The short-handed Toronto Raptors will travel to Arizona on Thursday night to face the Phoenix Suns. The Raptors sit in 12th place in the Eastern Conference with a 23-39 record, while recently losing All-Star forward Scottie Barnes to a fractured hand. The Suns sit in sixth place in the Western Conference standings with a record of 36-26, 5-5 in their last ten games. The opening tap is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. EST.
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Raptor Rework
The Toronto Raptors were eliminated for the second time in less than a month against the Pelicans on Tuesday night, 139-98. Emmanuel Quickley led the shorthanded Raptors with 17 points in the team’s worst home loss since 1996. Toronto played the game without star player Scottie Barnes as well as center Jakob Poeltl. Barnes will be lost for at least the next few weeks after undergoing surgery on his fractured hand. He may not return until the end of the season.
From defense to offense ???? @gradey_dick pic.twitter.com/aRrSsE8Njz
– Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) March 6, 2024
Toronto is now mired in 12th place in the conference and is unlikely to make the playoffs with Barnes out for an extended period of time. The Raptors are 17th in the NBA in scoring this season. They are 14th in field goal shooting and only 23rd in 3-point shooting. They are also 23rd in 3-point field goals made per game. On the defensive side, the Raptors are 21st in defense. They are 22nd in field goal defense and 19th in 3-point defense. The Raptors are also 17th in total rebounds per game in the NBA as well as 17th in fewest turnovers per game.
Key Injuries: G/F Bruce Brown is day-to-day; Barnes and Poeltl are absent.
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Rising suns
The Phoenix Suns survived a furious comeback from the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night and earned a 117-107 overtime victory over the defending champions on the road. Kevin Durant scored 35 points including eight points in overtime to help the Suns secure the victory. Phoenix led by as many as 22 points in the game, but it took a step-back 3-pointer from Durant to force overtime with less than 30 seconds left. Bradley Beal scored five of his 16 points in the overtime session.
“I knew coming into half court, ‘It’s play or die here, I have to make this shot or it could be a play.’ said Durant, who was 14 of 34 from the floor. “My fundamentals were good on that point.
“It felt good to get my hands off. … I love hearing the crowd go quiet. It’s always a good feeling on the road.”
-Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 6, 2024
The Phoenix Suns sit sixth in the Western Conference standings, but a strong finish could help them leapfrog some teams ahead of them. The Suns are 13th in the NBA in scoring this season. They are fifth in field goal percentage and eighth in three-point percentage this season. The Suns are just 22nd in the NBA in 3-pointers made per game. Phoenix is 16th in the NBA in terms of defense. They are seventh in field goal defense and 13th in 3-point defense. The Suns are 11th in the NBA in total rebounds per game this season. They are just 27th in fewest turnovers this season.
Key Injuries: SF Josh Okogie, G Devin Booker SF Nassir Little are all out.
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Best bets for this game
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The Raptors lost a lot of their bite with Barnes out of the lineup. The Raptors miss his scoring, his playmaking, his rebounding and his defense. Barnes’ defense will be especially missed in this game against the Suns’ Durant. Even without Booker available, the Suns have too much firepower for the Raptors. Toronto is already only 17th in the NBA in offense this season and that number will decline without Barnes in the lineup. The Suns should also be able to exploit the banged-up Raptors in the paint, with not only Barnes but Poeltl as well. Expect the Suns to keep pace with the Western Conference playoffs with a win on Thursday night.
Take Phoenix.
Prediction: Suns to cover
Total choice of the complete game
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The Suns’ games have totaled 124 points or more in six of their last seven games. The Raptors are just 21st in the NBA in terms of defense and that defense will suffer without Barnes and perhaps also without the everyday listed Brown. The Raptors have allowed 120 or more points in each of their last five losses. The Raptors also want to play fast, ranking 14th in pace of play and first in fast break points.
Take over.
Prediction: More
