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East-Leading Raptors Continue Stretch Of Tough Foes

Rowan Kavner

LOS ANGELES – Given the Clippers’ recent schedule, one day off between games must feel like an eternity. Four days off is almost unheard of.

When the Raptors face the Clippers on Saturday afternoon at STAPLES Center, it’ll be their first game since a loss to the Bulls that snapped a six-game losing streak back on Dec. 22. Meanwhile, the Clippers haven’t had more than a day off between games since Dec. 6.

But a team can catch a second win when they break a two-game losing skid by beating the NBA’s best team on Christmas night. Still, the Clippers know they can’t make too much of that victory with a Raptors team that’s atop the Eastern Conference next on the schedule.

“After the game, we put it in the proper place,” said head coach Doc Rivers. “It’s one game. It’s nice winning games when you don’t play great.”

Chances are, another abysmal offensive start won’t be able to be overcome most nights. Then again, if the Clippers can get the same effort defensively they showed Thursday and get the same contributions from their bench every night, they can keep up with anybody.

“We have to get back to that mentality of, ‘Stops first,’” Rivers said. “It happens a lot when you come off a long streak scoring 120, 125, you get intoxicated with offense, and you think the reason you’re scoring offense is because you’re just scoring. You don’t realize the reason you’re scoring is you’re getting stops.”

LAST TIME OUT

Clippers 100, Warriors 86: The Clippers won a game against the NBA’s top team in which they started 1-of-17 shooting from the floor. The withstood their struggling offensive start and actually came back to tie the game in the quarter. From there, the Clippers stuck around and did just enough offensively to keep things tight until the fourth quarter, when they outscored the Warriors by 11 on Christmas.

Bulls 129, Raptors 120: The loss snapped a six-game winning streak for the Raptors, who fell despite a game-high 34 points from Kyle Lowry. The Raptors were in good position until the fourth, when they allowed a whopping 49 points to the Bulls. The Raptors lost despite shooting 26 more shots than the Bulls and committing eight fewer turnovers.

NOTEWORTHY MATCHUP

Chris Paul vs. Kyle Lowry – When Chris Paul’s been asked about a big-time upcoming point guard matchup this year, he usually dismisses it. That’s because he faces a stud almost every night. That was the case Christmas against the Warriors and Stephen Curry, and that’s going to be the case against the Raptors and Lowry, who’s averaging a career-high 20 points and 7.7 assists per game this season. Paul enters the matchup having scored at least 22 points in three of his last four games.

TWO THINGS TO WATCH

The Bench – On the periphery, the bench as a whole may not have looked particularly superior Thursday, with only four points scored outside of Jamal Crawford’s 24. But the bench built on the lead when it mattered most late in the game and came up with crucial stops. Head coach Doc Rivers said the bench was huge on Thursday, but he added that the reserves need to play that way defensively every night. It’s saying something if the Clippers’ bench can repeat that performance against a Raptors’ bench that’s top five in the league in scoring.

Aggressiveness – DeAndre Jordan made a career-high 10 free throws the last time these two teams played. Getting to the line is a common occurrence for both of these teams, who are each in the top 10 in the league in free throws made and free throws attempted. The Raptors are also top three in the league in free throw percentage. Much of the early struggles Thursday against the Warriors had to do with settling for deep jumpers. They weren’t bad shots, but as the Clippers started to attack more, they started to score more. Meanwhile, nearly 20 percent of the Raptors’ points come from the line.

NOTES

The Clippers won both matchups against the Raptors last season, scoring at least 118 points in each game… The Raptors rank third in league in second chance points, and they’re stopping opponents from scoring off turnovers and getting in the fast break…The Raptors don’t make many mistakes, averaging just 11.8 turnovers per game…Both teams are in the top three in the league in points per game and points per 100 possessions …The Raptors have only lost three games this month