Look at how LA has lost. After beating the Kings on opening night, the Clippers have dropped 5 straight: twice to the Lakers, plus Oklahoma City, Minnesota and a Golden State team without Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. That last one hurt the most. The Clippers were up 8 after 1 quarter, then lost each of the last 3, and Yaxel Lendeborg dropped 37 on them. The offense came back to life after an 87-point night against the Lakers, but the defense couldn't hold up against a second-string roster.
Toronto's last game said a lot about this team. Luka Doncic went for 45 and 15, the Lakers made 18 of 37 threes, and the Raptors were down 22 through 3 quarters. Then they dropped 43 in the 4th, fed off 24 Lakers turnovers and lost by only 6. Scottie Barnes had 29, and he's going to need that kind of night again with Leonard and Poeltl out. The rally shows there's fight in this group. The first 3 quarters show a defense that gets beat on the perimeter when it can't protect the rim.
Both teams are on the second night of a back-to-back, and neither has to travel much, with both playing in LA the night before. That makes this a game about legs and depth more than stars, and Toronto has the healthier top of the rotation even without its new headliner. The Clippers need a stop on defense more than anything. 5 straight losses with a big part of the roster in street clothes is a real hole, and a home game against a team missing its best player is about as good a chance to climb out as they'll get.
