TORONTO RAPTORS POSTGAME NOTESSaturday November 26, 2022Game #19 | Home Game #9Attendance: 19,800 (sellout)
DALLAS MAVERICKS(9-9) TORONTO RAPTORS(10-9)
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
FINAL SCORE
HIGH POINTS
HIGH REBOUNDS
HIGH ASSISTS
Dallas
29
23
21
27
100
Doncic – 24
Doncic – 7
Doncic – 9
Toronto
24
30
27
24
105
Anunoby/VanVleet – 26
Boucher – 13
VanVleet – 7
KEY RUN
Toronto went on a 30-13 run beginning at the 4:23 mark in the first quarter and ending with a pair of free throws from Gary Trent Jr. at 7:09 in the second frame … This run erased a 15-point Mavericks lead (22-7 at the 4:54 mark in the first quarter) … Dallas never led by more than a single point for the rest of the game.
KEY STAT
The Raptors outrebounded Dallas 48-to-34, including 17-4 on the offensive end … This led to a 25-5 (+20) advantage in second chance points … Toronto entered tonight’s contest tied for first in the NBA in second chance points (18.4) and offensive rebounds (13.7).
RAPTORS NOTES:
The Toronto Raptors defeated the Dallas Mavericks 105-100 on Saturday night, splitting the season series 1-1 … Toronto now owns a 7-2 home record this season which they can extend on Monday vs. Cleveland before a two-game road trip (Nov. 30 – Dec. 2).
Fred VanVleet returned to play Saturday night after missing the last game (Nov. 23) and three of his last five games (Nov. 12-23) due to a non-COVID illness … VanVleet scored 26 points (7-18 FG, 9-10 FT) and collected six rebounds, seven assists and one steal in 41 minutes of action … With his seven assists, VanVleet passed Alvin Williams for fourth on Toronto’s all-time assists list with 1,792 … It was his second 25/5/5 game this month (Nov. 6 vs. Chicago) and he joins Pascal Siakam as the two only two Raptors to record multiple 25/5/5 games this season … VanVleet also officially surpassed the 5,000 career-point milestone after scoring his first five points in the third quarter.
Chris Boucher recorded a season-high 22 points (10-19 FG) and 13 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season … He has recorded a double-double in three consecutive games (Nov. 16-23) – which is second-longest streak on the team this season (Siakam – 4) – and is averaging 16.3 points and 13.0 rebounds in that span … Saturday’s performance is his second 20-point double-double of the season and 13th of his career.
O.G. Anunoby recorded 12 of his shared game-high 26 points in the fourth quarter and added nine rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals in a season-high tying 43 minutes … He has recorded 20-or-more points in four of the last six games (Nov. 12-26) and seven times total this season which is second-most to Pascal Siakam who has recorded eight 20+ point games.
MAVERICKS NOTES:
With the win, Dallas now sits at 9-9, including 1-6 on the road … The Mavericks will finish their three-game road trip (Nov. 23-27) tomorrow night in Milwaukee.
Luka Doncic finished with a team-high 24 points and added nine assists, seven rebounds and two steals in 43 minutes tonight … Doncic has now scored 20-or-more in 17 consecutive games (Oct. 19 – Nov. 26), the longest streak in franchise history to begin a season … The only two Mavericks to have longer streaks of 20+ points are Mark Aguirre (two streaks) and Dirk Nowitzki (two streaks) … Doncic leads the NBA this season having tallied 16 games of 20+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists.
Spencer Dinwiddie scored 15 points and added seven assists and two rebounds in 28 minutes … Dinwiddie has now scored 15+ points in three of the last four games (Nov. 18-26), shooting .550 (22-40) from the field and averaging 14.0 points during this span.
