So far, life without DeMar DeRozan in the lineup has not been pretty for the Toronto Raptors.
After starting the season 13-2—a feat that earned head coach Dwane Casey an Eastern Conference Coach of the Month nod—Toronto has dropped back-to-back games without its all-star, who is expected to miss a month with a torn tendon in his left groin.
They’ll have a chance to right the ship Tuesday night against the Sacramento Kings, who are also slumping after a hot start. Spurred to a 9-5 start by the strong play of recently extended former Raptor Rudy Gay, the Kings have since dropped three-straight against contending teams and now sit fourth in the Pacific Division.
With both teams looking to stop the slide, Tuesday’s tilt should be a good one—well worth staying up for the 10 p.m. ET tip.
Major Storyline 1: Cousins’ foul trouble. DeMarcus Cousins has finally come into his own this season, averaging a monstrous 23.5 points and 12.6 rebounds per game. His only weakness in the early going has been his inability to stay on the floor; he leads the league in fouls per game with 4.7. Without Cousins, Sacramento loses a major weapon, so look for the Raptors to attack the paint as much as possible.
Major Storyline 2: Bench dominance. Cousins may prove to be a handful for Amir Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas, but the Raptors’ bench should be able to impose their will on the Kings’ reserves. The ‘White Squad’ pours in 38 points on a nightly basis compared to Sacramento’s 28. That advantage will have to be exploited if Toronto is going to pick up the W.
Major Storyline 3: Taking care of the rock. Entering the game, the Raptors rank fourth in the NBA when it comes to protecting the ball, surrendering 11.2 turnovers per game. The Kings are a considerably sloppier outfit, ranking 25th in that department and coughing up the rock 15.5 times a night. Maintaining that disparity by executing on offence and turning the screws on D, will be crucial for Toronto.
Marquee Player to Watch, Toronto: Lou Williams. With DeRozan sidelined, Sweet Lou will have even more opportunities to do what he does best—get buckets. Playing against one of the worst second units in the league in terms defensive efficiency, Williams should be poised for a big game.
Marquee Player to Watch, Sacramento: Rudy Gay. Cousins is undoubtedly the Kings’ main attraction, but the fifth-year man out of Kentucky has been battling an illness the past few days and may not be at full strength. Look for Gay to step up if Boogie is less than 100 percent. Averaging 21.1 points and 6.5 rebounds this season, Gay is in many respects unrecognizable from the player he was when suiting up in Toronto a year ago. He’s shooting 45.8 percent from the field (compared to 38.8 percent in his 18 games as a Raptor in 2013-14) and pairing that efficiency with some playmaking (4.0 assists per game compared to 2.2 with Toronto in ’13-14).
Role Player Who Will Make a Difference, Toronto: James Johnson. It’s going to sound a bit crazy, but both Johnson and Terrence Ross played lockdown D against Kobe Bryant on Sunday—even if the Mamba finished with 31. Johnson will likely be tasked with guarding Gay for a good portion of the night on Tuesday. Gay may be playing better, but he’s still no Kobe.
Role Player Who Will Make a Difference, Sacramento: Nik Stauskas. When the Kings drafted Stauskas with the eighth overall pick this past June, they believed they were getting a three-point marksman with a high basketball IQ. So far, the shooting stroke the Mississauga, Ont., native was known for at the University of Michigan hasn’t clicked in the NBA. The 21-year-old has connected on just 32 percent of his field-goal attempts while shooting 24 percent from three-point range. Nonetheless, the Raptors must be wary of the Canadian and minimize his clean looks from beyond the arc.
Last Season vs. Kings: 1-1
Raptors Stats Leaders:
Points: DeMar DeRozan (19.4)
Rebounds: Jonas Valanciunas (8.6)
Assists: Kyle Lowry (6.6)
Kings Stats Leaders:
Points: DeMarcus Cousins (23.5)
Rebounds: DeMarcus Cousins (12.6)
Assists: Darren Collison (6.6)
Verdict: Both teams enter this matchup on losing streaks, but Toronto should have worked some of the sloppiness out of their system having now played a full game without DeRozan. Look for the Raptors to improve to 1-1 on their West Coast road trip with a victory in California’s capital.