Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the number one team in the Western Conference the Oklahoma City Thunder are set to face the Raptors tonight in Toronto.
The last time both teams faced each other was on Feb. 4. That’s when the Thunder beat the Raptors in a 135-127 victory in overtime.
This is the first time Alexander plays in his home country this season. According to Statmuse, Alexander averages 22.1 points per game, 4.6 rebounds per game, and 5.4 assists per game against Toronto.
Alexander is averaging 30.9 points per game, 5.6 rebounds per game, and 6.4 assists per game this season.
His numbers are one of the reasons why Oklahoma City is the first seed in the West. It’s also why he’s in the MVP discussions this year.
After years of stocking up draft picks, the Thunder are ready to contend in the West while the Raptors are starting their rebuild.
With a win tonight, Oklahoma City is a step closer to securing the number one spot in the west.
Are the Raptors tanking?
At this point, Toronto is pretty much tanking the rest of this season. Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl, Chris Boucher and Immanuel Quickley are all out and may not come back this season.
RJ Barrett is also taking time off and the timeline for his return this season is uncertain right now. He may not also come back this season.
Gary Trent Jr. was listed as questionable but now he’s out for tonight. So, all the Raptors have tonight is Bruce Brown Jr., Kelly Olynyk, and their young guys.
It’s a tough blow for Toronto to lose their key players to injuries and personal reasons for the rest of the season.
But the bright side is that this gives an opportunity to guys like Gradey Dick and Ocahi Agbaji to develop their game possibly getting their minutes increased next season.
