Nov. 29- Toronto Raptors vs. Golden State Warriors
Key matchup: Kevin Durant vs. Kawhi Leonard
The largest and final game of the November slate serves as a litmus test for the new-look Raptors.
Last season, primed to reach the NBA Finals from the Eastern Conference’s first seed, the Raptors were swept by James in the semifinals. In the regular season, the Raptors dropped both of their matchups to the back-to-back NBA Champions. Both losses came by way of single digits.
This year, led by Leonard and Lowry, the Raptors have looked even better than last year. The team has won every game in the first month sans a lone loss against the Milwaukee Bucks with Leonard resting.
A resting of Leonard should not be a worry this time around as the game is sandwiched by a pair of off days.
Leonard will be sorely needed in the contest if the Raptors hope to contain premier-scoring threat, Kevin Durant. In the shadows at times behind Stephen Curry, Durant has been lethal this year. With a scoring output of 27.8 points per game on a career-high 60-percent effective field goal percentage, the 6-foot-9-inch forward has had his way.
Enter a two-time Defensive Player of the Year in Leonard.
According to the landofbasketball.com, in the two players 31 games pinned against each other, Durant has far exceeded his counterpart. In all, Durant has averaged 10.9 more points and two more assists per game.
In order for the Raptors to reserve their winless record against the league’s premier superteam, a juxtaposition of results between the two forwards is crucial.
The game may be a preview of the NBA Finals so that a win would go a long way for the perennial underdogs. With a win over the Celtics already this year, the Warriors stand as the toughest test on the schedule.