Gameday: Jazz @ Raptors, March 7

The final stretch of the 2024-2025 season begins for the Toronto Raptors tonight, and it starts with a four-game homestand, welcoming in the Utah Jazz to kick things off.

How Toronto closes the final 20 games of the season will be interesting, given the fact that Canada’s team has the easiest schedule remaining in the NBA by far. There remaining opponents’ winning percentage clocks in at a lowly .357 percent. For context, the next easiest remaining schedule is the Boston Celtics, whose opponents’ winning percentage checks in at .433 percent, a big jump.

At 20-42, the Dinos play the Washington Wizards (12-49) three times, and the Utah Jazz (15-47), Charlotte Hornets (14-47), Philadelphia 76ers (21-41), San Antonio Spurs (26-34), and the Portland Trail Blazers (28-35) all twice.

20 games left for Toronto and they will be pivotal, especially the next 5.

Pretty crazy how much they play against the bottom, TOR can make the PIT just as easily as they could have the 2nd best odds.

Washington 3x
San Antonio 2x
Utah 2x
Charlotte 2x
Philadelphia 2x
Portland 2x pic.twitter.com/aaLS5ByxG8
— Coty Wiles (@CotyWilesSports) March 5, 2025

And for tonight specifically, it will be interesting to see what lineups get rolled out. Before the Jazz’s previous contest against the Washington Wizards, Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, John Collins, Jordan Clarkson, Walker Kessler, Keyonte George, and Jaden Springer were all ruled out. All this happened while Toronto closed their previous matchup against the Orlando Magic with two rookies (Jamal Shead and Ja’Kobe Walter), two two-ways (A.J. Lawson and Jared Rhoden), and one recently converted two-way (Orlando Robinson).

Raptors Outlook: 20-42 | 13th in Eastern Conference | Off rating: 109.8 (26th) | Def rating: 115.4 (24th) | Net rating: -5.6 (25th)

Raptors Previous Results

@ Orlando W 114-113

@ Orlando W 104-102

@ Chicago 125-115 OTL

@ Indiana 111-91 L

vs Boston 111-101 L

The Raptors come in on one of the wonkiest two-game win streaks you’ll ever see. Between Franz Wagner blowing a wide-open layup in Sunday’s matchup against the Magic and Ja’Kobe Walter hitting a miracle shot with a wonky closing lineup Tuesday night, it’s been some weird hoops lately.

Someone whose game hasn’t been weird is the face of the franchise, Scottie Barnes. The 23-year-old is averaging 19.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.1 blocks. It will be interesting to see Barnes with such a heavy load of the offensive creation responsibility, with Gradey Dick, RJ Barrett, and Jakob Poeltl all out.

Jazz Outlook: 15-47 | 15th in Western Conference | Off rating: 111.3 (22nd) | Def rating: 118.5 (30th) | Net rating: -7.2 (27th)

Jazz Previous Results

@ Washington L 125-122

vs Detroit L 134-106

vs New Orleans L 128-121

vs Minnesota W 117-116

vs Sacramento L 118-101

Utah comes to Scotiabank Arena dead last in the Western Conference, riding a three-game losing streak. It’s the second stop on the team’s five-game road trip, while also having lost five of their last six games overall.

Collin Sexton will be the team’s go-to guy tonight with multiple players out, including Lauri Markkanen, as he’s averaging 18.2 points, 4.1 assists, and 2.8 rebounds. Walker Kessler is also back in the lineup; he brings a double-double per game to the tune of 11.5 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks.

Game Info

Tip-Off: 7:30 p.m. ET

Television: Sportsnet 1

Radio: Sportsnet 590 The Fan