Spurs vs. Raptors: Why Toronto is San Antonio's Toughest Test Yet
The San Antonio Spurs suit up for the third game of their four-game home stand Wednesday night, as they'll host the Toronto Raptors (4-3) for the first of two regular-season meetings.
San Antonio is coming off a 107-98 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday and will aim for a third-straight win. But that winning streak will be challenging to extend against Toronto.
The Raptors have a dangerously-long lineup of versatile forwards that pose problems on both ends of the court. Players like Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam, O.G. Anunoby, and Precious Achiuwa can all wreak havoc in various ways. At the same time, guards like Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. can punish defenses from beyond the arc.
Toronto has an impressive team with few weaknesses, so let's look at three reasons why the Raptors will be a tough out for the Spurs.
1. Raptors lead the league in steals per game, Spurs lead the league in turnovers
One might call it the perfect storm. Through the first two weeks of the season, the Spurs and Raptors have been mirrors of one another in the turnover department. The young-minded Spurs have been one of the league's biggest surprises early in the season, but they still aren't without their own mistakes. San Antonio leads the league in turnovers per game (16.3), while the Raptors are tops in steals per game (10).
Impressively, Toronto boasts the two leaders for steals per game this season, as Anunoby (2.6) and VanVleet (2.5) are both one and two, respectively, for steals per game this season. No other team has a pair of players averaging two or more steals per contest. Of course, these numbers will dwindle as the season progresses. But it's pretty impressive what the Toronto defense has done through seven games, as coach Nick Nurse's team allows the fourth-fewest points per contest (106.6).
2. Toronto's length could overwhelm San Antonio
On Wednesday, the Spurs will be without Keldon Johnson (calf) and Devin Vassell (knee). Their combined length and size were fixing to be adequate counters against a lengthy Toronto squad.
It's asking a lot of Jakob Poeltl, Zach Collins, and Keita Bates-Diop to handle the size of Barnes, Siakam, and Anunoby. All three are skilled scorers and will likely not hesitate to get their fair share of points in the paint, especially when Poeltl sits. Expect this to be an area of concern on both ends of the floor Wednesday.
3. Raptors lead the league in fewest turnovers committed
A team with a nice balance of young and veteran talent has proven resourceful when maximizing possessions and not getting flustered. Leading the league in the fewest turnovers committed per game (10.9) is proof of that, as the Raptors have built a traditional recipe for success based on taking care of the ball and elite defense.
So far, this season has shown that the Raptors won't beat themselves with careless turnovers, as the Spurs will need to maximize each opportunity given.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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