The Clippers will wrap up their road trip with a visit to Toronto to take on the suddenly-hot Raptors.

Game Information

Where: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Canada

When: 12:30 PM PT

How to Watch: FanDuel Sports SoCal, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: James Harden – Amir Coffey – Derrick Jones Jr. – Kawhi Leonard – Ivica Zubac

Raptors: Immanuel Quickley – Gradey Dick – RJ Barrett – Scottie Barnes – Jakob Poeltl

Injuries

Clippers: Norm Powell Out (Hip), Kris Dunn Out (Knee), Drew Eubanks Out (Trade Pending), Patty Mills Out (Trade Pending), Cam Christie Out (Ankle), Kai Jones Out (G-League), Trentyn Flowers Out (G-League)

Raptors: Davion Mitchell Questionable (Foot), Jamal Shead Doubtful (Illness), Jonathan Mogbo Out (G-League)

The Big Picture

The Clippers had a thoroughly, utterly unremarkable win against the Hornets on Friday night. Calling it a “professional victory” might even be giving them too much credit, as they let the Hornets hang around all game and did not put the contest away until the very, very end. The sloppiness with turnovers and some defensive lapses were the main issues, but one has to think the Clippers did not approach the game against the injury-ravaged Hornets with much seriousness. At the end of the day, the win is what matters, and the Clippers are now tied with the Lakers for 5^th and a game back of the Nuggets at 4^th. Every win is important, and hopefully the Clippers can keep stacking victories during the easy part of their schedule. The Clippers did also make a trade yesterday, but the new guys won’t play in this one, and might not even for the Lakers’ game on Tuesday, so it’s wait and see for now.

The Antagonist

The Raptors have largely been awful this season, boasting a 15-33 record and a -5.3 Net Rating (25^th in the NBA). However, they recently won five games in a row and have won seven of their last nine. That turnaround is largely on the defensive end, where the Raptors have been stout despite ranking 25^th on that end on the season. The Raptors have finally gotten healthier in recent weeks, welcoming back Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, and Immanuel Quickley (still on a strict minutes restriction) to bolster a team that had been relying heavily on youngsters. We would need more of a sample size to know if their recent run of play is real or not (it probably isn’t, and has come against shaky competition), but the Raptors have probably proven enough to show they aren’t a true pushover. They likely won’t make the play-in, but they are definitely above the real bottom feeders in the NBA.

Notes

Kawhi Returns to Toronto: It’s always fun to watch players return to cities where they had a major impact, and while Kawhi was only in Toronto for one year, he was the primary reason they won the only championship in franchise history. Kawhi has mostly been received positively in Toronto the past couple years, I think, and as his departure fades into the rearview I would guess the cheers increase and boos decrease. Kawhi is not a player who requires much external motivation, but I do think he probably shows up with just that little extra chip on his shoulder against the Raptors. I’m excited to watch him battle Scottie Barnes, that’s for sure.

Bones Showcase: Norm Powell will be out this game due to a hip injury, Kris Dunn is still out with his knee problem, and Eubanks and Mills aren’t available yet because they need to pass physicals and such. Thus, the Clippers will be short-handed, especially in the backcourt. Could this be one final opportunity for the Clippers to play Bones Hyland as a trade showcase? It seems very unlikely (and foolish) that any team would care about a single game for a guy who’s been in the NBA for a few years, but stranger things have happened. Regardless, Amir Coffey will almost certainly take Norm’s starting spot, which leaves Kevin Porter Jr., Terance Mann, and Nic Batum as locks to play off the bench. The question on who the fourth (and maybe fifth) guys are would be between Kobe Brown, Jordan Miller, and Bones. Jordan is the most likely positional replacement, Kobe makes sense as a small-ball five with no Bamba, Jones, or Eubanks, and Bones… well he probably isn’t long for the Clippers, so this is either a final showcase game or he just won’t play at all. It’s a minimal importance slot, but I am curious to see who the 9^th man is in this one.

