Raptors-Trail Blazers: Raptors look for second straight win at home

The Toronto Raptors head into tonight's game trying to split the series even with the Portland Trailblazers. Despite not having Jonas Valancuinas, the Raps showed an impressive performance moving and sharing the ball leading to the win against the Miami Heat. Whether they put on a similar show begs to be the question but here's hoping they don't put on a a sluggish-dreadful presentation.

The 43-20 Trail Blazers head into tonight's game winning two at home. Without Wesley Matthews (out with a torn Achilles), the Blazers won a game against James Harden and an impressive Houston Rockets team, winning 105-100.

Losing Matthews hurts the club tremendously. Matthews was the team's third-leading scorer at 15.9 points per game. Taking his spot is Aaron Afflalo who was brought in during the NBA Trade Deadline. With Afflalo not accustomed to the system yet, Damian Lillard took the reins erupting during their last game scoring 28 points on 9-of-12 shooting. Portland connected a season-high field goal percentage, scoring 57.5. They also shoot 11-for-21 from the three-point arc.

The Raptors, like the Blazers struggled as of late losing nine of 11 games. During the game against the Heat, Toronto held their opponent under 100 points for the first time in eight games. All-Star Kyle Lowry had a career-best seven steals.

The Raptors go into tonight's game losing 11 of 12 games against the Trail Blazers. In their first regular season game against each other on Dec. 30, the Blazers took the Dinos to overtime defeating the Raps 102-97. DeMar DeRozan sat out the game with a groin injury.

Portland is 19-6 against East teams while Toronto has lost 11 of it's last 16 against Western conference foes. However the Raps may have the luck of the Irish tonight as they are 4-1 this season when playing teams at home on Sunday.

Will the Raptors win against the Wesley Matthews-less Portland Trail Blazers squad. Let us know in the comments below: