Scottie Barnes and Toronto will have their hands full against Evan Mobley and the Cavs’ defense.
The Toronto Raptors (6-5, 8th in Eastern Conference) pay a visit to the Cleveland Cavaliers (7-4, 4th in Eastern Conference) on Thursday at Rocket Arena (7 p.m. ET, NBA TV).
Here are three key storylines to prepare you for tonight’s game.
- Sharing the rock: Before Wednesday night’s games, Toronto was tied with the Chicago Bulls for third in assists per game at 29.7. Immanuel Quickley leads the Raptors with 6.2 dimes a night, while Scottie Barnes (4.9), RJ Barrett (4) and Jamal Shead (5.0) account for nearly 14 apg. Toronto loves to share the wealth on offense, and they do it with plenty of discipline, as they’re also tied for third in turnovers at just 13.9. They rank a close second to the Denver Nuggets in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.14) and assist ratio (20.4) through their first 11 games.
- Raptors rolling: Following a 1-4 start, Toronto has gone 5-1 and, during that stretch, they’ve earned quality wins against Cleveland, Milwaukee and Atlanta. All five victories have been by at least 10 points, with the previous two coming on the road versus the Hawks and Nets, respectively. The Raptors rank first in the NBA in fast-break points with 20.7 per game, which represents 17.4% of their total points (second). Not only are they great at finding ways to score before their opponent gets set, but they’re also adept at halting those opportunities on the other end, allowing 12.9 opponent FBPS (fourth in the NBA). Barrett, Barnes and Quickley all rank within the top 25 for individual fast break scorers.
- Cavs’ health an issue: Coming into the season, Cleveland knew it would be without starting point guard Darius Garland (toe) and small forward Max Strus (foot). What they didn’t expect, however, was the rash of injuries currently plaguing the roster. Jarrett Allen has missed time and continues to fight through a finger fracture to his left hand, De’Andre Hunter has dealt with illness and knee issues, and after returning to the lineup for just three games, Garland sustained a contusion to the same left great toe that required surgery over the summer in Monday’s loss to Miami. It remains to be seen if Garland will play Thursday, but, regardless of his status, the Cavs will have to weather this storm without some of their key contributors.