Clippers vs Raptors Preview: Kawhi Returns to Toronto
Robert Flom

The Clippers have won three games in a row and have a solid opportunity to get that winning streak to four against a Raptors squad that is young and feisty but also very bad on defense.

Game Information

Where: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California

When: 7:30 PM PT

How to Watch: NBA TV, FanDuel Sports SoCal

Projected Starting Lineups

Raptors: Immanuel Quickley – RJ Barrett – Gradey Dick – Ochai Agbaji – Jakob Poeltl

Clippers: James Harden – Norman Powell – Derrick Jones Jr. – Terance Mann – Ivica Zubac

Injuries

Raptors: Scottie Barnes Out (Face), Bruce Brown Out (Knee), Kelly Olynyk Out (Back), Ja’Kobe Walter Out (Shoulder), Garrett Temple Doubtful (Back), Immanuel Quickley Probable (Pelvis), Jonathan Mogbo Probable (Hip)

Clippers: Kawhi Leonard Out (Knee), Mo Bamba Out (Knee), PJ Tucker Out (Away from team), Cam Christie Out (G-League), Trentyn Flowers Out (G-League)

The Big Picture

The Clippers are coming off one of their best wins of the season last night, where they slowly strangled the life out of the Sacramento Kings with suffocating defense. Their offense, has it has so many times this year, nearly cost them down the stretch with awful turnovers and decision-making, but ultimately got just enough shots to hold onto the win. Norm Powell continued to light things up, Ivica Zubac put in a great two-way performance, Amir Coffey and Derrick Jones Jr. filled the gaps, and Harden had his now standard game of one great quarter with three middling-to-bad quarters that still ends up being a net positive. The Clippers are up to 4^th in defensive rating and are just a hair behind the Warriors and Magic, which is the driving factor behind their surprising 5-4 start to the season. As long as their defense continues to function at this level, they will be in a lot of games.

The Antagonist

The Raptors are 2-7, but a lot of their games have been close and they’ve been a frisky team so far that plays with a lot of energy. Their offense (13^th in the NBA) is surprisingly good, while their defense (tied for 30^th) is a trainwreck. It’s not shocking their defense is so bad considering how young their rotation is – the only two players in their rotation over the age of 26 are Jakob Poeltl and Chris Boucher. Second-year guard Gradey Dick and third-year wing Ochai Agbaji have taken big steps forward to start this season, which is really all the Raptors can hope for as they continue their rebuild. Keep an eye on the pesky Jamal Shead and Jonathan Mogbo off the bench, two rookies who might already be among the best defenders on the Raptors.

Notes

Slowing RJ Barrett: I’ve never been an RJ Barrett fan, but he seems to have turned a corner since being traded to the Raptors last season. He’s averaging 25.7 points per game to start the season, and while his efficiency of 54.1% True Shooting isn’t great, for a lead option without much help it’s not shabby either. He’s also up to 7 assists per game to 3.2 turnovers, again, not bad for a wing who’s not the world’s greatest ballhandler. Barrett is taking a lot of threes and making them at a decent clip without forgetting his real strength as a downhill driving bully. If the Clippers can keep him out of the paint and force him to settle for jumpers, they’ll be in a good spot to limit the Raptors’ offense and their drive-and-kick approach.

Unsung Hero, Derrick Jones Jr.: Amidst all of the talk of Norm Powell and Ivica Zubac stepping up, of Harden carrying a heavy load, of the struggles of Terance Mann, Kevin Porter Jr., and Kai Jones, and of Jordan Miller and Bones Hyland not playing, one name has gone under the radar. That name is Derrick Jones Jr., the Clippers’ biggest offseason addition and starting wing who has gotten less discussion then any other rotation player on the team. And that lack of conversation is a good thing, because 3 and D wings are not guys who generate much buzz when they are doing their jobs well. Jones is, in fact, doing his job excellently. He’s shooting 44.1% from three (albeit on just 3.8 attempts per game), is defending at a high level, and is providing his above-the-rim athleticism to good use as a cutter in the halfcourt and as a finisher in transition. The Clippers have a lot of flashier players, but DJJ has fit snugly on this roster and has given the Clippers positive contributions in nearly every game to this point. It’s been a lot of fun to watch him play, too.

