Toronto Raptors' Schedule Breakdown and Record Predictions for January
The Toronto Raptors enter January with a great deal of momentum after reeling off an impressive 11-4 record in December.
What makes that run all the more remarkable is that they've been without the services of guard DeMar DeRozan, whose been out of action since Nov. 30 with a left groin injury.
The team will finish 2014 as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for 57 consecutive days, the longest streak in franchise history.
Their favorable early-season schedule (11 of their first 16 games at the Air Canada Centre) helped set them off on the right foot. They have maintained their winning ways away from their homecourt with a 10-5 record on the road as well.
They're also 9-3 against the dreaded Western Conference, including victories over the Memphis Grizzlies (22-8) and Los Angeles Clippers (21-11).
Of their 16 games in January, only five come against opponents with winning records through Dec. 30. A six-game stretch at home in the middle of the month against teams with a combined record of 68-111 (.379) should help pad one of the best home records (14-3) in basketball.
DeRozan's return to the lineup will likely come at some point in the coming weeks. He's traveling with the team during their current five-game road trip against the West, a sign that his recovery may be nearing its completion.
Having exceeded expectations during a tumultuous period without one of their top scorers, the Raptors can only hope that the next 31 days bring them similar fortune (and a healthy All-Star).
Jan. 1 Through Jan. 4
1 of 5
Key matchup: Jan. 2 at Golden State Warriors, 10:30 p.m. EST (L)
Rest of schedule: Jan. 4 at Phoenix Suns, 8 p.m. EST (W)
First-year head coach Steve Kerr and his sharpshooting Warriors (48.2 shooting percentage, first) own the NBA's best record at 25-5. His starting backcourt of Stephen Curry (23.1 points and 7.6 assists) and Klay Thompson (21.3 points) are a deadly one-two punch, shooting 38.8 and 42.3 percent from behind the arc, respectively.
The Raptors may catch a break, though, if center Andrew Bogut is unable to suit up. He's been inactive since Dec. 10 after undergoing platelet-rich plasma therapy on his right knee, per ESPN.com. The team has gone 7-3 during that span.
The Bay Area News Group's Marcus Thompson believes Bogut's health is vital to the Warriors' future success, especially considering his defensive intangibles:
"With Bogut, the Warriors are one of the top three teams in the NBA. They can play any style, dominate on defense and overwhelm on offense.
Without him, they are good but exploitable. They lose rim protection, a must in high-stakes hoops. They also lose a quality offensive trinket: a big man who can orchestrate the half-court offense.
With Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson leading the way, the Warriors can hang with the big boys. Throw in Bogut, they are the big boys.
"
It was back on Feb. 8, 2004, when Toronto last came away with a victory at the Oracle Arena (84-81 in OT). It will be a tough go defeating the only team with a top-five ranking in both offensive (107.9, fourth) and defensive (96.2, first) efficiency, although their defensive efficiency drops to 99.5 (sixth) with Bogut sidelined.
The Raptors emerged with a narrow 104-100 victory at home against the Phoenix Suns on Nov. 24. Jonas Valanciunas had a career-high 27 points, while Lou Williams chipped in 17 off the bench.
Both sides have split their last four meetings at Talking Stick Resort Arena. With a lack of size in their frontcourt, the Raptors should look for Valanciunas often as he goes right at Alex Len and Miles Plumlee for a second time.
Weekly record: 1-1
Monthly record: 1-1
Jan. 5 Through Jan. 11
2 of 5
Key matchup: Jan. 8 vs. Charlotte Hornets, 7:30 p.m. ET (W)
Rest of schedule: Jan. 10 vs. Boston Celtics, 7:30 p.m. ET (W)
Don't take the Charlotte Hornets' harrowing 10-22 record as a sign that this matchup will be a walk in the park
It's certainly debatable that no other team has given the Raptors more of a migraine than the Hornets in recent memory, having won 11 of their last 14 clashes.
Lance Stephenson (10.2 points on 38.6 percent shooting) has been more trouble than he's worth since signing his three-year deal, forcing management to already explore trade options for the problematic 24-year-old.
Charlotte's issues go way beyond just Stephenson, though. Their roster lacks any consistent shooters, putting the team near the bottom of the league in both field goal (42.8, 28th) and three-point (32.2, 28th) percentage.
As Zach Lowe notes for Grantland, the Hornets' offense can't thrive on Al Jefferson (18.0 points and 8.2 rebounds) post-ups alone:
"In hindsight, it’s clear the Hornets did not do enough to remedy their lack of shooting [over the offseason]. Any offense built around post-ups cannot afford to surround those post-up threats with crappy shooting. Ask the Grizzlies, who haven’t had an above-average offense since trading for Zach Randolph.
"
Even with their litany of issues, the Hornets always manage to bring their best stuff against Toronto. On the bright side, two of their three meetings in 2013-14 were decided by a bucket, keeping the gap relatively close.
Better late-game execution will be a must if head coach Dwane Casey and his players hope to end their drought against Steve Clifford's squad.
With Jefferson now out for the next four weeks with a left groin injury (per Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer), that task becomes a lot easier.
Jan. 10 will be the Raptors' first look at the Boston Celtics since Rajon Rondo was dealt to the Dallas Mavericks on Dec. 18. They've gone 1-4 since that time.
Weekly record: 2-0
Monthly record: 3-1
Jan. 12 Through Jan. 18
3 of 5
Key matchup: Jan. 16 vs. Atlanta Hawks, 7:30 p.m. ET (W)
Rest of schedule: Jan. 12 vs. Detroit Pistons, 7:30 p.m. ET (W), Jan. 14 vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 7:30 p.m. ET (W), Jan. 18 vs. New Orleans Pelicans, 3:30 p.m. ET (W)
Knocking on the door of the Raptors for first place in the East are the Atlanta Hawks, who are just half a game back at 23-8.
