Tag: Phoenix Suns

GAME #66 – TORONTO RAPTORS (35-30) at PHOENIX SUNS (53-13)
FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2022 – 9 P.M. (ET) – FOOTPRINT CENTER
TV: SPORTSNET – RADIO: SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN

• The Toronto Raptors (35-30) continue a six-game road trip (March 6-16) Friday night against the Phoenix Suns (53-13) at Footprint Center. The Raptors are 3-5 since the All-Star break. Toronto will play six straight games (Mar. 9-18) versus Western Conference opponents. The Raptors are 12-11 against the West this year, after going 10-20 last season.
• The Raptors snapped a three-game winless streak (Mar. 3-6) Wednesday night with a 119-104 victory in San Antonio. Toronto shot .482 (41-85) from the field and .929 (26-28) from the free-throw line, after going .407 (110-270) from the field and .684 (54-79) from the free-throw line in its previous three games. The Raptors are a perfect 6-0 this season when they shoot 90 percent or better from the foul-line.
• All-Star Fred VanVleet returned to the lineup Wednesday night in San Antonio after missing five straight games (Feb. 28 – Mar. 6) with right knee soreness. VanVleet finished with a team-high 26 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals in 34 minutes. He has now recorded 20+ points a career-best 30 times in 53 games played this season, something he did in 27-of-52 contests last year. VanVleet is averaging career highs of 21.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 6.8 assists this season.
• Pascal Siakam is averaging 21.5 points, and career bests of 8.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists, in 52 games this season. 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, LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, Dejounte Murray and Julius Randle. No Raptor has averaged 20-8-5 over the course of an entire season.
• Scottie Barnes scored 20 points and added eight rebounds in 34 minutes Mar. 9 at San Antonio. Barnes is now tied for second with Vince Carter (1998-99) and Marcus Camby (1996-97) having tallied 20+ points and 5+ rebounds in 14 games as a rookie this season. Damon Stoudamire (16) holds the franchise record.
• Toronto outrebounded the Spurs 47-36, including 13-7 on the offensive glass, Wednesday night. The Raptors (13.2) currently rank second in the NBA in offensive rebounds. Toronto is +17 (69-52) on the offensive glass through five games in March and has collected a league-best 69 offensive boards this month.
• Pascal Siakam tallied 20 points, eight rebounds and three assists in 37 minutes Mar. 9 at San Antonio. Siakam has scored 20+ points in four consecutive games (Mar. 3-9), averaging 26.5 points and shooting .528 (38-72) from the field during this stretch. Siakam has recorded 20+ points in 33-of-52 games played this season, something he did 33 times in 56 contests last year.
• Scottie Barnes was named Eastern Conference rookie of the month for February after averaging 15.2
points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.4 steals and 31.8 minutes in 12 games last month. Barnes is the 11th
player in franchise history to earn the honour.
PROBABLE STARTERS
F – SCOTTIE BARNES #4

MIN: 35.4 REB: 7.6 AST: 3.3 STL: 1.1 TO: 1.9 BLK: 0.8 PTS: 15.0
• Recorded 20 points (8-12 FG, 4-4 FT), eight rebounds and one assist in 34 minutes Mar. 9 at San Antonio.
• Ranks among the top-five rookies in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and minutes.
• Has scored 20+ points 14 times – most by a Raptors rookie since Vince Carter (23) during the 1998-99 season.
F – PASCAL SIAKAM #43

MIN: 37.6 REB: 8.4 AST: 5.0 STL: 1.3 TO: 2.7 BLK: 0.7 PTS: 21.5
• Finished with 20 points in 37 minutes Wednesday in San Antonio; added eight rebounds and three assists.
• Leads the Raptors with a career-best 20 double-doubles this season.
• Averaging 24.8 points and shooting .495 (45-91) from the field through five games in March.
C – KHEM BIRCH #24

MIN: 18.2 REB: 4.4 AST: 1.1 STL: 0.7 TO: 0.5 BLK: 0.5 PTS: 4.6
• Contributed four points and four rebounds in 17 minutes Mar. 9 at San Antonio.
• Has scored in double figures four times this season (Last: 11 – Mar. 1 vs. Brooklyn).
• Averaging 5.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 18.2 minutes in 16 games as a starter this season.
G – GARY TRENT JR. #33