Clippers vs. Raptors Preview: Keeping the Good Times Rolling
Robert Flom

The Clippers gave no quarter, beating the Raptors handily in Toronto 127-107 in a “homecoming” of sorts for Kawhi Leonard and Norm Powell.

Summary

This one will be short and sweet. The Clippers took an 8-6 lead at the 8:34 mark of the 1st quarter and never trailed again. And, after a Powell three at the 9:38 mark of the 2nd quarter that put them up 40-28, their lead never went below double digits the rest of the way. This was truly the definition of a comfort win, with James Harden the only Clipper to log a sizable number of minutes. The Raptors without Jakob Poeltl and Immanuel Quickley were at a sever talent disadvantage, and the Clippers did not let up.

Notes

Harden Dominates: The Clippers got strong performances across the board, but their clear top player in this one was the Beard, who had 22 points on 14 shots, 10 rebounds, and 13 assists (to just one turnover) in his 35 minutes with a team-leading +27. Harden got wherever he wanted, made passes to whoever he wanted, and was just in complete control. A great, efficient outing for Harden, albeit against weak competition.

Plumlee Steps Up: Mason Plumlee hasn’t had many big performances since he returned to the rotation a few weeks ago, but he did have a very nice outing tonight, putting together a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double in just 25 minutes. The Raptors started Thad Young at center, to be fair, but these are the kinds of games where the Clippers need Plum to be a force on the glass on both ends, and he was in this one.

Showdown Tomorrow: It’s good the Clippers got a comfortable win tonight, because tomorrow’s game against the Celtics might be the toughest “schedule” game the entire season. On the road, on the second night of a back-to-back, against the best team in the NBA with a rest advantage? Yep, that’s a toughie. Hopefully the Clippers at least make a good game of it.

Clippers Rout Raptors In Strong Road Win, 127-107
Robert Flom

The Clippers kick off their annual Grammy’s road trip with a visit to Toronto to take on the struggling Raptors.

Game Information

Where: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Canada

When: 4:30 PM PT

How to Watch: Bally Sports SoCal, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: James Harden – Paul George – Kawhi Leonard – Terance Mann – Mason Plumlee

Raptors: Immanuel Quickley – Gary Trent Jr. – RJ Barrett – Scottie Barnes – Jontay Porter

Injuries

Clippers: Paul George Probable (Groin), Ivica Zubac Out (Calf), Moussa Diabate Out (Hand)

Raptors: Jakob Poeltl Doubtful (Ankle), Markquis Nowell Out (Hamstring)

The Big Picture

The Clippers are on yet another winning streak, and have pulled to within a single loss of 1^st place in the Western Conference. Their Net Rating is now up to 4^th in the NBA (albeit quite a bit behind the rest of the pack) based on a 5^th ranked offense and 13^th ranked defense. Their offense has continued to climb while their defense has slipped a bit, but that’s to be expected given their roster composition and Ivica Zubac’s absence. With Kawhi Leonard playing at an All-NBA level and James Harden and Paul George at an All-Star level, the Clippers have their three stars in rhythm and with growing chemistry. Add in solid supporting performances and Ty Lue’s mostly-figured-out rotation and you have the basis of a winning program that is fairly consistent and fun to watch.

The Antagonist

The championship era of the Raptors is officially over. OG Anunoby is gone. Pascal Siakam is gone. The only player left from that championship team five years ago is Chris Boucher, who barely played. Scottie Barnes is now the center of the Raptors’ universe, and has made a huge leap in year three. Their other young cornerstones are the players acquired in the Anunoby deal, Quickley and Barrett, both of whom have played well in Toronto. Still, around that talent is not a whole lot of quality NBA players, and the Raptors look like they’ll be one of the worse teams in the NBA the rest of the year. Still, they’re no Wizards or Pistons, and must be taken seriously.

