Five down, 77 more games to go until perfection is achieved. I mean seriously, will this team ever lose? (Yes, but let’s not burst the bubble just yet. We’re having too much fun.)
The Kawhi Leonard era of Toronto Raptors basketball has gotten off to literally the best start possible. Five games, five wins, and plenty of praise to go around for all those involved.
Kawhi has rightfully garnered a ton of attention both north and south of the border, as is customary with a top-five NBA talent. With each passing game, the Klaw is showcasing an improved pep in his step, quickly adjusting to the demands of NBA game action after an injury-riddled 2017-18 season limited him to just nine appearances.
But despite Kawhi’s brilliance, it’s the play of Kyle Lowry that has really raised eyebrows early on. He seems as locked in as he’s been in his NBA career, finding a careful balance between taking and making efficient shots, while creating good looks for others. His line of 19.8/3.6/10 on 57 per cent shooting (53 per cent from three-point range) is tremendous and while those shooting percentages are unsustainable, keeping his assist totals in the double-digit range throughout the season feels attainable given the abundance of options he has to dish to. The four-time all-star has fully bought in under new head coach Nick Nurse, which was always going to be a crucial factor for a squad hoping to finally get over the hump when the games begin to truly matter April and onwards.
On to the matchup at hand…
The Dallas Mavericks are in town for a Friday night tilt with the Raptors at Scotiabank Arena. Unfortunately for Raps fans, Dirk Nowitzki won’t be suiting up as he’s still recovering from ankle surgery undergone this past April. It’s a tough break, considering this is likely the last time the German legend will be in Toronto as an active NBA player. While you may not get to see him in person one last time, Nowitzki should be healthy by the time these two teams meet in Dallas on Jan. 27.
While Nowitzki may be sidelined, Toronto will at least get its first look at European phenom Luka Doncic. The Slovenian has made quite a first impression through his first few NBA games, averaging 19 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists. Doncic has been given free reign in the Mavericks offence, attempting 16 field goals per game with half of those attempts coming from long-range. The volume of shots Doncic takes isn’t likely to diminish, considering the organization is heavily invested in acclimating its guard of the future to the NBA game. The best way to do that – especially in a season where the Mavericks have no business contending for a playoff spot – is repeated reps; every success or failure Doncic goes through at this level is a valuable learning experience.
Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. ET on Sportsnet One.
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To get you set for tonight’s game, I reached out to Dallas Mavericks reporter Tim Cato of The Athletic, who took some time to answer some pressing questions involving these two teams.
Josh Weinstein: Thanks for taking the time, Tim. Through four games, how much appreciation have you gained for Luka Doncic’s brilliance? Is the Slovenian teenager as good as advertised?
Tim Cato: I like reminding everyone that this is Doncic’s fifth professional season. He was 15 years old when he debuted at Real Madrid, and he starred with the team over the past two years, playing professional basketball at the highest level outside of the NBA. He’s 19, and he still makes 19-year-old mistakes, but he generally plays with a level of poise and maturity that is unheard of from his counterparts. Doncic will need to improve his body and athleticism over the coming years, and he needs to be more consistent. However, he has completely lived up to Dallas’ expectations for him, and we’re only four games into the season.
Weinstein: These Raptors have taken the league by storm early on. What’s stood out to you most about the team’s hot start from afar?
Cato: I called Toronto the Eastern Conference’s best team all throughout this offseason, and I’m pretty happy with that prediction right now. Toronto built a sensational team, but their ceiling fell beneath championship contender with DeMar DeRozan. Single-handedly, Kawhi Leonard changes that. He makes them capable of a top-five offence and defence, and gives them a bonafide postseason star, something DeRozan never did himself. Beyond that, I love the team’s subtle tweaks: moving Serge Ibaka to center full-time and turning Jonas Valanciunas into a superb situational big are the perfect moves for this roster.
Weinstein: By the looks of it, Dennis Smith Jr. is certainly adjusting his game to try and play alongside another ball-dominant guard in Doncic. How has the process of becoming more of an off-ball threat been going for the second-year guard?
