GAME #62 – TORONTO RAPTORS (34-27) vs. DETROIT PISTONS (15-47)
THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2022 – 7:30 P.M. (ET) – SCOTIABANK ARENA
TV: TSN – RADIO: TSN 1050 TORONT
• The Toronto Raptors (34-27) continue a three-game homestand (Mar. 1-4) Thursday night when they host the Detroit Pistons (15-47) at Scotiabank Arena. Tonight marks the third and final meeting between these
two teams this season, with Detroit winning the first two. Toronto is currently in the middle of a stretch that will see the team play six games in eight days (Feb. 25 – Mar. 4) for the first time since March 10-17, 2012.
• The Raptors recorded their second consecutive victory defeating the Brooklyn Nets 109-108 on Tuesday night. Trailing by eight points (89-81) entering the final frame, Tuesday marked Toronto’s largest fourth quarter comeback of the season. Gary Trent Jr. scored a game-high 24 points, including 12 in the fourth.
Trent Jr. went a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line in the final frame, and becomes the first Raptor since Kawhi Leonard (8-8 FT, Dec. 30, 2018 vs. Chicago) to shoot perfect from the free throw line in the
fourth quarter with a minimum of eight attempts. Trent Jr. also matched a career best with seven assists.
• Scottie Barnes finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in 41 minutes Mar. 1 vs. Brooklyn. Barnes has now recorded consecutive double-doubles (Feb. 28 – Mar. 1) for the first time in his career, and
has posted seven total this season, the most by a Raptors rookie since Jonas Valanciunas had eight during the 2012-13 campaign. In four games since the All-star break, Barnes is averaging 20.0 points, 8.8
rebounds and shooting .720 (36-50) from the field.
• Toronto outrebounded Brooklyn 48-37, including 16-to-7 on the offensive glass, in Tuesday’s victory. The Raptors currently rank second in the NBA in offensive rebounds (13.1). Scottie Barnes leads the Raptors and all rookies – with 134 offensive boards this season. Barnes ranks fourth all-time among Raptors rookies in offensive rebounds – behind Chris Bosh (191), Charlie Villanueva (181), and Ed Davis (168).
• Pascal Siakam is currently averaging 21.1 points, and career bests of 8.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists, in 48 games. Siakam is one of just seven players in the NBA averaging 20.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists, along with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, James Harden, LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, and
Dejounte Murray. No Raptor has averaged 20-8-5 over the course of an entire season.
• Fred VanVleet (200) and Gary Trent Jr. (179) currently rank second and fifth respectively, in the NBA in
deflections. VanVleet has led the league in deflections in each of the last two seasons, while Trent Jr.
ranks second in the NBA in steals (1.88). Trent Jr. has recorded 5+ steals in six games this season, only
two Raptors have tallied more games with 5+ steals in a single season – Doug Christie (8) in 1996-97 and
Alvin Robertson (7) in 1995-96. Toronto leads the NBA in deflections (17.9) and ranks third in steals (9.2).
• Thaddeus Young has scored in double-digits in three straight games (Feb. 26 – Mar. 1), averaging 10.7
points in 20.0 minutes off the bench. Young was acquired from San Antonio at the trade deadline.
PROBABLE STARTERS
F – SCOTTIE BARNES #4
• Finished with 18 points, a team-high 10 rebounds and four assists in 41 minutes Mar. 1 vs. Brooklyn.
• Leads all rookies in minutes (35.2), ranks third in rebounds (7.5), fourth in points (14.8), and fifth in assists (3.3).
• Tied with Charlie Villanueva (2005-06) for fourth all-time among Raptors rookies with 12 games of 20+ points.
F – PASCAL SIAKAM #43
• Recorded 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists in 35 minutes Tuesday against the Nets.
• Averaged 21.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and shot .498 (102-205) from the field during 12 games in February.
• Leads the Raptors with a career-best 19 double-doubles this season.
C – KHEM BIRCH #24
• Contributed 11 points, five rebounds and one block in 18 minutes Mar. 1 vs. Brooklyn.
• Averaging 5.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and shooting .538 (28-52) from the field in 12 games as a starter.
• Has scored in double figures four times this season (Last: 11 – Mar. 1 vs. Brooklyn).
G – GARY TRENT JR. #33
• Scored a team-high 24 points, and matched a career-best with seven assists Tuesday night against the Nets.
• Has scored 20+ points in 21-of-52 games this season, something he did 15 times in 58 contests last year.
• Ranks second in the NBA in steals per game (1.88) and fifth in total deflections (179).
G – MALACHI FLYNN #22
• Tallied 15 points, a season-best eight assists, and six rebounds in a season-high 43 minutes Mar. 1 vs. Brooklyn.
• Has dished out 5+ assists in three of the last four games (Feb. 25 – Mar. 1), totalling 18 assists.
• Averaging 13.0 points, 5.3 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 36.2 minutes in three starts.
INJURY REPORT
OG Anunoby (Right Ring Finger; Fracture) – Out
Fred VanVleet (Right Knee; Soreness) – Questionable
D.J. Wilson (Left Knee; Soreness) – Out
Thaddeus Young (Illness; Non-COVID) – Questionable
The view from left field 