TORONTO RAPTORS POSTGAME NOTES Wednesday November 16, 2022 Game #16 | Home Game #7 Attendance: 19,800 (sellout)
MIAMI HEAT(7-8)
TORONTO RAPTORS(9-7)
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
FINAL SCORE
HIGH POINTS
HIGH REBOUNDS
HIGH ASSISTS
Miami
31
29
19
25
104
Strus – 20
Martin – 9
Vincent/Butler – 5
Toronto
27
27
30
28
112
Anunoby – 32
Anunoby/Boucher – 10
VanVleet – 8
KEY RUN
Beginning at the 8:36 mark in the third quarter, the Raptors went on a 21-to-0 run, holding Miami scoreless for over seven minutes in the third quarter … Toronto outscored Miami 30-19 in the third frame … The Raptors are 7-2 this season when leading after three quarters.
KEY STAT
Toronto outrebounded Miami 42-to-23 (+19) tonight … The Raptors recorded 16 offensive rebounds compared to just four for Miami, leading to a 26-to-5 advantage in second chance points … Toronto (17.0) entered tonight’s game ranked third in the NBA in second chance points, behind only Memphis (17.9) and Houston (17.6).
RAPTORS NOTES:
The Toronto Raptors defeated the Miami Heat 112-104 on Wednesday night to take a 2-1 series lead and extend their home record to 6-1 … The two teams will play their series finale Mar. 28 at Scotiabank Arena … The Raptors travel to Atlanta to face the Hawks on Saturday, before heading back to Toronto for a three-game homestand (Nov. 23-28).
O.G. Anunoby recorded a season-best 32 points (13-18 FG, 1-3 3PT, 5-6 FT), a season high-tying 10 rebounds and team-high 43 minutes for his second double-double of the season … It is his first career 30-point double-double and 13th double-double of his career … He has scored 20-or-more points five times this season, a feat which he accomplished 19 times in 48 games during the 2021-22 campaign.
Fred VanVleet scored 13 of his 23 points in the third quarter … He has scored 20-or-more points in five of the 11 games he has played this season … He added eight assists and one rebound in 39 minutes after missing the last two games (Nov. 12-14) due to a non-COVID illness.
Chris Boucher recorded his second double-double of the season and 30th of his career finishing with 15 points and 10 rebounds … He has paced the bench in scoring in four consecutive games (Nov. 11-16) and in 11 of the 13 games he’s played this season … He ranked 12th in the NBA in total bench points (145) entering tonight’s contest.
The Raptors held a -9 advantage in turnover differential Wednesday night scoring 29 points off Miami’s turnovers … Toronto has outscored opponents 373-259 (+114) in this category through the first 16 games and led the league (12.7) averaging the fewest turnovers per game entering Wednesday night.
HEAT NOTES:
With the loss, Miami now sits at 7-8, including 1-4 on the road … The Heat will continue a four-game road trip (Nov. 16-21) Friday night in Washington.
Kyle Lowry scored 19 points and added two assists, one rebound and one steal in 36 minutes tonight … Lowry has scored in double-digits in 13-of-15 games this season, including 15+ points eight times.
Max Strus finished with a team-high 20 points (6-11 FG, 3-8 3PT, 5-5 FT) in 35 minutes tonight … Strus has scored 20+ in five-of-15 games this year, something he did eight times over the entire 2021-22 campaign (68 games) … Strus is averaging a career-high 15.1 points to start the season.
Gabe Vincent tallied 16 points, including a season high-tying three three-point field goals, and added five assists in 32 minutes off the bench tonight … Vincent has now scored in double-digits in seven consecutive games (Nov. 2-16), averaging 14.0 points during this stretch.
DATE: SUNDAY APRIL 3, 2022 ATTENDACE: 19,800 (Sellout)
FINAL SCORE
RECORD
HIGH POINTS
HIGH REBOUNDS
HIGH ASSISTS
Miami
114
51-28
Strus – 23
Adebayo/Herro – 9
Lowry – 10
Toronto
109
45-33
Siakam/VanVleet – 29
Siakam – 8
VanVleet – 7
KEY RUN
Tied at 93 with 5:38 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Heat went on a 14-4 run to push its lead to 107-97 with 2:22 left in the game … Miami led for the rest of the contest.
