Kawhi's return and a new era in California. Toronto Raptors vs Los Angeles Clippers prediction
Toronto Raptors
LA Clippers
The Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers will meet on the night of Sunday, October 11, in the NBA preseason. The game will be played at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, with tip-off scheduled for 00:30 Central European Time. I am backing a bet on the winner of this game.
H2H and statistical facts
- Toronto lost their first preseason game to the Miami Heat, 105-129.
- The Clippers have already beaten the Golden State Warriors, 104-101.
- The Raptors have beaten the Los Angeles Clippers only once in their last eight head-to-head meetings.
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors enter the new season after making noticeable progress. In last season's regular season, the team finished fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 46-36 record, but lost to Cleveland in the first round of the playoffs.
Now the Canadians face the task of taking the next step, and the biggest offseason development was the return of Kawhi Leonard. Seven years ago, he led Toronto to the first championship in franchise history, and now he is expected to help the team move from being a solid playoff participant to a genuine contender for a major result.
To acquire Leonard, Toronto had to part ways with Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick. The club also signed Kyle Anderson during the summer and acquired Allen Graves and Jayden Bradley in the draft. At the same time, the core of the team remained intact, although the preseason got off to a poor start for Toronto. In their first game, the team lost to Miami, 105-129.
That is why the meeting in Vancouver is less about the result and more about finding the optimal combinations. Toronto has already shown that it can be dangerous in transition and possesses strong defensive mobility, but the loss to Miami exposed problems with shooting and turnovers. If Leonard does not play again, the main burden will fall on Barnes, Barrett and Quickley. Before the regular season begins, it is important for the Raptors to understand how effectively they can play without their biggest offseason addition, and then integrate him into the system.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are heading into the new season in a completely different state. The team finished only ninth in the West last regular season with a 42-40 record and failed to reach the playoffs through the play-in. After that, the front office effectively launched another rebuild. The club parted ways with Kawhi Leonard and had previously lost James Harden and Ivica Zubac. Darius Garland and Brandon Ingram are expected to become the faces of the new project, but the latter is not yet ready to help the team.
In exchange for Leonard, the Clippers received Ingram, Dick and several future draft picks. The roster was also bolstered by Rui Hachimura, Max Strus and fifth overall pick Keaton Wagler. For Tyronn Lue, this is both an opportunity to build a new system and a serious headache: he needs to quickly bring together a large number of new pieces.
The Clippers have already won their first preseason game, defeating Golden State 104-101. The biggest revelation was rookie Keaton Wagler, who scored 15 points and hit the game-winning shot with 12.8 seconds remaining. Darius Garland added 15 points and six assists, while Rui Hachimura delivered a brilliant first half, scoring 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. It was a strong start for Los Angeles, although the lineup was far from optimal.
The Clippers' personnel situation remains the main question ahead of the game. Ingram will miss the start of the regular season while recovering from surgery on his right heel and a partial Achilles injury. Los Angeles will have to begin the season without several key players, but the victory over Golden State showed that the team has enough depth to offset some of those absences.
What to bet on?
Both teams are at different stages of their development. Toronto already has a settled core and has added Leonard, who can significantly raise the team's ceiling, while the Clippers are only beginning to build a new structure around Garland. At the same time, Los Angeles has already won in the preseason and looks more intriguing in terms of offensive potential. If Leonard does not take the court again, the Clippers will have a better chance. I am backing the visitors to win with a +9-point spread.
