More wins. More pizza. More fun!
It happened — it finally happened! Your Toronto Raptors are now proud owners of their first 3-game winning streak of the 2023-2024 season and, perhaps bittersweetly, it came against former Raptor, but always beloved, Pascal Siakam and his Indiana Pacers.
The Raptors came out on top of that matchup by playing fun, team-oriented basketball that saw them spam high PnR action with Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl — who is questionable for today’s game — and Gradey Dick. Dick, who, is playing the best basketball of his young career, I might add.
To make things even sweeter, they’ll be returning home after a short-road stint with a team-dinner on the horizon. In front of them tonight, though, is the always tough Dallas Mavericks, who, are probably hurting a little bit today after last night’s finish in Cleveland.
MAX STRUS.
COLD. pic.twitter.com/PzPx4N4kZX— NBA (@NBA) February 28, 2024
Nobody likes to lose, but it stings even harder when it’s a historic buzzer beater all the more. On top of that, the Mavs are sporting three fractured/broken noses on their roster and will be playing in the second night of a back to back.
Tough sledding for a Western Conference contender who will be coming up against a high-tide rising Toronto Raptors team that looks to be finding their mojo. Unfortunately, Toronto isn’t without their own injury woes, as they could be short-handed at the C position with Poeltl and Boucher both not fully fit ahead of tip-off. If Dereck Lively II does indeed play through his fractured nose for Dallas, Toronto is going to have to get creative in finding ways to stop the rim-running centre and preferred target of Luka alley-oops.
But this is a winnable game with the juices moving — can the Raptors make it four in a row?! Tune in tonight to find out.
How To Watch:
Sportsnet at 7:30 pm ET
Lineups:
Toronto: Immanuel Quickley, Gary Trent Jr., RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl
Dallas: Luka Dončić, Kyrie Irving, Josh Green, P.J. Washington Jr., Dereck Lively II
Injuries:
Toronto: Chris Boucher (questionable — illness), Jakob Poeltl (questionable — ankle)
Dallas: Luka Dončić (probable — nose), Dante Exum (probable — knee), Maxi Kleber (doubtful — toe, nose), Dereck Lively II (probable — nose)