Jay Satur - Raptors.com
It's the end of a three-game homestand for the Raptors tonight, as they face the banged-up but still dangerous Houston Rockets tonight at Air Canada Centre (7:30 PM ET, TSN 2, TSN 1050 Radio).
Projected Starting Lineups
Raptors: Greivis Vasquez (G), DeMar DeRozan (G), Terrence Ross (F), Amir Johnson (F), Jonas Valanciunas (C)
Rockets: Jason Terry (G), James Harden (G), Trevor Ariza (F), Josh Smith (F), Joey Dorsey (C)
Injury/Roster Report
Raptors: Kyle Lowry - back spasms (out)
Rockets: Dwight Howard -right knee edema (questionable), Patrick Beverley - left wrist sprain (out), Terrence Jones - pneumothorax (out), Donatas Motiejunas -low back pain (out) and Kostas Papanikolaou - sprained right ankle (out).
Game Notes
-
There are some positives for the Raptors to draw upon facing a Rockets team that's already at the 50-win mark tonight. The Raptors have fared pretty well against the Western Conference at home this season with a mark of 10-4 to date (losses to Mavs, Warriors, Pelicans and Blazers). The Rockets also haven't won in Toronto since March of 2007 and these two teams have split the season series in eight straight seasons.
-
The Raptors wrapped up their second straight Atlantic Division title after Friday's win over the Lakers, but they're still plenty to fight for in these final nine regular-season games. Consistency, particularly on defence, is of primary concern, but the Raptors also enter play tonight 2.5 games ahead of the Washington Wizards to maintain homecourt advantage in the playoffs. The Raptors' first 50-win season also remains within reach, but would require an incredibly strong finish (7-2) with a road-heavy final stretch.
-
The Raptors are expected to be without Kyle Lowry tonight, who remains out indefinitely with back spasms. The Raptors improved to 3-4 without Lowry in the lineup this season following Friday's win. According to NBA.com, the Raptors are 0-3 against Lowry's former team with the All-Star in the lineup, but have won both game's where he's been out.
-
The Rockets come into this one hot having won four straight games, including Sunday's 99-91 win at Washington to give them their 50th win of the season and maintain a slim lead over the Memphis Grizzlies atop the ultra-competitive Midwest Division. The win also improved the Rockets record against Eastern Conference opponents to 22-6 -- the second-best mark in the league.
-
Dwight Howard helped the Rockets to a decisive rebounding edge on Sunday with 11 points and 10 rebounds in his third game back from a knee injury, but he may sit tonight. Coach Kevin McHale indicated pre-game Sunday that Howard wouldn't play both games of this back-to-back set and if they stick with that, his team is going to be shorthanded tonight with Patrick Beverley, Terrence Jones, Donatas Motiejunas and Kostas Papanikolaou already out.
-
The Rockets did get reserve forward Corey Brewer back from a left oblique strain on Sunday, who will undoubtedly have the Raptors' attention tonight after scoring a game-high 26 points in the first meeting -- a 98-76 blowout win for Houston -- back on February 21st. James Harden, who is averaging 31.5 points during the Rockets current win streak, scored 20 points in the first meeting on 5-for-12 shooting from the field.