Two of their eight defeats have come against Toronto, including a 126-115 defensive meltdown on Nov. 26. Seven Raptors scored in double-figures, led by DeRozan's 27 points on 8-of-16 shooting.
The Hawks are 16-2 since then, with big victories over NBA juggernauts the Chicago Bulls (22-10), Houston Rockets (21-9) and Dallas Mavericks (23-10).
Kyle Korver continues to be a deadly assassin with his shot, going 49.8 percent from the field, 52.0 percent from three-point range and 93.8 percent from the charity stripe. Brandon Gdula of NumberFire.com recently discussed how his three-point marksmanship will make history if he maintains his current pace:
"If you include Korver's 2014-15 season, then only eight instances in NBA history exist in which a player plays in double-digit games, maintains a three-point percentage at or better than 45.0%, and attempts at least 5.0 attempts per game. So, Korver is in some pretty elite company right now.
Of those eight such occurrences, no player has done it multiple times except for Korver, who has already done it twice (his first two years in Atlanta, 2012-13 and 2013-14), and unless he regresses at a catastrophic pace, he will do it three times, meaning only five other players have accomplished in a season what he has done three times.
"
Atlanta will be motivated to get their first win of the year against Toronto, although that's easier said than done against a team that matches up well with them across the board.
The Detroit Pistons will be out for revenge after James Johnson sucked the gravity out of their building on Dec. 19, while the Philadelphia 76ers will look to avoid losing by 32 like they did on Nov. 9. I wouldn't trust either team to make it happen.
Anthony Davis will be making his only appearance north of the border this week. Toronto will be on four days' rest after a projected rout of the 76ers. New Orleans is winless at the ACC since 2008-09.
Weekly record: 4-0
Monthly record: 7-1
Jan. 19 Through Jan. 25
4 of 5
Key matchup: Jan. 19 at Milwaukee Bucks, 8 p.m. ET (W)
Rest of schedule: Jan. 21 at Memphis Grizzlies, 8 p.m. ET (L), Jan. 23 at Philadelphia 76ers, 7 p.m. ET (W), Jan. 25 vs. Detroit Pistons, 7 p.m. ET (W)
The Milwaukee Bucks are channeling their inner 2013-14 Phoenix Suns (finished 48-34) with a young roster that's playing beyond what they were forecasted to do, chasing a playoff spot in the process.
If they continue to hover around the .500 mark (16-16) for the remainder of the season, they'll likely find themselves with a middle seed come April. They're already surpassed their win total from last year (15-67) in the first two months.
Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report believes a postseason berth would be worth its weight in gold for a rising squad like the Bucks:
"Milwaukee has all that—the youth, the right mix of vets and the coach—and it can improve every one of those valuable rebuilding components with a postseason berth. Playoff experience could supercharge the growth process for this team. It would be huge for guys like Antetokounmpo and Parker in particular, even if the latter was only watching from the sidelines.
"
The Raptors disposed of them in convincing fashion on Nov. 21, winning by 42 points in a 124-82 annihilation. Jabari Parker led Milwaukee in scoring with 15 points. He's out for the season with an ACL injury.
Their team operates on the playmaking of Brandon Knight, an erratic guard who has a tendency to make poor decisions. He's averaging a respectable 17.8 points, but his 3.5 turnovers are ninth overall.
It will be interesting to see how Toronto fares against the Grizzlies, now that they're at full strength. They only had nine players dressed in a 96-92 loss on Nov. 19.
Weekly record: 3-1
Monthly record: 10-2
Jan. 26 Through Jan. 31
5 of 5
Key matchup: Jan. 31 at Washington Wizards, 7 p.m. ET (L)
Rest of schedule: Jan. 27 at Indiana Pacers, 7 p.m. ET (W), Jan. 28 vs. Sacramento Kings, 7:30 p.m. ET (L), Jan. 30 at Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 p.m. ET (W)
Kyle Lowry gives the Raptors 20.7 points, 7.7 assists and 4.8 rebounds a game. He's probably only rivaled among East point guards by the Washington Wizards' John Wall (17.4 points, 10.3 assists and 4.6 rebounds).
Both players have a legitimate claim to being the best the conference has to offer. More head-to-head matchups will help determine bragging rights.
Lowry leads 1-0 after a 103-84 Raptors win on Nov. 7, although Bradley Beal (15.5 points and 3.5 rebounds) wasn't in uniform for Washington. Beal has breakout star potential, and will make a world of different when these teams lock horns for a second time.
Every opponent on the slate this week has already fallen to Toronto. The Sacramento Kings put up the best fight, losing by eight (117-109) on Dec. 2.
Their rematch could be a trap game on the second night of a back-to-back. DeMarcus Cousins, who didn't play the first game with a virus, will be available barring an unforeseen injury.
He averages more points against the Raptors (22.9) than any other team for his career.
The Brooklyn Nets can't seem to figure out who they are or what their identity is. Deron Williams is coming off the bench, while his and Brook Lopez' names are being tossed around as trade bait.
Coach Lionel Hollins is not at all impressed with the level his team continues to compete at, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News:
"I thought coming in that we had some pieces that were capable of scoring a lot of points, that we had a high basketball IQ, that we had a high-skill basketball team. But that turned out not to be as broad as I thought it was. It’s narrow.
"
The ineptitude of the Atlantic Division (second place Nets are 8.5 games back) has any loss to any of the four other teams (Nets, 76ers, Celtics and New York Knicks) being looked at as a major upset. The Raptors are 16-2 against teams below the .500 mark, so I'd be surprised if they let one slip away against their hated rivals.
Weekly record: 2-2
Monthly record: 12-4
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
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