Notes

Going Small: Since Zubac has gone out, Ty Lue has increasingly turned to small-ball units without either Mason Plumlee or Daniel Theis. While I’m not a huge fan of such lineups in a vacuum, they’ve mostly played well and have been utilized smartly against suitable opponents. The Raptors, who likely won’t have Jakob Poeltl tomorrow, are one such opponent. I like Jontay Porter and Chris Boucher can get hot at times, but the Raptors simply don’t have any big men who can punish small-ball units with any consistency. If Plumlee or Theis aren’t playing well, expect Ty to go small early and often against Toronto.

Coffey Time: One of the turning points of the season is when Ty Lue decided to go with Amir Coffey as the “backup four” over Kobe Brown (and PJ Tucker). Sure, it wasn’t as big a turning point as the Harden trade, but Coffey has been rock solid in his rotation role compared to the moldering Tucker and the unprepared Brown. Coffey is hitting 43.8% of his threes (albeit on just 1.6 attempts per game), shooting an insane 68.9% on two-pointers, and is averaging just 0.4 turnovers per contest while playing solid defense. Coffey is playable with all sorts of lineup combinations and situations, which makes him perfect in his current role. A toast to an underappreciated Clipper.

Clippers vs Raptors Preview: The Road Trip Begins
Robert Flom

The Clippers take on the fiery Toronto Raptors at home as they try to start another winning streak after their victory on Monday against the Suns.

Game Information

Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California

When: 7:30 PM PT

How to Watch: Bally Sports SoCal, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

Raptors: Immanuel Quickley – RJ Barrett – Scottie Barnes – Pascal Siakam – Chris Boucher

Clippers: James Harden – Paul George – Terance Mann – Kawhi Leonard – Ivica Zubac

Injuries

Raptors: Jakob Poeltl Out (Ankle), Christian Koloko Out (Illness), Otto Porter Jr. Doubtful (Knee)

Clippers: Moussa Diabate Out (Hand)

The Big Picture

The Clippers rebounded from their awful loss to the Lakers with a great win against the Suns. They are holding steady at the 4^th seed in the Western Conference and have moved up to 5^th in Net Rating. Their defense has slipped a bit, but their offense has been potent, and their core lineups – the starters and the Powell Rangers with Norm instead of Mann – have been fantastic. The other plus is that the Clippers have remained more or less healthy throughout the season, with even Plumlee back, though he’s out of the rotation still for now. Their cohesion and chemistry should only keep improving from here, so even if injuries (knock on wood) do pick up, the Clippers can hopefully keep up their homecourt-advantage pace.

The Antagonist

The Raptors are coming off a brutal loss last night to the Lakers, where they were done in by the size of Anthony Davis and biased refereeing. They will probably be tired on the second night of a back to back, but they will also be hungry and fired up, especially after coach Darka Rajakovic had their backs in an excoriating postgame critique of the officiating. The Clippers need to be on their guard, since the Raptors have looked a lot better since acquiring Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett, who have added some dynamism and juice to their offense.

Notes

Taking Advantage at Center: Jakob Poeltl is out for the Raptors, meaning the Raptors will start Thaddeus Young, Jontay Porter, or Chris Boucher at center. All three guys have some NBA level skills and can hurt the Clippers, but none has the height or weight to bother Ivica Zubac. The Clippers don’t feed Zu in the post much, but they should do so in this one. Additionally, Zu should be able to feast on the offensive glass and finish in the pick and roll. Poeltl isn’t amazing, but he’s a decent defensive big and has the size to match Zu. With him out, the Clippers’ odds of winning go up by a sizable amount.

Terance Mann’s Shooting Trending Up: Terance Mann is still shooting just 26.3% from three for the season, but his shooting is, finally, regressing towards the mean. He’s hit 10 of 18 threes over the past five games, which is over 50%. Small sample size, of course, but the confidence is back for Terance, and that’s huge. The next step will be to hammer home that he needs to shoot threes whenever he’s open, and sometimes even when he’s lightly contested. The volume is just as important as the percentages, and his average of 3.2 threes per game is not enough. Keep shooting Terance!

