The Rap-Up: Trade Deadline looms as Toronto plays the West’s best

The Raptors face 4 of the top 6 records in the NBA this week, all while dealing with the after effects of Thursday’s trade deadline.

Shams, would you mind taking a break for like 1 hour?

When I started writing this on Saturday evening, the theme was centred around the trade landscape and Toronto’s place in it. Where would Bruce Brown go? How will the Raptors factor into the Jimmy Butler deal? Is there really interest in Brandon Ingram?

Then Shams broke the internet.

Yes, you can’t spell LA without Luka. But you also can’t spell Nico Harrison without chaos. The Los Angeles Lakers have Lebron’s successor. The Dallas Mavericks have two seasons to win a championship or be ridiculed for the rest of time. No in-between.

Alright, let’s shift the focus to the Raptors. A quick glance at the schedule in February reveals a plethora of potential pitfalls. With the Los Angeles Clippers, New York Knicks, Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, and Cleveland Cavaliers on deck before the All-Star break, I shifted the theme of this intro to a return to tanking. Could the Toronto Raptors go winless in February?

By 6:00 pm on Sunday, that theme was shot down by the Raptors as they defeated the visiting Clippers with surprising ease. Toronto was in control for most of the second half and are now winners of 8 of their last 10 games. Farewell Cooper Flagg!

Okay. Fine. Let’s shift back to the trade landscape and……De’Aaron Fox gets dealt to San Antonio?!? Zach Lavine is finally traded out of Chicago and is reunited with DeMar DeRozan in Sacramento? The Bulls shopped Lavine for 2 years and all they got was Zach Collins, the lesser Jones brother (sorry Tre), Kevin Huerter, and the first round pick they originally sent to the Spurs in the DeRozan deal????

So I waited. I waited to see if anything else would drop. I waited for Lady Whistledown Marc Stein’s latest trade rumours newsletter. I waited for the Lakers to announce they’d acquired a Center (or traded LeBron).

I pray the content in this post is not grossly outdated 5 minutes after I hit publish. Have mercy, Shams!

February 4 vs New York Knicks

Remember when All-Stars were traded for 6 first-round picks? Mikal Bridges may not be living up to the exorbitant haul it took for him to become a Knick, but he has maintained his greatest ability: his availability. For the fifth straight season (and sixth in his total seven seasons in the NBA), Bridges has played in every game.

Bridges, along with Josh Hart and OG Anunoby, are numbers 1, 2, and 3 in minutes played this season — an astonishing yet unsurprising feat for a Tom Thibodeau-led team. While that trio provide a defensive core unlike any other in the NBA, the dynamic duo of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are averaging a cumulative (and very tidy) 50.0 points per game. Another eye-opening feat for a team to have a pair of 25-point scorers, yet neither is in the top 3 on the team in minutes played per game.

Fun fact that may only interest me

Mikal Bridges’ Basketball Reference page may be my new favourite. Have you seen his nicknames?

• The Warden
• Noodles
• Inspector Go Go Gadget
• String Bean
• Brittle
• Praying Mantis
• Brooklyn Bridges

Outstanding list! Each one is different, yet appropriate.

Prediction

Toronto is more likely to enter this game with a depleted roster due to trades. For now, we have to rely on the good ol’ injury report. Chris Boucher and Bruce Brown are currently listed as questionable. The Knicks will be without Mitchell Robinson and, likely, OG Anunoby. The former Raptor missed last night’s game after spraining his ankle last week.

The Eastern Conference standings may be owned by the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics, but only the Knicks have two All-Star starters. Brunson and KAT will be a tough test for a Raptors defense that has ranked #1 over the last two weeks. Toronto covers the +5.5 spread.

February 5 vs Memphis Grizzlies

It’s the day before the trade deadline, and the Memphis Grizzlies are in a dead heat with the Houston Rockets for the 2-seed in the West. Houston has vowed not to make any big trades (more on this below). Oklahoma City is not making any moves. Denver has zero depth. The Lakers and Mavericks damaged their championship aspirations this season with the Luka-AD trade. The Clippers are old (seriously, Nicolas Batum was playing crunchtime minutes instead of Kawhi Leonard on Sunday in Toronto).

The opportunity to pounce on a superstar like Jimmy Butler may ultimately complete the Grizzlies’ quick turnaround from lottery to championship team! Even karma is on Memphis’ side!

Down by 1, Jaren Jackson was able to overcome cooties to nail two clutch free throws. Fred VanVleet missed the potential game-winner at the buzzer. Karma’s a bitch, Fred!

