Toronto Raptors looking for revenge against the San Antonio Spurs

The Toronto Raptors are the winners of six straight games, with their last loss coming against the San Antonio Spurs. On Sunday, they’ll be looking for revenge.

Since losing to the San Antonio Spurs, the Toronto Raptors have been pretty nifty in the win column. Winners of six straight and now tied with the Miami Heat for the second seed in the Eastern Conference, the Raptors will be looking to deal a bit of revenge to the Spurs when the two sides meet on Sunday afternoon.

The Spurs, since that win on January 12, have split their last games, going 3-3. Their ambitions with Gregg Popovich still lie in making the playoffs, and they sit only half a game behind the Memphis Grizzlies in the eighth seed. In truth, their experience will likely pin them as the favourites for that coveted spot.

That 105-104 defeat last time around was probably one close defeat too many from Nick Nurse. The Raptors have averaged 123.2 points per game, shooting 43-percent from three and 51-percent from the field in their last six games

The schedule has been kind to the Raptors, with four of their opponents clocking in at under .500, but that shouldn’t discount the victories by any means. Two of those wins came against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Philadelphia 76ers, two teams firmly in the playoff hunt.

With a win, the Raptors could push their agenda as one of the Eastern Conference’s elite teams, but the Spurs have already proved they’re no slouches once already this season.

LaMarcus Aldridge has adjusted his game

Once the pioneer of the most aesthetically pleasing team’s modern history, Gregg Popovich’s last few years have been lamenting the rise of the three-pointer. For the last five years, the Spurs have been taking a steady 20-or-so three-pointers per game, never rising above 28.1 per game, their average this season.

Maybe Pop has seen the light, though. More specifically, maybe he’s forced LaMarcus Aldridge to see the light. Aldridge has averaged 0.5 three-pointers per game in his career, a master of the midrange pick-and-pop, his style of play has been a declining trend in the NBA. With the Spurs, his archetype fits in.

Now, Aldridge is averaging 4.5 three-point attempts per game over his last 15 games, shooting a lofty 49-percent. Those are superb numbers. Aldridge only shot 2-of-6 from three against the Raptors, but his floor-spacing gave DeMar DeRozan more room to work. Take and make threes, and teams will take you seriously from beyond.

The Raptors have to take Aldridge seriously and limit those three-point attempts.

Player to watch: Fred VanVleet

Norman Powell isn’t just the only Raptor to be balling out at the moment, give a little credit Fred VanVleet, who has been fire over the last four games since returning from injury. VanVleet is averaging 21.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game, shooting 52-percent from the field and 65-percent from deep on 6.5 attempts per game.

He missed the previous game against the Spurs, with the electric Norman Powell deputising in his absence. Now, VanVleet gets a crack at San Antonio on the road as the Raptors look to win their seventh straight game.  If VanVleet carries on his rich vein of form, they might well be looking at a 32-14 record on the back of this game.

With the news of Pascal Siakam breaking into the All-Star Game as a starter for the first time in his career, VanVleet will be surging towards being a reserve for the first time too. Hopefully, they both step foot on the court in Chicago – but the Spurs come first.