The Toronto Raptors begin a four-game road trip when they take on the Phoenix Suns.
Toronto is coming off a 41-point humiliating loss at the hands of the New Orleans Pelicans. Now they take on a Suns team that is fresh off an impressive victory over the defending champion Denver Nuggets.
The Raptors will once again be shorthanded for this matchup as Scottie Barnes and Jakob Poeltl are both out indefinitely following their surgeries. Bruce Brown Jr. will miss his third straight game with right knee inflation and Ochai Agbaji is questionable with knee soreness.
Kelly Olynyk will get the start in place of Poeltl. Also, if Agbaji is not ready to go the Raptors could start rookie Gradey Dick.
Also D.J. Carton is now questionable with an ankle sprain and Jalen McDaniels (illness) is questionable as well.
For the Suns they will be without Devin Booker as he is out with an ankle injury. Damion Lee, Nassir Little and Josh Okogie are all out.
However, the Raptors will still have to deal with Kevin Durant. He had 35 points against the Nuggets.
Also with the Raptors missing Poeltl, Nurkic will be a handful on the glass.
With the Raptors being depleted with injuries, this will certainly be a tough game for them to win.
Toronto is in 12th place in the Eastern Conference and they are unlikely to make a play-in push with Barnes out for an extended period of time.
The Suns are in an intense battle in the Western Conference standings so expect their best effort in this spot.
Toronto Raptors (23-39) vs. Phoenix Suns (36-26)
9:00 p.m. ET, Thursday, March 7, 2024
Footprint Center, Phoenix, Arizona
TV: Sportsnet
Projected Raptors Starting Lineup:
PG: Immanuel Quickley
SG: Gary Trent Jr.
SF: Gradey Dick
PF: RJ Barrett
C: Kelly Olynk
Key Reserves: Jordan Nwora, Jontay Porter, Javon Freeman-Liberty
Projected Suns Starting Lineup:
PG: Bradley Beal
SG: Grayson Allen
SF: Royce O’Neale
PF: Kevin Durant
C: Jusuf Nurkic
Key Reserves: Drew Eubanks, Eric Gordon, Bol Bol
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