KEY STAT
Miami shot .474 (18-38) from beyond the arc, including 75 percent (6-8) in the final quarter … The Heat improve to 27-2 when shooting 40 percent from three-point range.
RAPTORS NOTES:
With the loss, Toronto falls to 45-33 this season and 21-17 at home … The Raptors continue a four-game homestand (Apr. 3-8) Tuesday vs. Philadelphia.
Fred VanVleet finished with 29 points, a team-high seven assists and three steals in 41 minutes … VanVleet connected on four three-point field goals tonight and has now set a single-season franchise record with 240 three-pointers this year.
Pascal Siakam recorded 29 points, eight rebounds and five assists in 43 minutes … Siakam has now scored 20+ points in 14 of the last 17 games (Mar. 3 – Apr. 3), averaging 26.0 points and shooting .525 (168-320) during this stretch … Siakam has tallied 20+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists in a single-season franchise record 25 games this year.
Scottie Barnes scored 19 points and added seven rebounds in 35 minutes … Barnes has tallied 15+ points in 39 games this season, ranking second All-time among Raptors rookies behind only Damon Stoudamire (52) during the 1995-96 season.
HEAT NOTES:
With the win, Miami improves to 51-28, including 24-16 on the road … The Heat have now won four consecutive games (Mar. 28 – April 3) for the first time since Feb. 17-28, 2021 … Miami will return home to play Charlotte Tuesday night.
Max Strus scored a team-high 23 points and went seven-for-nine from three-point range tonight … Strus has scored 20+ points 10 times in his career, including in eight games this season.
Victor Oladipo recorded a season-best 21 points, including a career high-tying six three-point field goals … Oladipo has appeared in seven games for Miami this season after undergoing surgery on his right quadriceps tendon in May 2021.
Kyle Lowry finished with 16 points, 10 assists and six rebounds in 34 minutes for his 16th double-double of the season … The Heat are 11-5 this season when Lowry records a double-double.
Bam Adebayo tallied 16 points and nine rebounds in 36 minutes … Adebayo went 6-for-12 from the field and has now shot 50 percent in a career-best 14 consecutive games (Mar. 7 – Apr. 3).
The Heat’s bench outscored Toronto’s 45-to-13 … Miami’s reserves have totaled 3,183 points this year, the third most in franchise history behind just the 2018-19 reserves (3,564) and 2017-18 bench (3,313).
FINAL SCORE: TORONTO RAPTORS 125, MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES 102
DATE: WEDNESDAY MARCH 30, 2022 ATTENDACE: 19,800 (Sellout)
FINAL SCORE
RECORD
HIGH POINTS
HIGH REBOUNDS
HIGH ASSISTS
Minnesota
102
43-34
Edwards – 24
Towns – 10
McLaughlin – 5
Toronto
125
44-32
Trent Jr. – 29
Siakam – 10
Siakam – 13
KEY RUN
Beginning at the 7:46 mark in the third quarter, the Raptors went on a 23-12 run to close out the frame … Toronto shot 60 percent (15-for-25) from the field during the quarter, and led by double-digits for the rest of the game.
KEY STAT
Toronto matched a season high with 18 three-point field goals tonight led by Gary Trent Jr. (6-for-8) and OG Anunoby (4-for-4) … The Raptors have made a season-high 18 three-pointers in six games this year and are 4-2 in these contests.
RAPTORS NOTES:
With the win, Toronto improves to 44-32 this season and 21-16 at home … Toronto will travel to Orlando to play the Magic on Friday.
Pascal Siakam recorded 12 points, a career-high 13 assists and 10 rebounds for his second career triple-double … Siakam joins Kyle Lowry (16), Damon Stoudamire (3), Jose Calderon (2), and Marcus Camby (2) as the only players in franchise history to record multiple triple-doubles.
