Toronto Raptors' Schedule Breakdown and Record Predictions for February

The 33-16 Toronto Raptors should be looking at their 11-game schedule in February with mixed emotions.

They'll be happy knowing they get some semblance of a break in the middle of the month for NBA All-Star weekend. For a team that's appeared fatigued and unenthused during stretches over the past several weeks, some time away from the hardwood should do wonders. 

Then again, with nine of their 11 games being against teams above the .500 mark, it's easy to see the Raptors being worse for wear when it's all said and done. 

They're 9-5 in their last 14 games, although just two of those wins came against winning teams (Milwaukee and Washington). They've proved they can handle the riffraff of the NBA, but with an 11-12 record against teams above .500, hanging with the best of the best on a consistent basis is something they're still trying to achieve.

A mere six games separate the No. 2 and No. 6 seeds in the Eastern Conference. Competition is heating up as teams jockey for position near the top of the standings with the playoffs not too far off in the distance. 

It's going to be tough. As resourceful as the Raptors have proved to be over the course of the season, emerging from February with their heads still on their shoulders may be easier said then done. 

Feb. 1-7

Jason DeCrow/Associated Press

Key matchup: Feb. 4 vs. Brooklyn Nets (19-28)

Rest of schedule: Feb. 2 vs. Milwaukee Bucks (82-75 loss), Feb. 6 vs. Los Angeles Clippers (33-16)

We're just running down the clock until the Raptors clinch their second straight Atlantic Division crown. With a 13-game lead over their rival Brooklyn Nets, the franchise could go ahead and hang another banner from the rafters of the Air Canada Centre whenever it sees fit. 

Hollinger's 2014-15 Playoff Odds give Toronto a 100 percent likelihood of winning its division, something no other team in the NBA has. It's also the only team to remain undefeated in its division at 9-0. 

This doesn't mean the Nets are going to lay down and die at the hands of the "We The North" movement, though. That was made extra clear when they took the Raptors to the limit in a 127-122 overtime defeat at the Barclays Center on Jan. 30. 

That victory gave Toronto a 38-37 lead in the all-time regular-season series. Add in a seven-game playoff series in 2013-14 that was ultimately decided by one shot, and you have one of the tightest head-to-head matchups going today. 

Expect the Raptors to be extra motivated for that one after a ghastly showing against Milwaukee on Feb. 2. 

It was their first game after playing four in five nights Jan. 27-31. The offense was AWOL as it shot 32.1 percent from the field for 75 points. It was an odd night for a team that hadn't scored fewer than 86 prior to that point. 

The Los Angeles Clippers have lost four of their last five at the ACC, including a 110-98 defeat at the Staples Center on Dec. 27. 

It was during their last trip north of the border when Terrence Ross scored 51 points, tying a franchise record. If he would like to put up similar numbers once again, it would be greatly appreciated. 

He hasn't scored more than 25 points since that night. Talk about an apparition. 

Projected record: 2-1

Wins: Brooklyn, Los Angeles

Losses: Milwaukee

Feb. 8-14

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

Key matchup: Feb. 11 vs. Washington Wizards (31-18)

Rest of schedule: Feb. 8 vs. San Antonio Spurs (30-18)

The Raptors don't fear the Washington Wizards. They have their number.

After a 120-116 overtime win on Jan. 31, Patrick Patterson shared his thoughts on the opposition, per Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun:

"

When we go up against Washington our coaching staff does a great job with the personnel and the scouting report.

We know they’re a great transition team, we know Bradley Beal and John Wall are a tremendous duo, Gortat and Nene establish themselves down low. Luckily we utilize our skills, our leaders step up when they need to step up, our bench carries loads at certain times and the starting unit does their job.

"

Toronto has an answer for every one of Washington's weapons: Kyle Lowry for Wall, DeMar DeRozan for Beal, Amir Johnson for Nene and Jonas Valanciunas for Marcin Gortat. 

The Raptors are 2-0 on the season with their third meeting coming right before the All-Star break. They'll have three days of rest prior to the game and another seven coming right after. Coach Dwane Casey can work freely with his rotations and not worry about overworking his players.

It's hard to figure out which San Antonio Spurs team the Raptors will go up against on Feb. 8. Gregg Popovich is sneaky when it comes to resting his players and throwing out different lineups. 

Perhaps it won't matter whom he uses, though. Toronto has lost its last seven against the defending NBA champions. 

The Spurs also have the fourth-highest scoring bench at 40.5 points, just 0.3 points better than Toronto's, per Hoopsstats.com. San Antonio has the depth to compensate for any major absence. 

What both of these games lead to is what Raptors fans are really dying to see: Lowry start for the Eastern Conference All-Star team on Feb. 15. 

Soak it in, Canada. How sweet it is. 

Projected record: 1-1

Wins: Washington

Losses: San Antonio

Feb. 15-21

Todd Kirkland/Associated Press

Key matchup: Feb. 20 at Atlanta Hawks (40-9)

Rest of schedule: Feb. 21 at Houston Rockets (33-15)

It was fun while it lasted, Atlanta. Its 19-game winning streak came to a crashing halt on Feb. 2 when it fell to the New Orleans Pelicans, 115-100.

