The Toronto Raptors are heading down to Houston to face the Rockets Tuesday night, marking the first match of a two-game road trip. The Rockets are the fifth top-10 team the Raptors will face in seven games, and the time is now to build some momentum for the postseason. 

Toronto’s record against top-10 teams in the NBA is a pathetic 1-17, outside of the pre-James Harden Cleveland Cavaliers. Very few of these 17 losses have been blowout wire-to-wire wins; in the vast majority, the Raptors' offense stagnates in the second half when opposing defenses are playing with the most intensity. 

Because Houston is an out-of-conference opponent, the two teams will only face each other twice this season. Their first matchup came in just the first week of the season, and the premature Raptors defense allowed the Rockets to put up 139 points in an 18-point win. That total ties the most amount of points Toronto has allowed in a game this season, with the other contest coming just four days earlier in the third game of the season. 

Going into Houston tonight, the Raptors will be short-handed, as they have been for the majority of this season, according to the NBA's official injury report. 

In their matchup with the Rockets, the Raptors will be without standout rookie Collin Murray-Boyles, who continues to nurse a left thumb sprain. Joining him on the sidelines is recent acquisition Trayce Jackson-Davis, who suffered a dislocated middle finger on his right hand in practice yesterday. Finally, starting center Jakob Poeltl is listed as questionable due to an illness. 

This is a recipe for disaster in a time when the Raptors are desperate for wins against top teams. If Poeltl is forced to sit, Toronto will be without three of its four players who receive minutes at center in a game where the opponent’s starting center is a two-time All-Star. Luckily for the Raptors, backup Rockets center Steven Adams is out for the season after undergoing left ankle surgery, but regardless, head coach Darko Rajakovic will have his work cut out for him to figure out a rotation with a depleted front-court unit. 

Houston’s statistics for this season are especially concerning, given the situation for the Raptors. The Rockets rank amongst the NBA’s best in total rebounds (1st), offensive rebounds (1st), opposing defensive rebounds (1st), points in paint (5th), blocks (3rd), and fouls (2nd) per game. These stats are all significantly impacted by the frontcourt rotation, and it may be Sandro Mamukelashvili who is forced to deal with that alone. 

If the Raptors want to have a chance to win this game, they need to push the pace in transition and shoot the ball particularly well from outside. The Rockets rank 21st in opposing fastbreak points, and it would be even worse if they weren’t the best offensive rebounding team in the league. So, if the Raptors' forwards can prioritize defensive rebounding more than ever before, it could provide a major advantage against a team that ranks 29th in the league in pace. 

Shooting may never be a reliable option for the Raptors this season, but they are trending in the right direction. The resurgence of RJ Barrett has boosted Toronto’s offense, allowing for more open looks all-around. This has resulted in better shooting numbers from both Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley as well, so they will need this momentum to steal a road win tonight.