Atlanta Hawks Game Preview: March 10th vs. Toronto Raptors
Who Are The Toronto Raptors?
Heading into the 2016-17 season most NBA pundits expected the Raptors to be the most serious threat to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference. At the beginning of the season it looked like that was going to be the case. Injuries and inconsistency have changed their outlook considerably.
They now find themselves with a 38-26 record in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. In spite of those struggles, they’re just 1.5 games behind the Washington Wizards for third place and 2.5 games behind the Boston Celtics for second place.
The Raptors are one of the best offensive teams in the league. They boast the fourth best offensive rating in the NBA, scoring 112.9 points per 100 possessions. DeMar DeRozan leads them in scoring at 27.4 points per game on 46.5 percent from the field.
Live Feed
Sir Charles In Charge
His specific brand of offense that heavily features mid-range jumpers and trips the free-throw line may not be pretty to look at, but it’s been effective this season. He’s currently missing his partner in the backcourt, putting an even larger scoring burden on his shoulders.
Kyle Lowry’s last game came Feb. 15 against the Charlotte Hornets. Wrist surgery might keep him away for the rest of the regular season.
Toronto has to hope that he’s back by playoff time. Lowry is the straw that stirs the drink. He’s Toronto’s leader. Throw out any cliche you’d like about leadership or elite players, Lowry is that for the Raptors.
He also might be the best point guard in the Eastern Conference. Lowry has played in 56 games this season, averaging 22.8 points and 6.9 assists per game on 46.3 percent from the floor and 41.7 percent from the three-point line. Losing him for any significant stretch of time is a huge blow to the Raptors’ Eastern Conference Finals chances.
Toronto has been treading water impressively without Lowry. They’re 5-2 since the All-Star break and have kept themselves within shouting distance of second place in the East. Their improvements at the Trade Deadline will make them a terrifying playoff match-up when Lowry gets healthy.
About a week before the deadline they made one of the biggest splashes of trade season. Toronto acquired Serge Ibaka from the Orlando Magic for Terrence Ross and first-round pick. It was a move that was supposed to shake up the Eastern Conference playoff race. It may yet, if Lowry returns at full strength.
Ibaka has been outstanding as a Raptor. In seven games, Ibaka is averaging 16.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game on 47.4 percent shooting and 45.5 percent from three-point range. It was the type of shrewd acquisition that we’ve come to expect from Masai Ujiri.
The Raptors also acquired P.J. Tucker from the Phoenix Suns on deadline day. Tucker is a gritty wing that can play power forward in a pinch. He’s a good defender and shoots about league average from three-point range. He’s the type of player every championship team needs on their roster.
The Raptors desperately want to climb into the top three in the Eastern Conference. Avoiding the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round is the key to making a run to the Eastern Conference Finals.