MIN: 34.7 REB: 2.6 AST: 2.1 STL: 1.9 TO: 1.1 BLK: 0.3 PTS: 17.9
• Tallied 17 points, four rebounds, two steals and one assist in 35 minutes Wednesday night in San Antonio.
• Ranks second in the NBA in deflections (204) and tied for second (1.86) in steals.
• Has recorded a team-best 104 steals this year after collecting 105 steals in his first three seasons combined.
G – FRED VANVLEET #23

MIN: 38.1 REB: 4.5 AST: 6.8 STL: 1.6 TO: 2.7 BLK: 0.5 PTS: 21.5
• Scored a team-high 26 points in 34 minutes Mar. 9 at San Antonio; added six rebounds, two assists & two steals.
• Ranks third in the NBA in three-point field goals (211) and deflections (203), despite missing 12 games.
• The Raptors are 12-4 this season when VanVleet scores 25+ points.

INJURY REPORT
OG Anunoby (Right Hand; Ring Finger – Fracture) – Out
Isaac Bonga (G League – On Assignment) – Out
Justin Champagnie (G League – Two-Way) – Out
Malachi Flynn (Left Hamstring; Strain) – Out
David Johnson (G League – Two-Way) – Out
UPDATED: Mar. 11, 2022
NEXT GAME DETAILS
Opponent: Denver Nuggets
Date: Saturday, March 12
Tip-Off: 9 p.m. (ET)
Venue: Ball Arena
Television: TSN
Radio: TSN 1050 Toronto
SERIES RECAP VS. DENVER
OVERALL HOME ROAD
2021-22 0-1 0-1 0-0
ALL-TIME 20-31 13-13 7-18
STREAKS Lost 2 Lost 1 Lost 4
LAST WIN: Mar. 24, 2021 (135-111)
LAST ROAD WIN: Nov. 18, 2016 (113-111 OT)
LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY: +27 (Mar. 23, 2007)
LARGEST MARGIN OF DEFEAT: -39 (Dec. 2, 2008)
LAST TIME VS. DENVER
GAME 55 – FEBRUARY 12, 2022
DENVER 110, TORONTO 109
TORONTO — Rookie guard Bones Hyland made a tiebreaking 3-pointer
with 2:16 to play, Nikola Jokic added a pivotal late block, and the Denver
Nuggets beat Toronto 110-109, ending the Raptors’ winning streak at
eight … Jokic had 28 points and 15 rebounds, Jeff Green scored 19 points
and Aaron Gordon had 13 as the Nuggets won for the third time in four
games … Hyland scored 11 points and Will Barton had 10 … Pascal
Siakam scored a season-high 35 points and had 10 rebounds, but the
Raptors lost for the first time since Jan. 26 at Chicago … Fred VanVleet
scored 25 points, Scottie Barnes had 17 and Gary Trent Jr. 11 … Barnes
scored to knot it at 103-all with 2:33 left, but the Nuggets scored seven of
the next 10 points, leading 110-106 after Barton’s basket with 28 seconds
left … VanVleet cut it to 110-109 with a 3 with 22 seconds remaining …
After a Denver timeout, Jokic was fouled but missed both free throws,
giving Toronto possession with 12.2 seconds to play … VanVleet missed a
3, and Jokic preserved the win with a huge block on OG Anunoby’s followup shot attempt … Jokic scored 18 points in the first quarter as Denver led
31-25 … Siakam replied with 13 in the second and the Raptors led 57-56
at halftime … Toronto took an 86-83 lead to the fourth … Denver outrebounded Toronto 50-35 as the Nuggets improved to 21-8 when they have
more rebounds than their opponent.
1 2 3 4 TOT
DENVER 31 25 27 27 110
TORONTO 25 32 29 23 109

2021-22 RECORDS
W-L EAST WEST
OVERALL 35-30 23-19 12-11
HOME 17-15 11-9 6-6
AWAY 18-15 12-10 6-5
OVERTIME 2-1 2-1 0-0