Fun fact that may only interest me

The Raptors continue the 30th anniversary celebrations with a 90s-themed night. While there won’t be any shortage of neon-coloured tracksuits, incredible music, and (hopefully) a matchup of the two best retro jerseys in the NBA, the highlight of the festivities is…..

……the return of the SPRITE ZONE!!!

I don’t know if this fan-favourite feature will take over Sections 317 & 318 for the rest of the season or if it’s just for the game, but this may be the best piece of nostalgia to return this season!

Prediction

After catching the Knicks on the back-end of a back-to-back, the tables quickly turn on the Raptors as they face the Grizzlies on the second day of their own back-to-back. Between the trade deadline and random injuries that will surely pop up, it’s tough to predict who will be available. The Grizzlies are one of the only teams in the league with a better record against the spread than the Raptors. Memphis covers the -7.5 spread.

February 7 @ Oklahoma City Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been without Chet Holmgren for all but 10 games this season. We have yet to see Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein healthy at the same time this season. Alex Caruso, despite being the perfect fit for the team’s defensive identity, hasn’t made the type of impact many assumed. Nikola Topic was, at one point, a potential #1 overall draft pick. A torn ACL destroyed his chances of getting picked early.

Yet, this team sits first in the stacked West and have one of the best net ratings of all-time.

The absence of Holmgren has allowed Hartenstein more time to get acclimated with his new team. Caruso’s impact is muted by the emergence of OKC’s dearth of young talent.

Aaron Wiggins dropped 41 points last week. Isaiah Joe nailed eight three-pointers in two separate January games. Jalen Williams is a first-time All-Star.

As for Topic, a redshirt season plus another influx of first-round picks (OKC has Philly’s top-6 protected, Miami’s lottery protected, and swaps with the Clippers) will continue filling the Thunder’s endless chest of valuable assets.

Fun fact that may only interest me

2.0

That’s the difference between how many minutes Shai plays per game (34.4) and the number of points he scores (32.4).

No player in NBA history has ever scored more points than the minutes they’ve played. Giannis Antetokounmpo came the closest 2 seasons ago when he averaged 31.1 points in only 32.1 minutes. Joel Embiid achieved the feat last season — scoring 34.7 points in 33.6 minutes — but did not qualify since he only played 39 games.

Prediction

Does this really need analysis? I get it, Toronto’s had the best defense for the last two weeks. But we’re talking about a historically great team, playing at home, where the Thunder are 22-3. OKC covers the -15.5 spread.

February 9 @ Houston Rockets

By the time this game rolls around, the Houston Rockets will likely have the same roster that has exceeded expectations and terrorizing offenses throughout the league. Rockets GM, Rafael Stone, has reiterated that this team will stay intact and develop its current roster….and not look to trade for a star.

I admire the honesty and see the vision. Alperen Sengun has continued his rise to stardom by nabbing his first All-Star selection. Amen Thompson is one of only four players averaging at least 1.2 steals AND 1.2 blocks per game (Anthony Davis, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Jakob Poeltl). Jalen Green leads the team in scoring (21.5 points), threes made (2.9 per game), and Pinoy Steps.

That trio of young stars (all 22, by the way) are flanked by wily veterans. Fred VanVleet is among the league leaders in minutes played (shocking, I know), steals, and assists. Dillon Brooks is 2nd in personal fouls (lol) and 12th in turnover percentage (Oh Canada).

The Rockets have even more young talent (Tari Eason, Jabari Smith, and Cam Whitmore to name a few) and even more veterans (Steven Adams, Jock Landale, and Jeff Green to name a few tradeable contracts).

I believe Stone when he says they won’t make any big trades but I wouldn’t fault him if he took a swing at, say, Jimmy Butler. Houston has the right mix of players and draft equity to make a championship-winning move.

Fun fact that may only interest me

Last week — in the span of 5 days — the Rockets defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (twice!) and the Boston Celtics. Entering those games, the Cavs and Celtics had a cumulative win percentage of 78.8%.

No other team in NBA history had won 3 consecutive games (minimum 40 games played) against opponents with a combined winning percentage that high.

Prediction

Toronto catches the Rockets on the back-end of a back-to-back, but that’s where the good news ends. Poeltl will have a hard time containing first-time All-Star, Alperen Sengun, while Barnes will have to deal with the red-hot Amen Thompson or quickness of Jalen Green. On the offensive end, Scottie vs Dillon Brooks is where my eyes will be glued.

Ultimately, this game boils down to the Raptors’ dismal road record (4-19) and a (likely) depleted/new roster. Houston covers the -10.5 spread.

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Last Week’s Record: 2-2

Season Record: 22-27