Gary Trent Jr. finished with a team-high 29 points (9-13 FG, 6-8 3PT, 5-5 FT) along with two rebounds in 27 minutes … Trent Jr. has scored 20-or-more points in three of his last six games played (Mar. 14-30), averaging 18.0 points during this stretch.
OG Anunoby scored 22 points and added five rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes … Anunoby has finished with 20+ points in 19-of-46 games played this year, something he did just 13 times in 43 contests last season.
The Raptors tallied 32 assists tonight led by a career-high 13 from Siakam … Toronto is a perfect 5-0 this season when dishing out 30+ assists.
Fred VanVleet recorded a season high-tying five steals tonight … VanVleet has tallied five steals in six games in his career.
TIMBERWOLVES NOTES:
With the loss, Minnesota falls to 43-34 and 18-21 on the road … The Timberwolves will continue their four-game road trip (Mar. 27 – April 3) Friday night in Denver.
Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in 32 minutes for his team-leading 38th double-double of the season … Towns has recorded 10 double-doubles since the All-star break and the Timberwolves are 7-3 in these games.
Anthony Edwards scored 24 points, eight rebounds and four assists in 32 minutes … Edwards has scored 20+ in 37-of-66 games this season, something he did 36 times in 72 contests last season as a rookie.
The Timberwolves forced 19 Raptors turnovers marking the 73rd consecutive game Minnesota’s opponents have had 10-or-more turnovers … The Timberwolves (73 games) hold the longest active streak in the NBA.
FINAL SCORE: TORONTO RAPTORS 115, BOSTON CELTICS 112 (OT)
DATE: MONDAY MARCH 28, 2022 ATTENDACE: 19,800 (Sellout)
FINAL SCORE
RECORD
HIGH POINTS
HIGH REBOUNDS
HIGH ASSISTS
Boston
112
47-29
Smart – 28
Theis / Smart – 10
White – 8
Toronto
115
43-32
Siakam – 40
Siakam – 13
Barnes – 4
KEY RUN
Trailing by seven points (101-94) with 4:12 remaining in the fourth quarter, Fred VanVleet made consecutive three-pointers to pull Toronto within one point (101-100) with 3:09 left in the frame … The Raptors went on a 12-5 run to close out regulation before outscoring Boston 9-to-6 in overtime.
KEY STAT
Toronto had just 10 turnovers while forcing 18 from Boston … Through four games this season, the Raptors have forced 76 Celtics turnovers leading to 94 points … Toronto entered tonight ranked third in the NBA in points off turnovers (18.6).
RAPTORS NOTES:
With the win, Toronto improves to 43-32 this season and 20-16 at home … The Raptors have now won three consecutive games and will complete their current four-game homestand (Mar. 24-30) Wednesday vs. Minnesota.
Pascal Siakam scored a season-high 40 points (17-29 FG, 6-8 FT) and added 13 rebounds in 47 minutes for his team-leading 25th double-double of the season … Siakam has now tallied four 40-point double doubles in his career and ranks second in franchise history behind only Chris Bosh (5) … Siakam has scored 20+ points in five consecutive games (Mar. 20-28) and 13 of the last 14 contests overall, averaging 27.5 points during this stretch.
Pascal Siakam led all scorers with 25 first half points … Siakam has scored 25-or-more points in a half 10 times in his career, and the Raptors are 9-1 in these games.
Gary Trent Jr. finished with 12 points, three steals and two assists in 37 minutes … Trent Jr. returned to the lineup for the first time since Mar. 20 after missing three games (Mar. 21-26) with a hyperextended left big toe.
The Raptors recorded a season-high 10 blocks tonight … Precious Achiuwa led the way with a career-high four blocks, while Thaddeus Young recorded a season high-tying three.
