Wizards face Raptors in need of a win
2-2 Raptors (34-15) at (28-22)
TV: 7pm NBC Sports Washington
Last game for Toronto: 109-104 win vs Minnesota
- Demar DeRozan-23 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds
- Jonas Valanciunas-18 points, 11 rebounds
- Kyle Lowry-15 points, 9 assists, 3 rebounds
Last game for Washington: 102-96 win vs Oklahoma City
- Otto Porter Jr.-25 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
- Bradley Beal-21 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds
- Markieff Morris-18 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists
Projected Raptors starters-Ibaka PF, Anunoby SF, Valanciunas C, Lowry PG, DeRozan SG
Projected Wizards starters-Morris PF, Satoransky SF, Porter Jr. SF, Gortat C, Beal SG
Toronto preview-The Raptors have won seven straight road meetings in Washington. In the two previous meetings, Toronto lost to the Wizards 107-96 at home, despite the fact that DeRozan scored 26 points, but then two weeks later they won 100-91, as DeRozan scored 33 points. Toronto is 3rd in the NBA, averaging 111 points per game. Toronto, who is playing the first of a back-to-back, remains 1.5 games behind the Boston Celtics for the lead in the Atlantic Division. Forward C.J. Miles, who is averaging ten points a game, and is the best player coming off of Toronto’s bench, did not play on Tuesday, and is a game time decision with a sore knee.
Washington preview-In Tuesday’s win against Oklahoma City, the Wizards held Russell Westbrook to only 13 points (5-18 FG), and if they have any chance to win tonight against Toronto, they need to do the same thing to DeRozan. Washington only shot 38% from the field in Tuesday’s win, but they got a big boost from Porter Jr., who went off shooting 8-13 from the field, and scoring a team high 25. In the two games against Toronto, Porter is averaging 17 points and nearly six rebounds a game. Also, Washington must get a big performance from Marcin Gortat, who this season against the Raptors, is averaging 12 points and 12 rebounds.
