There will be no rest for the weary as the Toronto Raptors, after just being on the road for six games before getting a small one-game stopover in their temporary home of Tampa, head back out on the road for three more contests beginning with Tuesday’s affair against the Milwaukee Bucks.
A game you can watch at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Sportsnet Ontario and Sportsnet ONE, Tuesday’s is part of a two-game Milwaukee set that will be kicking off a slightly longer stretch of games that promises to prove a stiff test for Toronto.
Four of the Raptors’ next five games will come against the Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers, the top two teams in the Eastern Conference.
On one hand, this looks like a nightmare scenario for Toronto, a team that has been mired in mediocrity all season long and could very well be looking at another steep plummet down the standings. On the other hand, should Toronto rise to the occasion of this tough challenge in front of it, the team could finally break through and get back onto the winning track that we’ve all grown accustomed to over these past seven or so years.
Here’s a look at three things to watch for as you take in Tuesday’s contest.
Containing Giannis
Though not enjoying quite as strong a season as he has in his past two when he won back-to-back MVPs, Giannis Antetokounmpo is still a superstar putting up gaudy numbers and is a major problem for the Raptors.
The last time the Bucks saw the Raptors back on Jan. 27, Antetokounmpo nearly had a triple-double as he ate Toronto alive, scoring 24 points, collecting 18 rebounds and dropping nine dimes while shooting 57.1 per cent from the field.
Without Marc Gasol anchoring the defence for the Raptors, Antetokounmpo has nothing to fear as he drives towards the basket, and he knows it.
Therefore, it’s going to take a team effort from the Raptors to find ways to slow Antetokounmpo down, if even just a little. This is likely going to mean early doubles to get the ball out of his hands before he can get into the paint and probably a lot of help coming his way when he does eventually make it inside.
There’s no way the Raptors are actually going to be able to stop Antetokounmpo, but they should at least provide some speed bumps in his path.
[radioclip id=5065822]Defending the three-point line
The issue, of course, with focusing all of the attention on Antetokounmpo is doing so plays perfectly into Milwaukee’s general offensive game plan.
A planet-like, gravitational player, when defenders get sucked into Antetokounmpo he has the vision and ability to pass out to the myriad of Bucks shooters orbiting around the perimeter, where they hit at a high rate.
Milwaukee ranks third in three-point percentage this season, shooting an excellent 39.9 per cent from deep. This will present a real problem for the Raptors as a troubling trend with their inability to defend the three-point line will tell.
Toronto is 21st in the NBA in opponent three-point percentage, allowing teams to shoot 37.8 per cent from deep. And even worse, should Toronto really allow an opponent to get uncorked from distance, chances are the Raptors are going to lose. In their 15 losses this season, the Raptors are allowing teams to shoot 41.6 per cent from outside as opposed to the 33 per cent they give up in their 12 victories.
It’s a tall task to ask the Raptors to be able to slow down Antetokounmpo and shut down Milwaukee’s three-point shooters like Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, Donte DiVincenzo and Bryn Forbes, but it’s what the Raptors are going to have to do.
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Injury updates
The Raptors will catch a small break when facing the Bucks on Tuesday night as Milwaukee starting point guard Jrue Holiday will be forced to miss the game due to health and safety protocols.
This will open up more potential minutes for notorious Raptors killer D.J. Augustin, but Toronto is catching a break not seeing Holiday, for sure.
However, Toronto is still dealing with injuries of its own as both OG Anunoby and Yuta Watanabe – a couple of players who could be useful in the Antetokounmpo matchup – are listed as “doubtful,” according the latest official NBA injury report.
Without either of those two long, solid defenders for the Raptors, Tuesday could get ugly with Antetokounmpo likely going for a big night.