CELTICS NOTES:
With the loss, Boston falls to 47-29 and 21-17 on the road … The Celtics are now 8-6 on the second half of a back-to-back set … Boston will begin a three-game homestand (Mar. 30 – April 3) Wednesday against Miami.
Marcus Smart finished with season highs of 28 points and 10 rebounds, and added four assists in 40 minutes … Smart has recorded 20-or-more points in a career-best 10 games this season … The Celtics are 8-2 this year when Smart scores 20+ points.
Payton Pritchard tallied 10 points, eight rebounds and five assists in 30 minutes off the bench … Pritchard has now scored in double figures in seven consecutive games (Mar. 16-28), averaging 13.0 points and shooting .552 (32-58) from the field during this stretch.
Grant Williams scored 17 points and added seven rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 39 minutes … Williams has recorded 15+ points 11 times this season, something he did just three times in his first two seasons combined (2019-2021).
GAME #72 – TORONTO RAPTORS (40-31) at CHICAGO BULLS (41-29) MONDAY, MARCH 21, 2022 – 8 P.M. (ET) – UNITED CENTER TV: SPORTSNET – RADIO: SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN
GARY TRENT OUT FOR TORONTO
INJURY REPORT AT 5:30 P.M. EDT
OR@CHI
Chicago Bulls
Ball, Lonzo Out Injury/Illness – Left Knee; Meniscus Tear Cook, Tyler Out G League – Two-Way Hill, Malcolm Out G League – Two-Way Simonovic, Marko Out G League – On Assignment Williams, Patrick Available –
Toronto Raptors
Anunoby, OG Out Injury/Illness – Right Hand; Ring Finger – Fracture Bonga, Isaac Out G League – On Assignment Champagnie, Justin Out G League – Two-Way Flynn, Malachi Out Injury/Illness – Left Hamstring; Strain Johnson, David Out G League – Two-Way Trent Jr., Gary Out Injury/Illness – Left Foot; Big Toe – Hyperextended
• The Toronto Raptors (40-31) play the second game of a back-to-back set Monday night against the Chicago Bulls (41-29) at the United Center. The Raptors defeated Philadelphia 93-88 on Sunday night, overcoming a 16-point first-half deficit by holding the 76ers to an opponent season-low 34 second half points. Toronto sits 1.0 game behind Cleveland for sixth place in the Eastern Conference. Toronto is 10-5 on the second night of a back-to-back set this season, after going just 3-13 last year. • Toronto has won six consecutive road games (Mar. 9-20) for the first time since winning eight straight Mar. 3 – Aug. 12, 2020. During this stretch, the Raptors are averaging 112.2 points while holding opponents to 103.7 points. Pascal Siakam is averaging a team-high 27.0 points over the last six road games. • Precious Achiuwa recorded a season high-tying 21 points and nine rebounds Mar. 20 at Philadelphia. Achiuwa has now scored in double figures in a career-high seven straight games (Mar. 9-20), averaging 14.1 points. He is shooting .506 (39-77) from the field and .452 (14-31) from beyond the arc during this stretch. Achiuwa is shooting .367 (40-109) from three-point range this season after attempting just one three-pointer last season with Miami. • Toronto outrebounded Philadelphia 56-to-40, including 20-5 on the offensive end, Sunday night. The Raptors (13.5) currently rank second in the NBA in offensive boards and have a +69 (172-103) advantage on the offensive glass through 11 games in March. The Raptors are 4-1 this season when the team collects 0-or-more offensive rebounds in a game. • Pascal Siakam is averaging 22.0 points, and career bests of 8.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists, in 58 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. • Chris Boucher had 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds in 39 minutes off the bench Sunday night in Philadelphia. This marks Boucher’s seventh double-double of the season. He has led the bench in scoring a team-best 26 times this year and holds the franchise record for double-doubles as a reserve with 21. • Pascal Siakam finished with his team-leading 24th double-double of the season with 26 points, 10 rebounds and five assists Mar. 20 in Philadelphia. Siakam reached 6,000 career points against the Sixers, becoming just the seventh Raptor to reach the milestone. Sunday also marked his 12th game this season with 20+ points, 10+ rebounds and 5+ assists – a single-season franchise record. • Scottie Barnes has scored 20+ points 17 times this season – the most by a Raptors rookie since Vince Carter did it 23 times during the 1998-99 season.
