Matt Tierney - Raptors.com
Time: (6PM ET, TSN 1/4, FAN590)
Three down, four to go on this homestand for Toronto (28-15) as they look to extend their winning streak to four at home and eight overall when they welcome the Clippers (28-15) to Air Canada Centre for a 6pm tip-off today. The two teams sport identical records and both recorded wins in their last game. The Raptors were victorious over a banged-up Miami team and L.A. secured a blowout win in New York on Friday night.
PLAYER TO WATCH
JJ Redick – With Blake Griffin out, Redick has flourished for this Clippers team. Over his past 10 games, the sharpshooter out of Duke has averaged 19 points per game and shot a sparkling 52% from the floor. He also exploded for a career-high 40 points, including nine made three pointers, in a win over the Rockets Monday. The fact that Redick makes half the three-point shots he attempts coupled with the Raptors being in the bottom five for opponents 3FG %, makes this a difficult matchup for Toronto as they look to win their eighth straight.
DeMar DeRozan</strong – On Thursday night, Kyle Lowry was officially named an All-Star starter for the East by the fans. With the coaches having a week to select the reserves, DeRozan is making a strong case to claim one of the coveted remaining roster spots. Three straight 30+ point performances can’t hurt his chances. He faces a Clippers team tonight that lacks a true shut-down perimeter defender so don’t be surprised to see the Raptors shooting guard attempt to impose his will on this game right from tip-off.
KEEP THE GOOD TIMES ROLLING
All is well when you're winning basketball games.
Toronto racked up their seventh-straight victory Friday night when they brushed aside a Miami Heat team that dressed just nine healthy players.
Credit to the Raptors though as no game is a guarantee and teams can often be lulled into a false sense of security in circumstances like these.
After surviving their road-heavy schedule to start the season, the team is in the midst of a seven-game stretch at Air Canada Centre, winning the first three.
The Los Angeles Clippers come to town in surprisingly hot form. Surprising because they have been without their former number one overall pick, Griffin, who has been out with a quad injury since Christmas Day.
Led by Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan and Redick, L.A. reeled off 10 straight wins after Griffin went down. They are fresh off a dominating 28-point victory in New York and come into this game with their tails up.
The Raptors and Clippers have met up twice so far, once to start the preseason in Vancouver and back in November in L.A. Both those contests resulted in Raps victories however today’s matchup should look slightly different.
DeMarre Carroll scored 21 points in the 11/22 game and will not participate tonight as he recovers from knee surgery. Griffin also was on the floor that day for L.A. but is expected to miss out tonight as well. The Clippers will have to prepare to face Jonas Valanciunas who was absent for their previous encounter, with the Raptors centre expected to start his twelfth-straight game after returning from a broken hand.
