Gameday: Raptors @ Pistons, January 11

The Toronto Raptors suit up for the final time this week as they visit the Pistons in Detroit on Saturday with hopes of snapping a four-game skid.

It’s been an equally busy week for the conference rivals as the weekend matchup will be the fourth game in six nights for both the Raptors and Pistons. For Toronto, it’ll also be a fourth straight contest against an opponent from the East.

The Pistons won the first two of four total meetings against the Raptors this year, picking up a four-point win during the NBA Cup group stage, followed by a two-point victory shortly after that.

Raptors Outlook: 

8-30 (14th in Eastern Conference) | Off rating: 109.8 (24th) | Def rating: 117.6 (27th) | Net rating: -7.9 (28th) | Previous result: Loss vs. Cavaliers (132-126)

The Raptors enter the night looking to avoid their sixth winless week of the season following losses to the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers heading into Saturday.

While disappointing (depending on who you ask), the squad inched toward respectability throughout the trifecta of L’s, looking better after each one. Toronto’s lifeless 24-point drubbing to Milwaukee was encored by a marginally better 14-point defeat to New York and then just six points separated it from NBA-best Cleveland on Thursday.

As far as losses go, the Raptors’ effort against an exceptional Cavaliers team — currently on pace for 73 wins (!) — was as good as it gets. While Toronto unsurprisingly let the league’s No. 1 offence do what it wanted — Cleveland put up 132 points on 53 and 40 per cent shooting from the field and distance — its ability to keep pace was impressive. The Raptors finished 60 per cent from the floor themselves and a ridiculous 45 per cent from beyond the arc while tying their fourth-highest scoring mark of the year.

Scottie Barnes led the charge on that front as he finished with a near-triple double of 24 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists while also making some history. With the effort he tied Chris Bosh for the second-fewest games (235) needed to eclipse 4,000 total points, behind only Vince Carter. Aside from Barnes, Chris Boucher also had a stellar game as the Montreal native chipped in 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting and 12 rebounds in 26 minutes off the bench.

It was the most playing time he’s gotten all season, and with Boucher’s name swirling in the NBA rumour mill ahead of the fast-approaching trade deadline, does that trend continue against the Pistons or does he go back to Darko’s dog house?

Pistons Outlook: 

19-19 (8th in Eastern Conference) | Off rating: 111.7 (17th) | Def rating: 113.0 (17th) | Net rating: -1.3 (18th) | Previous result: Loss vs. Warriors (107-104)

The Pistons enter Saturday with hopes of recapturing momentum after a narrow loss to the visiting Warriors halted their season-best five-game win streak. Despite the loss, the vibes remain pretty high in Detroit right now.

While Cade Cunningham is playing All-Star-worthy ball — averages of 24.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 9.3 assists (third in the NBA) — the pieces around him are starting to complete the puzzle and the Pistons are .500 this late into a season for the first time since 2018-19. It’s clear this squad is not the same as last year’s — who at one point had lost 28 in a row before beating who else but the Raptors — as they’ve already outpaced their 2023-24 win total of 14 in less than half the number of games.

Detroit has shown resilience as well, rattling off five consecutive wins even after losing third-year guard and starter Jaden Ivey due to a fractured left fibula. While the Pistons haven’t ruled him out for the year, they’ll certainly be without Ivey against the Raptors on Saturday — something most fans of the dinos ought to be okay with considering he sunk Toronto with a game-winner in mid-November. Meanwhile, Malik Beasley has slotted into Ivey’s place and it’s been a snug fit. The sharpshooter has eclipsed the 20-point mark in three of his last four outings and is averaging 16.8 points per game since Ivey’s absence.

Although middle-of-the-pack numbers on both ends wouldn’t be worth celebrating for some teams, for the Pistons who currently occupy a Play-In spot, it’s unfamiliar territory and a pretty impressive turnaround from last year.

Projected starting lineups (as of 9 a.m. ET)

Toronto Raptors

PG: Immanuel Quickley

SG: Gradey Dick 

SF: RJ Barrett 

PF: Scottie Barnes 

C: Jakob Poeltl 

Chicago Bulls

PG: Cade Cunningham 

SG: Malik Beasley  

SF: Ausar Thompson

PF: Tobias Harris

C: Jalen Duren  

Injury report (as of 9 a.m. ET)

Raptors:
Ochai Agbaji (Left hip pointer) — Doubtful
Jamison Battle (G League – two-way) — Out
Ulrich Chomche (G League – two-way) — Out
A.J. Lawson (G League – Two-Way) — Out
Jonathan Mogbo (G League – On assignment) — Out
Eugene Omoruyi (G League – On assignment) — Out

Pistons:
Tim Hardaway Jr. (Low back spasms) — Questionable
Jaden Ivey (Left fibula fracture) – Out
Ron Harper Jr. (G League – two-way) — Out
Daniss Jenkins (G League – two-way) — Out
Tolu Smith (G League – two-way) — Out
Bobi Klintman (G League – On assignment) — Out

Game Info

Tip-Off: 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT
Television: TSN 
Radio: Sportsnet 590

Lines

*Odds as of Jan. 11, 12:00 am ET*

All Toronto Raptors odds are provided by NBA Betting Site Betway!

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