At least the Raptors won't have to be deal with the backdrop of the streak and the fear of becoming just another victim (again) on the Hawks' path of dominance.

They already managed to do that anyway, losing 110-89 on Jan. 16 for the Hawks' 11th straight victory. The loss was so ugly, the Raptors had to have a team meeting afterward to clear the air.

“We had a long talk,” James Johnson said, per Eric Koreen of the National Post. “It’s going to stay internal. But we just got a little over-confident and we started taking to heart that we’re a good team and we haven’t accomplished nothing yet."

Their two victories over the birds of prey in October and November are a distant memory. The Hawks are an entirely different squad in terms of their confidence, chemistry and the mindset that they can hang with anyone put in front of them.

The loss to New Orleans is just a blemish. All good things must come to an end. To think they'll fall off now because of one measly game is beyond insane. The Hawks are a powerhouse, and the Raptors—like any other team would—will be in a world of trouble if they put forth a similar effort for their final trip to the Phillips Arena. 

Toronto will have to travel to Houston the following night to take on the NBA's leading scorer in James Harden. Oh joy. 

The Raptors haven't beaten the Rockets on the road since Feb. 28, 2007. History is not on their side, even with Dwight Howard out of action. 

Projected record: 0-2

Wins: N/A

Losses: Atlanta, Houston

Feb. 22-28

USA TODAY Sports

Key matchup: Feb. 27 vs. Golden State Warriors (37-8)

Rest of schedule: Feb. 23 at New Orleans Pelicans (26-22), Feb. 24 at Dallas Mavericks (33-17), Feb. 28 at New York Knicks (10-39)

In my January predictions piece for the Raptors, I teased the Golden State Warriors with the infamous "Warriors, come out to play-i-ay" line from The Warriors film. 

Big mistake on my part.

I even felt that Toronto would catch a break if Andrew Bogut continued to sit with his ailing right knee. Marreese Speights started at center instead and dropped 26 points on 12-of-19 shooting. 

Stephen Curry led the way with a double-double of 32 points and 12 assists, while Klay Thompson added 20 points and four three-pointers. It was a blowout in every sense of the word. 

“They shot the hell out of the ball man, but that’s how that team is built,” Lou Williams said afterward, per Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. “They've got a lot of guys who can make shots. They’re not called Splash Brothers, and all these different nicknames, for no reason."

"We should mark it on the calendar," Casey added. Redemption is there for the taking if the Raptors want it bad enough. 

Cutting down on turnovers would be a nice start. Their 17 turnovers led to 25 points for the Warriors. Giving away buckets to a team with the offensive firepower of Golden State is a basketball sin. 

Before the Raptors get a chance to seek revenge on Curry and company, they'll need to finish their three-game Western Conference road trip with games against the New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks.

The Pelicans escaped with a 95-93 win on Jan. 18 without the services of superstar Anthony Davis. He's a team unto himself, so just imagine how formidable the Pelicans will be with their superstar back in the frontcourt. 

Only three teams own better offensive ratings than the Raptors: Golden State, Los Angeles (Clippers) and the Dallas Mavericks. Monta Ellis and Dirk Nowitzki are both capable of erupting offensively, while Rajon Rondo will give Lowry fits on the defensive end. 

Losing to the New York Knicks would be disastrous. At the risk of having disgruntled fans approach my front door with pitchforks and flaming torches, I'm just going to pencil in a win for Toronto at Madison Square Garden. 

Projected record: 2-2

Wins: New Orleans, New York

Losses: Golden State, Dallas

February Recap

Jason DeCrow/Associated Press

February record: 5-6

This will be the Raptors' first losing record for a month since Rudy Gay was shipped away to the Sacramento Kings in Dec. 2013. 

Does this mean fans should jump off the bandwagon while they still have a chance? Absolutely not. Is the team capable of exceeding expectations and completing an upset or two? You better believe it. 

This is going to test the Raptors' will and be a solid indicator as to where they rank among the NBA's elite, if we haven't figured that out as of yet. 

We may even get some answers along the way to how this team will be formatted come the postseason. What will Valanciunas' minutes look like? Will Terrence Ross return to the starting lineup? 

Don't hold your breath if you're expecting general manager Masai Ujiri to make any bold moves before the Feb. 19 trade deadline. An expiring contract like Landry Fields may be sent packing, but that's about it. For the most part, the players you see now will be the ones representing Toronto in late April and early May. 

The Raptors are going to be in the playoffs. It's just a matter of what seed they land and who they square off with. 

Christopher Walder is considered by many to be the "songbird of his generation" and the greatest center to have never played professional, collegiate, high school, house league or pickup basketball. His work has been published on Bleacher Report, SB Nation, Sports Illustrated, FanSided and several other online outlets. You may follow him on Twitter at @WalderSports.

All statistics, unless otherwise noted, are courtesy of NBA.com/stats and Basketball-Reference.com.