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Every game after the All-Star break feels like it carries more weight, especially for a team that is within striking distance of the first seed, and another that can still secure home-court advantage in the first round.
The San Antonio Spurs are the hottest team in the NBA with nine straight wins, five of which have come on the road. They may not be champions, but they have a target on their backs because of their talent and the noise they’ve made so far.
This will be the second and final matchup between these teams, with the Spurs having claimed the first in San Antonio on Oct. 27 without their All-Star point guard. Similar to the Spurs, the Toronto Raptors are tough to cover because they move the ball well and average a low time of possession and seconds per touch.
Notably, the Raptors have been vulnerable at home this year, logging a 16-14 record in Scotiabank Arena. They are an average-to-below-level rebounding team, so the Spurs will have an opportunity to punish them by coming up with extra possessions.
San Antonio Spurs (41-16) at Toronto Raptors (34-24)
Feb. 24, 2026 | 6:30 PM CT
Watch: FanDuel | Listen: WOAI 1200
Spurs injuries: Harrison Ingram (G-League- Two-Way) Out, David Jones Garcia (G-League- Two-Way) Out, Emmanuel Miller (G-League- Two-Way) Out, Mason Plumlee (Return to competition reconditioning) Out
Raptors injuries: Not due until noon CT
What to watch for
- The Raptors will be on the second night of a back-to-back, yet they are a fast, long and athletic team that can collapse on the paint quickly, like the Spurs. But teams can have success attacking from the outside, then in. Toronto has poor three-point defense, allowing opponents to make 39.2 percent of wide-open shots, making it the perfect opportunity for the snipers.
- Scottie Barnes is Toronto’s biggest player with quick foot speed to put on Victor Wembanyama. He had the second-most defensive minutes on Wemby in their first matchup, and that shouldn’t change on Wednesday. Still, the release point will be too high for him to disrupt, and the Spurs could make life easier for their big man by getting Barnes off of him through an inverted pick-and-roll.
- The Raptors only run screen rolls for 17.1 percent of their time on offense. They understand better than most that the pass is faster than the dribble to expose openings, and their offense includes a steady dose of attacking through transition. Notably, they are second in the NBA in potential assists created (53.3).
- Could this be Sandro Mamukelashvili’s revenge? He was practically invisible the last time they played, but the public should always be on the lookout for guys who want to remind their old teams of what they are missing. If he gets significant time, he’ll be a threat because defenses usually let him roam while helping on others. This makes him dangerous off the catch. Keep in mind that Mamu has logged double-figure points in five of his last seven games.
- Despite Toronto’s eagerness to shut off the lane, they have the bad habit of fouling too often. Castle even got to the line for 14 attempts, making nine, in the first matchup, as well. Don’t be surprised if there’s an encore, or if De’Aaron Fox lives at the line because of his inclination to attack the body.