Clippers vs. Raptors Preview: Starting a New Winning Run
Robert Flom

After a few days off, the Clippers are back at home to take on the Raptors for the second and final time this season. In Toronto two months ago, the Clippers won 124-113. They were carried by four 20+ point games from Paul George, Ivica Zubac, Norman Powell, and Reggie Jackson. With two of those players not available tonight—one traded, one injured—a different mix will have to lead this one. Check out our preview below to see how it might play out:

Game Information

Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California

When: 7:00 PM PT

How to Watch: ESPN

How to Listen: AM 570 KLAC

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: Russell Westbrook – Paul George – Kawhi Leonard – Marcus Morris, Sr. – Ivica Zubac

Raptors: Fred VanVleet – O.G. Anunoby – Scottie Barnes – Pascal Siakam – Jakob Poeltl

Injuries

Clippers: 
OUT: Norman Powell (shoulder)

G-LEAGUE ASSIGNMENT: Xavier Moon; Moussa Diabaté; Jason Preston

Raptors: 
QUESTIONABLE: Dalano Banton (thumb)

OUT: Otto Porter, Jr. (foot)

The Big Picture

Aside from the team-related narratives that came out of Sunday’s game, one of the most important revelations was Paul George’s 42 point game, which was made possible by better health and strength in his leg. Although George has not been on the formal injury report, he has been on a minutes restriction since the All Star Break (even though his minutes have still be fairly high on certain nights). Regardless, if Sunday’s game is a hint of what is to come from George, the Clippers will be in a much better spot than a week ago.

Moreover, Zubac is off the injury report for the second straight game, suggesting his calf is also on the mend. While Plumlee has performed admirably since joining the Clippers, the Raptors new starting center—Poeltl—will be a handful, especially now that he has VanVleet as a pick-and-roll partner. This will be the fifth matchup between Zubac and Poeltl; Zubac has mostly got the better of Poeltl but, tonight, we will see how much of that had to do with the Spurs’ talent deficit. So long as Zubac can return to his full form, the Clippers should be able to at least neutralize Poeltl’s impact.

The Antagonist

If there is any team in the league that can matchup with the Clippers’ wing depth, it would be the Toronto Raptors. Siakam, Anunoby, and Barnes all have the length and athleticism to chase George, Leonard, and Morris around all game. Moreover, since Poeltl joined their starting lineup, the Raptors have the 11th best defense in the league (in the time, the Clippers have the 5th worst defense).

The Raptors also turn the ball over the least in the league; have the second best assist-to-turnover ratio; and lead the league in steals. The Clippers, of course, turn the ball over constantly. Not only does this lessen the amount of shots the Clippers can get up; it also creates transition opportunities for the opponent. And the Clippers do not have enough athleticism to chase down the Raptors’ wings in transition.

Notes

Two Days Off: The Clippers had Monday and Tuesday off after a hard-fought victory on Sunday over the Memphis Grizzlies. One would think that this would be a good thing for the Clippers. This year, though, the Clippers are 1-5 in games after two days of rest. In those games, the Clippers have shot 42.6% from the field and 30.5% from three. Dissecting why this has happened in beyond the scope of a game preview, but it is something to keep in mind going into this game.

Rooting Interests: The Lakers won last night, lifting them up to the 9th seed. The Thunder also beat the Warriors, which helps the Clippers to some extent. Mavericks over Jazz was also unhelpful, since the Clippers are more concerned with catching the Mavs than worried about the Jazz coming up from behind (right now, at least). Finally, the 76ers over the Timberwolves was unequivocally helpful. Here are the rooting interests for Wednesday night:

— Mavericks vs. Pelicans: This depends on how you feel about the Clippers going forward. If you’re worried they might fall further down, then you want the Pelicans to lose; if you think the Clippers have chance to climb up to the 5th seed, you want the Pelicans to win.

— Thunder vs. Suns: The Clippers likely cannot catch the Suns, so it might be wise to push the Thunder further out of contention (unless you want the Thunder to edge out the Lakers).

— Bulls vs. Nuggets: Go Bulls! Why not?

That about does it for this preview of the Clippers’ upcoming game against the Raptors. As always, check out The Lob The Jam The Podcast and Clips ‘N Dip for analysis throughout the week, and follow us on Twitter to watch the game with us!

