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On the way in which to the bottom level of the season to this point, the Raptors rewrote the script and shocked the Washington Wizards.
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Trailing by as many as 23 factors, Toronto stormed again behind a monster Pascal Siakam efficiency and the all out hustle of Chris Boucher to flee with a 111-107 2 win.
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Toronto had led by solely 22 seconds of the sport earlier than issues received actually unusual late within the fourth and seemed to be on the way in which to a demoralizing defeat to begin a homestand.
Siakam clearly had different plans. The All-NBA ahead had 39 factors — his most for the reason that calendar turned to 2023 — together with a brief, leaning jumper that received a fortuitous roll and went in and gave the Raptors a two-point edge with 7.6 seconds left following an enormous defensive stand.
After Kyle Kuzma, who scored 34 factors, stepped out of bounds, Dennis Schroder iced the sport with a pair of free throws. That allowed the Raptors to maneuver to 5-5 forward of rematches with the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics later this week.
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Boucher was additionally implausible, keen his staff again right into a recreation that ought to have been over lengthy earlier than. He had seven factors and 6 rebounds, however these numbers didn’t inform the story. Scottie Barnes added 19, together with a tricky driving layup with 1:31 remaining and had a vital steal, extending his lengthy arms method out, which led Siakam to the break, the place he discovered Boucher for a game-tying layup with 51.6 remaining. A defensive cease adopted after which Siakam’s winner.
Earlier, followers had been mumbling and grumbling, shocked by the house facet’s defensive ineptitude towards a staff that was the NBA’s fourth-worst defensively heading in. Toronto regarded confused on the assault, operating into one another, throwing away passes and greater than anything, repeatedly clanking pictures.
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Toronto had been clobbered in Boston on Saturday and misplaced high two-way participant O.G. Anunoby to damage after Anunoby lower his proper index finger in a kitchen mishap Sunday and needed to miss the sport. Gary Trent Jr. additionally was out, with Plantar Fasciitis, leaving Toronto with out maybe its two greatest shooters. It confirmed, with the Raptors hitting simply two three-pointers over the sport’s first three quarters, lacking the opposite 12 makes an attempt.
They completed simply 4-21 from three — or 19% — and the Wizards nailed 12 treys on 46% taking pictures, however ultimately, that discrepancy didn’t matter as the trouble edge favoured the Raptors enormously. The Raptors dominated inside, scoring a wild 76 factors within the paint.
Washington led by 19 at halftime, however the Raptors stored chipping away, reducing inside 10 factors. It appeared as if the Wizards would maintain off the cost, the lead went again as much as 16, however once more, the Raptors simply stored coming.
It was a wild affair that would have been loads worse for the house facet.
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