TORONTO – Canadians Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort made probably the most of their journey residence on Wednesday.
Gilgeous-Alexander, from Hamilton, had 16 of his 26 factors in a pivotal third quarter, whereas Montreal’s Dort scored 22 factors and was a brick wall on defence within the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder’s thrilling 110-109 victory over the Toronto Raptors.
Gary Trent Jr. scored 24 factors in a recreation that the Raptors thought they’d gained on a Justin Champagnie tip-in on the buzzer. The Raptors swarmed the seldom-used Champagnie earlier than the shot was disallowed — video assessment confirmed the ball was nonetheless in his palms when the buzzer sounded.
Fred VanVleet had 19 factors and 9 assists for the Raptors (11-14), whereas Scottie Barnes had 18 factors and eight rebounds. Chris Boucher completed with 11 factors.
The Raptors led by 13 factors within the second quarter, however their offence got here to a standstill within the third. The Raptors may solely muster 12 factors within the quarter, whereas the Thunder ended the body with a 25-3 run for an 87-76 result in begin the fourth.
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When Derrick Favors scored off a Raptors turnover early within the fourth quarter to place the guests up by 13 factors, a smattering of boos might be heard from the capability crowd of 19,800 at Scotiabank Area.
The Raptors clawed again to inside six factors on consecutive three-pointers from VanVleet. Then Siakam, Trent and VanVleet related on back-to-back-to-back threes to tie the sport with 59 seconds to play to tie the sport, bringing the followers out of their seats.
Champagnie muscled to the ring for a basket with 18 seconds to play for a two-point lead, thumping his chest in celebration. However Mike Muscala hit a 3 with 8.9 seconds to play, which might grow to be the game-clincher when Champagnie’s tip-in was disallowed.
Accidents proceed to plague the Raptors. OG Anunoby missed his tenth recreation with a hip harm, whereas Khem Birch missed his sixth straight recreation and tenth this season with knee swelling. Coach Nick Nurse mentioned the 2 can be sidelined for “the forseeable future.”
And Valuable Achiuwa (shoulder tendinitis) sat out Thursday’s recreation, diminishing Toronto’s already depleted entrance courtroom.
“Hopefully it’s short-term,” Nurse mentioned of Achiuwa.
Siakam was an ideal 4-for-4 for 9 factors within the first quarter. The Raptors shot 68.2 per cent within the body and VanVleet hit a three-pointer with 4.1 seconds left on the clock for a 36-26 result in begin the second.
Trent poured in 12 factors in a second quarter that noticed the Raptors go up by 13 on a three-pointer by Yuta Watanabe with 1:03 to play. The Raptors went into the halftime break main 64-54.
Gilgeous-Alexander and Dort mixed for 58 factors within the Thunder’s 114-103 win at Detroit on Monday that halted Oklahoma Metropolis’s eight-game shedding skid. That win got here one recreation after Oklahoma Metropolis was throttled 152-79 by Memphis, the biggest margin of victory in NBA historical past.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault hoped for giant nights from his two Canadian gamers.
“They’ve quite a lot of delight in the place they’re from,” Daigneault mentioned. “I’m simply blissful for them that they get to return residence. . . I believe it’s fairly cool any time a participant can play near residence, however being from this nation I believe it has that added layer.”
The Raptors host one other Canadian in RJ Barrett and the New York Knicks on Friday. They shut out the season-long seven-game homestand Monday towards Sacramento.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Dec. 8, 2021.
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