Clippers vs. Raptors Game Preview
Kenneth Armstrong

The LA Clippers showed no signs of fatigue in the second game of a back to back with a solid 124-113 win over the Toronto Raptors.

Summary

It was Norman Powell’s first game back in Toronto since he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, and he certainly was ready to play. In a game that saw four Clippers reach the 20 point mark, Norman Powell led the bench unit with 22 points in the win.

The game started off as expected: the Raptors are a team that is better than their overall record would indicate, and they did a good job of keeping the game close against a Clippers team that played yesterday. The Clippers managed to grab hold of a small lead by the half, but the Raptors weren’t going to make this one easy.

In similar fashion to the Detroit game, the Clippers surged to a double-digit lead in the third quarter, with a lot of their activity coming from Ivica Zubac, who took advantage of the small Raptors frontcourt to the tune of 23 points and 16 rebounds.

In contrast to the Detroit game, the Clippers did not take their foot off the gas pedal for this one. Sure they let the Raptors sneak back to within 13 points about midway through the fourth quarter, but there would be no need for any late game heroics again.

The Raptors defense is what has been their calling card and they actually did a solid job in sending help on Kawhi Leonard and getting the ball out of his hands. Unfortunately for them, Leonard still managed to shred their defense with his passing and the Clippers shooters did their part knocking down their open shots.

The Clippers also managed to keep their turnovers low with only 11 total. Turnovers have plagued the Clippers all season but they took care of the ball against the Raptors and it led to a much more favorable result.

This was the best performance of the Clippers road trip so far before they march on to Boston.

Notes

-Ivica Zubac continues to show why is so important to the Clippers. In today’s game, few teams in the NBA have the size to be able to counter his presence. The Clippers are tough to beat when he’s active like this. He does so well recognizing when he has smaller defenders guarding him and his passing/decision making has improved tremendously.

-Reggie Jackson also showed why he integral to this team. He may not always be the most consistent player, but he brings a skill-set that few other players on the team do. He’s one of the best catch and shoot players on the team and his ball-handling and ability to attack the basket in the pick and roll can be crucial. It’s when he strays a little bit from that role and forces up shots sometimes when things break down.

-With John Wall out of the lineup, Tyronn Lue was unable to go with the multi-guard lineups he’s been so fond of this season. Instead, he opted to play Nicolas Batum with three guards and either Ivica Zubac and Marcus Morris. The lineup with Batum in place of another guard actually did well and should be more of a blueprint for effective lineups moving forward.

Clippers get impressive win in Toronto
David Yapkowitz

The LA Clippers continue their road swing with a trip up north against the Toronto Raptors.

Game Information

Where: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario

When: 4:30 PM PT

How to Watch: Clippervision, Bally Sports SoCal

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: Reggie Jackson – Paul George – Kawhi Leonard – Marcus Morris – Ivica Zubac

Raptors: Fred VanVleet – Scottie Barnes – OG Anunoby – Pascal Siakam – Juancho Hernangomez

Injury Report

Clippers: Brandon Boston Jr. (G League Assignment), Jason Preston (G League Assignment), Moussa Diabate (G League Assignment)

Raptors: Precious Achiuwa (ankle) doubtful, Otto Porter Jr. (toe) out.

The Big Picture

It hasn’t been a great start to the road trip for the Clippers. They got absolutely humiliated in Philadelphia after choking away a 20 point lead, and they were minutes away from one of the worst losses of the season against one of the absolute worst teams in the NBA in the Detroit Pistons. Sure the Clippers managed to pull off the win against the Pistons, but that was not a good look at all for a team that was supposed to be turning the corner.

Something clearly has to be done regarding the Clippers overuse of small, multi-guard lineups. Those lineups haven’t been very positive and they continually put the Clippers at a disadvantage defensively. Size on the wings is the name of the game in today’s NBA, and it’s not like the Clippers don’t have the personnel to play that way. Terance Mann, who is probably the most well-rounded player on the team outside of the Clippers stars, needs to be playing more. He just brings an all-around game on both ends of the court that is needed. It may be time to bring Robert Covington back into the rotation. His size and presence defensively would help as well.

