Despite some self-inflicted adversity, the Toronto Raptors got it together when it mattered most.
O.G. Anunoby scored a game-high 29 points, Fred VanVleet added 28 and the Toronto Raptors pulled out a 114-104 victory over the Washington Wizards on Sunday. After taking a 17-point lead into halftime, the Raptors saw their edge diminish to just one point late in the third quarter.
“We lost some urgency in the third quarter, slipped up a little bit, but we picked it up and finished strong,” Anunoby said. “That’s how games go, you know, [it’s a] game of runs, [the] other team’s not going to lay down, they’re going to keep fighting.”
Adjustments made entering the fourth turned out to be a difference-maker, however.
“We got to ’em and at least made ’em pump fake and sidestep and got ’em out of rhythm a little bit more,” said Raptors head coach Nick Nurse. “We just weren’t pressing up on shooters enough in the third like we had been or like we wanted to.”
Anunoby scored 18 of his points in the first quarter, setting a new career-high for points in a single frame.
Pascal Siakam had 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Jakob Poeltl contributed a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double for Toronto (37-38). The Raptors took the season series 2-1 with the victory and have won five of their last seven games.
The win also allowed the Raptors to hold on to ninth spot in the Eastern Conference with Chicago being half a game behind after beating the Los Angeles Lakers 118-108 earlier Sunday.
“I’m most concerned that we can get healthier,” Nurse said. “I think that we need to get our guys together and certainly, there’s been some moments of really, really good basketball.
“And some stretches where we’ve looked like we’ve really got it clicking on both ends, where we’re making them take tough shots and we’re moving and finding open shots at the other end. And that’s really, if we’re gonna do that, we’re gonna have a great chance.”
Kristaps Porzingis led the way with 26 points for Washington (33-42), which was missing starters Bradley Beal, Monte Morris and Kyle Kuzma due to injury. (CBC)