Toronto Raptors pose next challenge for surging LA Clippers in NBA

TORONTO – The Los Angeles Clippers will be going for their fifth consecutive National Basketball Association (NBA) victory on Jan 16 (Jan 17, Singapore time), when they open a three-game road trip against the Toronto Raptors.

The surging Clippers took their fourth win in a row and 11th in the past 13 with a 119-105 home victory over the Washington Wizards on Jan 14.

Kawhi Leonard, who led the Raptors to the 2019 NBA championship in his only season with Toronto, had 33 points, while James Harden added 22 points.

Once again, the duo will be the key players for the Clippers.

Toronto also won on Jan 14, 115-101 on the road over the Indiana Pacers.

This will be the first meeting of the season between the Clippers and Raptors, who split two games last season.

The Clippers, who have played their way into play-off contention, were without Ivica Zubac (ankle) and John Collins (groin) against the Wizards. Leonard (ankle) was a game-time decision and played 31 minutes.

A major factor in their recent surge has been an improved defence and it showed late on against the Wizards.

“I told our guys that we shouldn’t have to have shootarounds,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said.

“We should come in every night and know what we’re doing defensively, knowing what we’re doing offensively, how we want to attack.

“So, we’ve got to get to that point where we’re good enough to do that. But we just have to keep building defensively.

“And then offensively, (Harden) and (Leonard) are special enough offensively that we can get through, but it’s going to be our defence that pulls us through.”

The Raptors also were undermanned, playing without Immanuel Quickley (back), R.J. Barrett (ankle), Jakob Poeltl (back), Ja’Kobe Walter (hip) and Sandro Mamukelashvili (illness).

The depleted line-up meant role changes for some Raptors, including Scottie Barnes, who was often needed as a playmaker, while also contributing 26 points.

“He did a great job organising the team and putting his teammates in the right spots, attacking matchups, posting up the way it was needed,” said Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic.

After the Jan 16 game, Toronto will embark on a five-game road trip, starting on Jan 18 against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Meanwhile, in NBA action on Jan 15, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tallied 20 points, Chet Holmgren scored 18, while Ajay Mitchell added 17 off the bench as the Oklahoma City Thunder extended their winning streak to five games with a 111-91 road victory over the Houston Rockets.

Elsewhere, reserve Anfernee Simons scored 18 of his season-high 39 points in the fourth quarter as the Boston Celtics rallied to beat the Miami Heat 119-114 on the road.

Jaylen Brown, who had missed Boston’s previous game due to back spasms, added 27 points.

REUTERS