Gameday: Raptors @ Spurs
Toronto’s Texas road trip continues tonight as they face Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs tonight on the road on the second night of a back-to-back. After last night’s disappointing loss to the Dallas Mavericks, that saw Toronto get simply demolished on the defensive end, they will look to bounce back against one of the NBA’s best. The challenge ahead is a tough one, but if Toronto wants to take that next step as a team, then they have to face these challenges head on, and succeed.
Spurs Outlook
Record: 3-0 | 1st in Western Conference
Offensive Rating: 120.2 (4th) | Defensive Rating: 104.7 (2nd) | Net Rating: 15.5 (1st)
To say the Spurs have begun the season marvelously would be an understatement. They are one of two teams who sit with a record of 3-0, and they have been led by their superstar center, Victor Wembanyama. Wembanyama routinely makes plays that make you scratch your head and wonder how this is even possible. At 7’4”(maybe even 7’5” according to reports), he has the full package. He is a fluid mover with the ball in his hands, he can shoot the ball off the dribble, he can drive, he can roll, anything you can think of scoring wise, he is capable of it.
Defensively he also makes continuous mind-blowing plays. Any rim attempt he is near has the chance of being swatted into the 5th row. His second jump skills are amazing as well, sometimes blocking multiple shots in one defensive possession. Toronto, a team more known for paint scoring than outside shooting will have to try to find a way to navigate this monster in the middle, and if they can’t then they are headed for a long night.
San Antonio has gotten good tertiary play from their backcourt players such as last season’s Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, or Dylan Harper. Harper and Castle have driven the ball well this year so far, and they both should be considered threats offensively as well. Toronto’s point-of-attack defense has not looked strong this season, as we saw them get run out of the gym by Cole Anthony the other night. So if they are not more stout at the point-of-attack tonight, these young guards will have a field day.
Wembanyama will garner plenty of attention, and the one thing that he has not mastered yet is playmaking. Toronto’s best bet defensively against Wembanyama is to crowd him, make him uncomfortable, show him doubles and extra bodies, and really force the other Spurs to beat you. This may be a tough ask for a Toronto team that has not been playing well defensively so far this season, as this would require a ton of crisp rotations on the back end. But head coach Darko Rajakovic ranted and raved about this being a defense-first team, so in order for that to ring true they have to be able to contain star players, so we will see if this happens tonight.
Raptors Outlook
Record: 1-2 | 9th in Eastern Conference
Offensive Rating: 116.4 (10th) | Defensive Rating: 116.3 (20th) | Net Rating: +0.2 (16th)
So far this season, Toronto has shown that they will be a more than formidable offense this year. With the addition of Brandon Ingram’s wonderful on-ball scoring, RJ Barrett’s commitment to being a swiss-army knife on the offensive end, and the sturdy scoring of Scottie Barnes, this is not a team you have to worry about offensively. The issue has been the defense, and without better results on this end, Toronto season will not go the way they want it to go.
The season is still young so there is time to iron out these issues defensively, but you hope that this is a synergy issue, and not an ability issue. There just hasn’t been enough resistance at the point-of-attack, the transition defense has been lackadaisical, and the rim protection has taken a step back as well. The starting lineup through 38 minutes played together this season has a defensive rating of 130.23 and a net rating of -14.94 per pbpstats. As previously mentioned though, the season is still early and there’s time to tweak things, but if they hope to start putting wins together, it begins on the defensive end.
Game Info
Tip-Off: 7:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Frost Bank Center (San Antonio, TX)
Television: SportsNet
Projected Starting Lineups
San Antonio Spurs
PG: Stephon Castle
SG: Julian Champagnie
SF: Devin Vassell
PF: Harrison Barnes
C: Victor Wembanyama
Toronto Raptors
PG: Immanuel Quickley
SG: RJ Barrett
SF: Brandon Ingram
PF: Scottie Barnes
C: Jakob Poeltl
Injury Report
Toronto Raptors
Clean injury report for now.
San Antonio Spurs
Luke Kornet (Ankle) – Questionable
Lindy Waters III (Eye) – Questionable
Kelly Olynyk (Heel) – Questionable
DeAaron Fox (Hamstring) – Questionable
Jeremy Sochan (Questionable) – Wrist
Lines
| Team | Spread | Money | Total |
| Dallas Mavericks | -5.5 (-110) | -120 | O 233.5 (-110) |
| Toronto Raptors | +5.5 (-110) | +100 | U 233.5 (-110) |
Odds as of October 27, 1:00 AM
All Toronto Raptors odds are provided by NBA Betting Site Betway!
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