Raptors Game Preview
On Wednesday, November 30th, the Toronto Raptors will travel to New Orleans to take on the Pelicans in what should be an exciting NBA Regular Season matchup. Both teams come into the game with similar records, but the Raptors will be looking to improve upon their 11-9 record while the Pelicans, 12-8, will be looking to keep pace with the top teams in the Western Conference with a win. The Pelicans come into the game on the back of a crucial win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, in which Zion Williamson led his team in scoring with 23 points. The Raptors also come into the game in excellent form, having won their last two games against powerful opponents in the Dallas Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Raptors have changed their lineup by starting Thad Young and Juancho Hernangomez and bringing on Scottie Barnes and Gary Trent Jr. from the bench. With the return of Pascal Siakam to the lineup last game, the Raptors look awfully good and will be looking to climb up the standings in the Eastern Conference with force. The Pels will be missing a few key players in this matchup, but they've still won 6 of their last 8 games. Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum will not be playing in tonight's game, which could hurt the team's chances against a strong defensive lineup like the Raptors.
Pascal and Scottie's return immediately impacted the court as the Raptors dominated a very good Cavaliers team 100-88 on Monday night. Adding the two forwards to the lineup showcases the team's length and athleticism. On the other side of the court, Zion Williamson has been an absolute force and will be a tough player to stop in this matchup. OG, an absolute defensive force in the NBA, will most likely be tasked with stopping Zion and he should be up for the challenge.