The Clippers should be getting a boost though against the Raptors with Kawhi Leonard expected back in the lineup. He sat out Monday’s game against Detroit with the Clippers maintaining his injury management. Over the past few games, he’s been looking much more like the multiple-time All-Star he is and seems to be finally getting some of his rhythm back. It’s unclear though whether or not John Wall plays against the Raptors.

The Antagonist

The Raptors present a much different challenge than the Pistons. This is a team that is better than their record would suggest. They play hard and they always seem to give themselves a chance to win. It would have been ideal if the Clippers could have put the Pistons away early and given the starters some rest heading into Monday’s game. But the Clippers never seem to make things easier for themselves and so they’ll head over the border to face a rested Raptors team that hasn’t played since Dec. 23.

Toronto is led by All-Star Pascal Siakam, who is coming off being named Eastern Conference Player of the Week during a stretch that saw him drop a career-high 52 points. He’s playing some great basketball right now, but the Clippers have two players in Nicolas Batum and Robert Covington, should he actually play, that could perhaps make things tough for Siakam defensively.

The Raptors also have a quiet star in OG Anunoby who is healthy and playing the best basketball of his career. Anunoby is an absolute pest on the defensive end, and expect the Raptors to use him to frustrate Kawhi Leonard and maybe even Paul George.

This is a team that, due to their not so great record, has seen multiple players names start coming up in trade rumors. There are quite a few players on the Raptors roster that would most certainly help contending teams, but there’s no indication that the Raptors are even considering blowing the team up.

Clippers vs. Raptors Game Preview
David Yapkowitz

The LA Clippers return home after a three-game road trip to take on the visiting Toronto Raptors.

Game Information

Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA

When: 7:30 p.m PST

How to Watch: Bally Sports SoCal

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: Reggie Jackson – Amir Coffey – Nicolas Batum – Marcus Morris Sr. – Ivica Zubac

Raptors: Fred VanVleet – Gary Trent Jr. – Scottie Barnes – Pascal Siakam -Precious Achiuwa

Injury Report

Clippers: Paul George out (right elbow), Kawhi Leonard out (right knee), Norman Powell out (left foot), Jason Preston out (right foot), Jay Scrubb out (right foot).

Raptors: Fred VanVleet questionable (knee), OG Anunoby doubtful (finger), Malachi Flynn out (hamstring).

The Big Picture

With only a handful of games left in the regular season, the LA Clippers are pretty much locked in to eighth place in the Western Conference and a spot in the play-in. As a result, they can afford to rest players in the final stretch as they did Monday in Cleveland.

With Reggie Jackson being one of the beneficiaries of getting late season rest, it’s brought up the question as to whether or not the Clippers should have brought in a point guard for insurance since without Jackson there isn’t another true point guard on the roster.

But the team’s thinking seems to be that instead of bringing in a completely new player, both Terance Mann and Amir Coffey can both get more reps as ball-handlers and playmakers. After the Cleveland game, Ivica Zubac mentioned that there are a few players on the team that have experience running the point and are able to fill in despite the occasional absence of a true ball-handler.

In any case, it’s been a long and grueling season for the Clippers and getting some of the veteran guys who have been shouldering heavy loads this season some rest before the postseason is a good thing.

The Antagonist

Much like the Clippers, the Toronto Raptors come into the matchup also battling for playoff positioning. They’re only one game back of the sixth seeded Cavaliers and avoiding the play-in tournament altogether.

This is a group that despite some major departures from their 2019 championship team, is still a very formidable and dangerous opponent. They have two All-Star caliber players in Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam. They have a budding star in Scottie Barnes. And the Raptors have a few additional key young players in Gary Trent Jr., Precious Achiuwa, and OG Anunoby, who will not play against the Clippers.

Nick Nurse has solidified himself as one of the best coaches in the NBA and one who will get the most out of his roster. This is a team that likes to get out in the open court and score in transition, so limiting their fast break opportunities is going to be crucial for the Clippers.

