Raptors at Hornets
The Toronto Raptors have navigated through a difficult stretch quite well despite being without two of their key players because of injuries. The Raptors have won four of the last five games to lead the Atlantic Division and look to continue finding ways to pocket victories when they visit the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday night.
Toronto has won eight of 12 games without center Jonas Valanciunas (hand) while forward DeMarre Carroll (knee) missed the past five, and both could be back in the lineup soon. Guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan have averaged almost 46 points combined in eight December games and will get a challenge against Charlotte’s deep backcourt. The Hornets have four guards averaging in double figures scoring, led by Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum, and are among the league leaders with just over 10 makes from 3-point range per game. Charlotte has dropped two straight, including a 113-98 drubbing at Orlando on Wednesday, after winning four in a row.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One (Toronto), FSN Southeast (Charlotte)
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (16-10): Toronto started its three-game road trip -- which ends in Miami on Friday -- with Monday’s 106-90 loss at Indiana after shooting 36.7 percent from the field and turning the ball over 21 times. “You can’t beat good teams in the league playing that way,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey told reporters. “. … We have to play with force and be decisive in everything we do on both ends of the floor.” DeRozan averages 21.7 points while Lowry is close behind (21.3) and forward Luis Scola (10.2) is the next best active scorer.
ABOUT THE HORNETS (14-10): Batum left Wednesday’s game with an illness after scoring six points in 20 minutes and Walker had 12 on 4-of-12 shooting, but fellow guard Jeremy Lamb came off the bench to score 16. Center Al Jefferson (calf injury, suspension), who is averaging 13.7 points, won’t be eligible until Dec. 26 and center Cody Zeller has scored 11.8 per game in the last six. Forward Marvin Williams is 3-of-15 from the field the last two games while 7-0 rookie Frank Kaminsky has drained half of his shots in December after shooting 40.3 percent the first two months.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Lowry needs one 3-pointer to become the fourth player in franchise history to drain 500, joining Morris Peterson, Andrea Bargnani and Vince Carter.
2. Walker has 436 career steals and needs four to pass Baron Davis for sixth on the franchise’s all-time list.
3. The Raptors won the last two meetings by a combined 23 points after dropping six straight to the Hornets.