In what is arguably the biggest game of the season thus far, the Toronto Raptors will look to keep their suddenly-tenuous hold on the top spot in the Atlantic as they host the division rival Boston Celtics at the Air Canada Centre tonight (7 PM ET, Sportsnet ONE and SN590 The FAN).
WHAT’S AT STAKE
In short: a lot.
First, there are the standings. After winning eight of their last ten, the Celtics have leaped incredibly close to the Raptors for the second in the East behind Cleveland, and first in the Atlantic Division. Winners of four straight heading into tonight’s contest, Boston will be trying to. Recent history, however, could be on the Raptors side: the Celts are just 4-9 against Toronto since head coach Brad Stevens took the helm four seasons ago.
After beating Boston 101-94 at the TD Garden on Dec. 9, the Raptors can extend their record vs. the Celtics this season to 2-0, helping to secure home court advantage come playoff time.
What’s more, a decisive Raptors win tonight can help answer whether or not the club’s recent struggles are genuine cause for concern or merely a cold stretch. Given the defensive lapses over the last few weeks, the former may be truer— especially in the context of making another deep playoff run— but an impressive effort on both ends of the court against a team playing as well as the Celtics have been can go a long way to help silence critics.
From an individual player perspective, there is plenty at stake tonight, too, for both teams. With the trade deadline fast approaching both Boston and Toronto have been front and centre in rumours as buyers— and don’t think players who’ll take the court for each side tonight aren’t aware of that. Players like the Celtics’ Jae Crowder or the Raptors’ Terrence Ross, for instance, have to know that their performances are being evaluated as closely as ever as their respective teams entertain the idea of entering an arms race following the Cleveland Cavaliers’ acquisition of sharpshooter Kyle Korver last week.
TWO SHIPS PASSING IN THE NIGHT
The Raptors haven’t exactly been world-beaters of late. They’ve lost two straight and three of their last four, giving up an average of 117 points to their opponents in the losses. With a ho-hum 5-5 record over their last ten, it should be no surprise that the Raps once-comfortable grasp on second in the East is suddenly down to just a one-game lead over the red-hot Celtics.
Boston has won four straight games, and have been flat-out dominant since mid-december. Since Dec. 16 the Celtics are second in the NBA in win percentage and made threes per game (13.2), third in points per game (111.9), and fourth in assists (25.9) and point-differential per game (+4.9).
MARQUEE MATCHUP
All eyes will be on the point guard battle between all-stars Kyle Lowry and Isaiah Thomas.
With the exception of recent losses to Houston and San Antonio, Lowry has been on a scoring tear for the Raptors of late, averaging more than 24 points per game since the beginning of December. More impressive has been his three-point shooting, hitting 49.6 per cent of his 8.1 attempts from beyone the arc per game in that stretch to go along with 6.7 assists per game. The two-time all-star, who has a player option for the final year of his contract after this season, dropped an emphatic 34 points— including four made threes— on Thomas and the Celtics the last time these teams played.
But Thomas? The Celtics point guard has flat-out been one of the NBA’s best as of late and is the main reason for Boston’s recent success. Since Dec. 16, Thomas is averaging 31.4 points per game, trailing only statistical overlord Russell Westbrook during that span (DeMar DeRozan, in case you were wondering, is sixth at 27.4 ppg).
What’s more, Thomas has shown to be unbelievably clutch, leading the league in Player Efficiency Rating in the fourth quarter. The diminutive point guard has also been on fire from downtown, nailing 44 threes since mid-December, good for fourth in the NBA— and three more than Lowry. He’s scored at least 20 points in 21 consecutive games now.
KEY STAT
Having been out-rebounded in their last five games and with their defensive rotations and intensity under question, things won’t get any easier for the Raptors tonight. The Celtics are one of the more energetic teams in the NBA, ranking first in loose balls recovered this season with 243, or 6.8 per game.
Boston’s best perimeter defender and a key contributor to that stat, Avery Bradley, will miss his second straight game tonight with a strained right Achilles tendon.