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Previewing the Toronto Raptors five biggest games of March

By Go Paolo

TORONTO, ON- NOVEMBER 19 - Toronto Raptors head coach Dwane Casey talks things over with Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) as the Toronto Raptors play the Washington Wizards at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. November 19, 2017. (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON- NOVEMBER 19 - Toronto Raptors head coach Dwane Casey talks things over with Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) as the Toronto Raptors play the Washington Wizards at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. November 19, 2017. (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images) /
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Toronto Raptors: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets vs Serge Ibaka #9 of the Toronto Raptors (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

March 5 – Toronto Raptors vs Houston Rockets

Matchup Rating: 5/5

If it wasn’t for the top item on this list, this may be the Raptors’ most anticipated rematch. When they first met in Houston in January, Toronto was this close to coming from behind to beat Houston. It was a bizarre chain of events, but Toronto ultimately succumbed 121-119.

James Harden was in the middle of his 30-point streak and scored 35 points albeit doing so inefficiently, hitting only 9 of his 25 attempts including missing all but two of his 13 three-pointers.

Both teams were short-handed then. Houston didn’t have Clint Capela and Chris Paul and Toronto lacked Jonas Valanciunas. Yet, Toronto outrebounded Houston 47-40. Houston won this one on free throws (29 versus 17) and turnovers (12 versus 19).

With both teams at full strength, this becomes even more intriguing. The Rockets have alternated wins and losses lately and are 6-4 in February despite posting a net rating of +5.9. The team is still the second-best offensively (114.2), but are also leaky on defense (112.0, 25th).

The Rockets have Iman Shumpert, Gerald Green, and Nene Hilario as key rotation players. They are not the same team that pushed the Warriors to the brink last season. Yet they are still one of the best at exploiting the modern style of the NBA offense: threes and free throws.

Harden will continue to push Kawhi Leonard and get his points. But Toronto needs to play more efficiently and clamp down on their own mistakes. They swept a better Houston team last year. They should even this one out.

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