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Probable Starters
Toronto
PG - Cory Joseph
SG - DeMar DeRozan
SF - DeMarre Carroll
PF - Serge Ibaka
C - Jonas Valanciunas
Indiana
PG - Jeff Teague
SG - Monta Ellis
SF - Paul George
PF - Thad Young
C - Myles Turner
Performance tracker: odds of Raptors winning game = 55%
Fun facts:
- We just played these guys. Let's beat them again.
- Indiana is now in a dog fight for a playoff spot. It's time for them to get desperate or give up, after sliding down the standings here, so let's give them all the incentive they need to pick the latter.
- JV is rounding into playoff form. Over the past 4 games, he is a team best +56 in 112 minutes (+0.5 per minute), with the next closest player being DeRozan's +38 in 144 minutes. Throw in averaging 15 and 12 on 73% shooting, a steal and almost 2 blocks, plus a team low on-court defensive rating of 98 over the past 4 games, and that's looking like rounding into form to me. Keep it up big fella.
- DeRozan, of course, has been no slouch either - over the past 4 games, his assist rate has skyrocketed to 26% (and still posting a very low turnover rate of 7%), while still maintaining a mid-30's usage rate and somehow almost hitting 60% TS%.
Standings watch:
1. Boston Celtics - 50-27
2. Cleveland Cavaliers - 49-27 | 0.5 GB
3. Toronto Raptors - 47-30 | 3 GB
4. Washington Wizards - 46-31 | 4 GB
5. Milwaukee Bucks - 40-37 | 10 GB
6. Atlanta Hawks - 39-38 | 11 GB
7. Chicago Bulls - 38-39 | 12 GB
8. Miami Heat - 37-40 | 13 GB
9. Indiana Pacers - 37-40 | 13 GB