Preview: Toronto Raptors vs. San Antonio Spurs

Victor Wembanyama will visit Toronto for the first time as the Raptors host their struggling San Antonio Spurs.

• The author
  
  higgs31
  

• is on February 12, 2024 at 5:14 p.m

2023 1st overall pick and budding superstar Victor Wembanyama will make his first visit to Toronto tonight.

French has played a manly role in his young career, leading the league in blocks per game, and posting 20/10/3 and steals per game to go along with it. However, his immediate impact did not lead to the rapid team success that Spurs fans had hoped for.

The San Antonio Spurs are 10-43, last in the West and third in the NBA overall. Wemby's exploits so far have been impressive despite the team around him, and it looks like the team will add another top-5 prospect in the NBA draft this spring. For now, Spurs are a young, highly flawed team that simply wants to develop as players.

On the other hand, while the Toronto Raptors have begun to rebuild through the trades they've made over the last couple of months, it seems like the Raptors are looking for a quick turnaround that doesn't have to be as drastic as San Antonio's. there is

Having come so close to achieving that elusive pizza party, the Raptors will look to get back in the win column tonight against one of the league's bottom feeders. Their last outing against Tottenham got off to a rocky start, but led to a remarkable 20-point comeback in a game decided in overtime.

Slow starts were an issue for Toronto early in the season, but not so much of late. Even against one of the league's hottest teams in Cleveland in their last matchup, the Raptors were right there with them in the first quarter.

The key to tonight's matchup will be to come out hot and dominate the rebounding game to limit Vembanyama's scoring. Jacob Poeltl guarded the young center in November, holding Vembanyama to an average of 20 points and forcing him to take seven of 16 shots from deep rather than the paint.

Sticking with this game plan and getting more of the new guys in Agbaji and Olynyk should make for an interesting game and hopefully the Raptors win.

How to watch:

TSN 7:30 PM ET

Possible lineups:

Toronto: Immanuel Quickley, Gary Trent Jr., RJ Barrett, Scotty Barnes, Jacob Poeltl

San Antonio: Tre Jones, Devin Vassell, Julian Champagne, Jeremy Sochan, Victor Wembayama

Injuries:

Toronto: No tagged players

San Antonio: Charles Bassey (knee off), Marcus Morris Sr. (out – not on team)

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