The Toronto Raptors will look to tie the franchise record for consecutive wins at nine when they host the Washington Wizards on Tuesday. The game tips off at 7:30 p.m. on TSN 1 and could see the Raptors match the 2001-02 mark the team set as they pushed for a playoff spot without Vince Carter. Somewhat fitting, it’s Vince Carter’s birthday, so happy birthday, Vince Carter.
In terms of the streak, head coach Dwane Casey suggested before the game that everyone enjoy it while it’s here:
Again, I will say this: I’m trying to enjoy this. Enjoy this. You hear all this ‘let’s see what they do in the playoffs.’ We better enjoy this right now, because tomorrow’s not promised to any of us. So let’s enjoy some of the good times and some of the small victories we have. And I would say that to all of us: Let’s enjoy this journey. Everybody’s waiting until the playoffs. Everybody’s in that mode, let’s see what they do in the playoffs, and we’re right there with them. But we’ve gotta make sure we enjoy the process in honor of Eric Koreen. Let’s enjoy the process as far as going through this, going through this journey, the ups and downs of it. And believe me, there’s gonna be more downs this season. But let’s enjoy this. There’s a 20-year history here and we’re not there yet, but we’re taking strides of getting somewhere. We can pick any team apart, any program apart, but I’d venture to say we’re heading in a better direction than the other way.
No game should ever be taken as a likely victory, but the Raptors are obviously hot and playing well right now and the Wizards are, uhh, not. Not only have the Wizards been a victim on the current streak and come up short against the Raptors three times this season, they’ve also dropped three of four after appearing to right the ship following their last loss to Toronto. They enter at 20-22 overall, good for 11th in the Eastern Conference, and they rank in the league’s lower half at each end of the floor.
They also enter banged up, because these are the 2015-16 Wizards.
Bradley Beal broken beak
Beal will sit for the Wizards after breaking his nose on Monday. The dude is really good, but the inability to stay on the floor has to frustrate Wizards fans. It’s hard to blame him for a broken nose (or the persistent stress reaction issues), but I’d be growing a little concerns about the long-presumed max contract he could receive this summer.
Beal’s averaging 18.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and three assists in 22 games this season, canning 40 percent of his threes.
Other Wizards updates
Kris Humphries (knee) remained out Monday and will sit again Tuesday. Alan Anderson (ankle) is still working his way back and remains on the sidelines. That leaves the Wizards rotation looking something like this:
PG: John Wall, Ramon Sessions
SG: Garrett Temple, Gary Neal, Jarell Eddie
SF: Otto Porter, Kelly Oubre
PF: Nene, Jared Dudley, Drew Gooden
C: Marcin Gortat, DeJuan Blair
Raptors updates
With all three players recalled from the D-League, the Raptors are only down DeMarre Carroll. The rotation will look something like this:
PG: Kyle Lowry, Cory Joseph, Delon Wright
SG: DeMar DeRozan, Terrence Ross, Norman Powell
SF: James Johnson, Bruno Caboclo
PF: Luis Scola, Patrick Patterson, Anthony Bennett
C: Jonas Valanciunas, Bismack Biyombo, Lucas Nogueira
Key matchups
I think we’re probably all a little talked out about Lowry-Wall, Valanciunas-Gortat, and DeRozan-Porter at this point. They’re all fun, but four times in 45 games is a bit much.
The line
The Raptors are 7.5-point favorites, a substantial spread given the tight history between these clubs (and by tight, I mean the Raptors winning a bunch of narrow regular season games and getting embarrassed in the playoffs). It opened at Raptors -7 and has touched Raptors -8, which I think is probably fair given the limitations facing the Wizards and how well the Raptors have been playing. That line’s a tough call, and I’ll take the Wizards if it pushes to eight but the Raptors outright and at -7, plus the under on the 205 over-under.
Raptors 104, Wizards 96