For that, it’s going to take a combination of smart offense to limit Toronto’s rebounding opportunities as well as getting back on defense to disrupt the Raptors fast breaks.

Notes

• With only 11 games left in the regular season, there’s still been no concrete word as to whether or not Kawhi Leonard or Paul George are expected back this season. During a recent pregame availability, a seemingly exasperated Tyronn Lue stated that he was tired of talking about it and that if there’s any new information, he’ll let everyone know. It was a bit of a dream for Clippers fans to imagine Leonard and George returning in time for the playoffs and sparking the Clippers to a miracle run, but it’s looking increasingly likely that the dream will have to wait until next season and that as Lue said, the focus should be on the guys who have been fighting and clawing every single day.

Clippers vs. Raptors Game Preview:
David Yapkowitz

The LA Clippers will visit the Toronto Raptors in a Friday evening matchup, hoping to end 2021 with back-to-back wins. Continue reading for our Clippers vs Raptors preview.

Game Information

Where: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario

When: 4:30 p.m. PT

How to Tune in: Bally Sports SoCal, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

LA Clippers: Eric Bledsoe – Reggie Jackson – Terance Mann – Marcus Morris – Serge Ibaka

Toronto Raptors: Fred VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr., Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam, Precious Achiuwa

Injury Report

Clippers: Kawhi Leonard Out (knee), Jason Preston Out (Foot), Nicolas Batum Out (ankle), Isaiah Hartenstein Out (Ankle), Paul George Out (Elbow), Ivica Zubac Out (Protocols), Brandon Boston Jr. Out (Protocols), Jay Scrubb Out (Protocols), Moses Wright Out (Protocols)

Raptors: Justin Champagnie (Protocols), Isaac Bonga (Protocols)

The Big Picture

Wins are hard to come by at this point, and you can’t blame the Clippers for much of it. Health is an issue for this team – whether it’s due to an injury or the league’s health and safety protocols – leaving the Clips extremely thin and unpredictable on a nightly basis. That’s what the Raptors were dealing with not long ago when they had 11 players, including five starters, in the protocols. However, just about everyone on the Raptors is back in time for a date with the Clippers. LA will look for a win in order to stay above .500, while a victory for the Raptors will keep them in striking distance for the then seed.

The Antagonist

Toronto is ready to rebound from a brutal 144-99 defeat at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers last Sunday before its game against the Chicago Bulls was postponed just days later. As I alluded to previously, the Raptors are back on the right side of the battle with COVID-19 after getting clearance on their usual starters. The Clippers will get their first look at Rookie of the Year candidate Scottie Barnes while also having to deal with the hot-shooting of Gary Trent Jr., the two-way abilities of OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam, and the craftiness of Fred VanVleet running the point. On the flipside, Ty Lue’s squad will have to find a formula to combat a strong Toronto defense when it is at full health.

The game will look a bit different, though. Yes, the Clippers, specifically, will be depleted of much of their top talent. But the game might look a little bit like a 2020-21 regular-season game. Fan attendance will be limited to just 1,000 people at Scotiabank Arena due to the spike in cases, which will be far different from the last time the two teams met in Toronto in 2019 when Kawhi Leonard received his championship ring.

Clippers vs. Raptors Game Notes

• A Fast Start: LA did a good job on Wednesday in getting out to a solid start, which helped them stay in the lead for most of the game. Getting off to a slow start in Toronto would be an unideal scenario given how little firepower and available bodies that the Clips have to work with. It’ll be tough, but they’ll need to find a way to at least be within a score or two after the first quarter.
• Playing Freely: Players play their best basketball when they’re not overthinking every little thing. The “Life Vest” lineups will make an appearance in every weird and unorthodox way that suits them, and depth will be nearly zero. Guys on the court should operate with a “next play” mentality — embrace the ebbs and flows and just play basketball.

At the conclusion of this game, be sure to make your way back here for the recap.

Clippers vs. Raptors Preview: Looking to End the Year With A Win
Cole Huff