The Toronto Raptors have a chance to match their best-ever single-season win total on Friday at home against the New York Knicks.
Having finished both the 2000-01 and 2006-07 seasons at 47-35, the 2013-14 Raptors are gunning for win 47 with four games remaining. A W tonight would also put the Raptors 15 games above .500 for the first time in franchise history.
In addition, with the Brooklyn Nets losing to the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, Toronto’s magic number to clinch their second Atlantic Division title is down to just one.
Before worrying about these franchise milestones, however, Toronto will need to take care of business against a Knicks team clinging to the slimmest of playoff hopes.
In early March, New York went on an eight-game tear that brought them back into the playoff picture, but they have faltered since then, losing five of their last nine. Without a first-round pick in this year’s draft, the Knicks are a desperate team. At the very least, they would love to play spoiler against a division rival.
“They’ll be coming guns ablazing,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey told the Toronto Sun on Thursday. As such, despite having won seven of their last eight, look for the Raptors to try to tighten things up against the Knicks.
Over that eight-game span, the Raptors’ offence has looked terrific, putting up 110.2 points per 100 possessions, but their defence has sagged, allowing 106.3 points per 100 possessions—well above their overall mark of 102.
The defensive struggles haven’t escaped Casey’s notice. “Guys have to decide individually: ‘I’m going to guard my yard,’” the Raptors coach said.
Carmelo’s coming
Yard guarding will be easier said than done against the Knicks as the Raptors will be faced with the challenge of slowing down Carmelo Anthony and his 27.5 points per game, the second-highest mark in the league.
The all-star swingman hasn’t exactly looked like himself lately, putting up just 10 and 13 points, respectively, in New York’s last two games. But that’s because he’s been dealing with a shoulder issue that he said was more like dead arm.
The Knicks haven’t played since Sunday and Anthony sat out a scheduled Wednesday practice to recover, so look for him to be closer to 100 percent on Friday.
No letdown for Lowry
Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry returned to action on Wednesday in spectacular fashion after missing the team’s three prior games with a bruised kneecap.
Lowry went 9-of-19 from the field and a perfect 9-for-9 from the free-throw line for 29 points, alongside eight assists and five rebounds in 38 minutes of playing time against his hometown Philadelphia 76ers.
The 28-year-old looked spry and there seemed to be no ill-effects leftover from his injury. Welcome news with the playoffs so close.
Johnson returns
Raptors forward Amir Johnson, who has missed the last three games and played only three minutes of last Wednesday’s contest with the Houston Rockets because of an ankle injury, went through a light practice on Thursday.
The team announced that Johnson would return for the contest but look for his minutes to be limited if the Raptors can build an early lead.
Can’t boo Bargnani
Fans heading to the ACC hoping to boo former-Raptor Andrea Bargnani will be sorely disappointed as the Italian seven-footer won’t be in the lineup.
Bargnani has been out since Jan. 24 with a torn ligament in his left elbow and although the team hasn’t said so, he is likely done for the rest of the season.
Scoreboard watching
Games Raptors fans should be following Friday include Detroit at Chicago, Washington at Orlando and Charlotte at Boston.
The Bulls are still in a dead-heat with Toronto for third in the Eastern Conference, with the Raptors holding the tie-breaker.
After beating the Wizards on Wednesday, the Bobcats have now moved into sixth in the East (the seed Toronto would face if it holds onto third), pulling into a tie of their own with Washington, but owning the tiebreaker.
All three teams, just like the Raptors, have four games remaining.
