When things get tough, composure from Dwane Casey will be the most essential ingredient to a road win or a road loss.
Transition Defence
This key is mainly focused on containing the likes of Monta Ellis. He is essentially a one-man fast break, and if the Raptors lose track of him, things could get messy in a hurry for the Raptors. His compact size, speed, explosiveness and ball-handling pose mismatch problems for many of the Raptors wings. The Raptors will need to get back and not crash the offensive glass as hard if they hope to stop Dallas’ transition offence.
Know the Stakes
Like I said before, this game is crucial. Masai Ujurii will mix things up regardless of if they win, however the chance of them staying together may increase if they can show they semblance of a competitive basketball club for 48 minutes. The Raptors need to play with passion knowing that they could be gone after every game. The last thing anyone wants to see is a pouter or someone slacking on the court because their name’s been mentioned.
X-Factor: Amir Johnson
After a sub-par performance where he looked sluggish, Amir Johnson will definitely look to bring the energy tonight. For the Raptors to have a chance at victory the team needs everything Johnson is able to bring to the table. The Raptors need his energy, defence, hustle and most of all his efficiency in order to stay with offensively potent Mavericks. Furthermore his defence on Dirk is what’s needed the most, so let’s hope he doesn’t get into foul trouble being overeager.