Cato: Smith is still learning so much offensively, and his raw talent can’t always save him from his faults. He hasn’t regressed next to Doncic; in fact, without Harrison Barnes making his season debut yet, his role doesn’t feel that different. But he hasn’t appeared to make major strides with his jump shot yet, and he’s still struggling to use his absurd athleticism in a functional manner, namely getting to the rim with ease. When he does get there, his finishing often fails him. Smith is still an incredible talent, and learning to play better off the ball more will help him throughout this year. He’s terrifying when it all clicks together, but that isn’t happening consistently right now.
Weinstein: How much of an impact has DeAndre Jordan had on this Mavericks team early on?
Cato: DeAndre Jordan fits into this roster with no real hesitation. He’s fallen off from his premiere defensive days, and he often struggles with moving his feet outside of the paint, but his shot blocking numbers have ticked back up. He instantly solved the team’s rebounding issues over past seasons. He isn’t a great matchup against Toronto, though — we’ll see how long Rick Carlisle is able to stick with him.
Weinstein: Harrison Barnes is hopeful he’ll make his season debut against the Raptors. Do we expect him to have any minutes restriction in his first game back from a hamstring strain?
Cato: Barnes won’t debut until he feels 100 percent, and while I think his return Friday is likely, it’s not certain. I would imagine his minutes limit will be based on how he feels during the game, should he play.
Weinstein: Here’s a wildcard one for you: Any chance we see Giannis Antetokounmpo’s brother, Kostas, up with the Mavericks this season?
Cato: Kostas Antetokounmpo will be a real, functioning NBA player in a couple years, I actually believe. His activity and length alone make him an interesting player, but he has a good ability to turn that into actual on-court production, too. That said, the only significant role he’ll play this year will be with the Texas Legends. Dallas is loaded with big men, even while Dirk Nowitzki is absent.
Weinstein: One more for you. Doncic and Trae Young will forever be linked because of what happened on draft night. Who’s your pick between the two?
Cato: I love Trae Young, but Doncic was my No. 1 prospect last draft. I’ll stick with him.
You can find Tim’s work covering the Mavericks and the NBA over at The Athletic.
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Raptors Updates
Something clearly didn’t feel right in Delon Wright’s brief season debut, as the point guard has already been ruled out against the Mavericks. Wright only played five minutes, but it seems that was all the time needed for his groin strain to resurface. With Wright’s confirmed absence and Fred VanVleet questionable against the Mavericks with a bout of turf toe, Norman Powell, Lorenzo Brown and Malachi Richardson will likely get some extended run in Nurse’s rotation.
Projected rotation (although you really never know with Nurse):
PG: Kyle Lowry, Lorenzo Brown
SG: Danny Green, C.J. Miles, Norman Powell
SF: Kawhi Leonard, OG Anunoby, Malachi Richardson
PF: Pascal Siakam, (Anunoby/Miles)
C: Jonas Valanciunas, Serge Ibaka, Greg Monroe
OUT: Delon Wright
TBD: Fred VanVleet
Mavericks Updates
Harrison Barnes is hopeful he’ll be able to make his season debut against the Raptors after recovering from a strained right hamstring. If Barnes returns, Dorian Finney-Smith will slide back into a reserve role, where he’ll compete with Dwight Powell for minutes off the bench.
Devin Harris (strained left hamstring) remains questionable as of Friday morning, while Nowitzki, as mentioned earlier, will be out of the Mavs lineup.
Projected rotation:
PG: Dennis Smith Jr., J.J. Barea
SG: Luka Doncic, Jalen Brunson
SF: Wesley Matthews, Ryan Broekhoff
PF: Dorian Finney-Smith, Dwight Powell
C: DeAndre Jordan, Maxi Kleber
OUT: Dirk Nowitzki
TBD: Harrison Barnes, Devin Harris
The Line
The Raptors are 11.5-point favourites, with the over/under for the game coming in at 226.
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