• Finished with 13 points, six rebounds and four assists in 36 minutes Mar. 20 at Philadelphia. • Leads all rookies in minutes (35.8), ranks third in scoring (15.5) and rebounds (7.7), and fourth in assists (3.4). • Averaging 19.3 points, 8.6 rebounds and has scored 20+ points in eight-of-14 games since the All-star break. F – PASCAL SIAKAM #43
MIN: 37.7 REB: 8.4 AST: 5.1 STL: 1.2 TO: 2.7 BLK: 0.6 PTS: 22.0 • Finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in 36 minutes Mar. 20 at Philadelphia. • Leads the Raptors with a career-best 24 double-doubles this season. • Averaging 25.7 points and shooting .505 (105-208) from the field through 11 games in March. C – KHEM BIRCH #24
MIN: 18.4 REB: 4.5 AST: 1.0 STL: 0.6 TO: 0.5 BLK: 0.5 PTS: 4.6 • Contributed four points and six rebounds in 22 minutes Sunday in Philadelphia. • Has scored in double figures four times this season (Last: 11 – Mar. 1 vs. Brooklyn). • Averaging 5.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 18.8 minutes in 20 games as a starter this season. G – GARY TRENT JR. #33
MIN: 34.8 REB: 2.8 AST: 2.1 STL: 1.8 TO: 1.0 BLK: 0.3 PTS: 18. • Tallied nine points, three assists, two rebounds and one steal in 34 minutes Mar. 20 at Philadelphia. • Ranks third in the NBA in both steals (1.79) and total deflections (221). • Averaging 20.1 points and shooting .394 (108-274) from beyond the arc in 33 road games this season. G – FRED VANVLEET #23
MIN: 38.2 REB: 4.6 AST: 6.7 STL: 1.6 TO: 2.7 BLK: 0.5 PTS: 21.1 • Inactive Mar. 20 at Philadelphia for right knee injury management. • Leads the NBA in minutes (38.2), ranks second in deflections (222) and third in three-pointers (220). • Needs 18 three-pointers to tie Kyle Lowry’s single-season franchise record of 238 made threes (2017-18). TS: 18.
2021-22 RECORDS W-L EAST WEST OVERALL 40-31 24-19 16-12 HOME 17-16 11-9 6-7 AWAY 23-15 13-10 10-5 OVERTIME 2-2 2-1 0-1
GAME DETAILS Opponent: Chicago Bulls Date: Monday, March 21 Tip-Off: 8 p.m. (ET) Venue: United Center Television: TSN Radio: TSN 1050 Toronto SERIES RECAP VS. CHICAGO OVERALL HOME ROAD 2021-22 1-2 1-1 0-1 ALL-TIME 45-53 24-25 21-28 STREAKS Won 1 Won 1 Lost 3 LAST WIN: Feb. 3, 2022 (127-100 OT) LAST ROAD WIN: Dec. 9, 2019 (93-92) LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY: +39 (Nov. 17, 2018) LARGEST MARGIN OF DEFEAT: -37 (Feb. 19, 1998) LAST TIME VS. CHICAGO GAME 50 – FEBRUARY 3, 2022 TORONTO 127, CHICAGO 120 (OT) TORONTO — Pascal Siakam had 25 points and 13 rebounds, Chris Boucher added 16 points and 10 rebounds, and the Toronto Raptors beat the Chicago Bulls 127-120 in overtime … Scottie Barnes scored 21 points, including the go-ahead basket with 1:44 left in OT, and Gary Trent Jr. added a decisive 3-pointer with 16 seconds remaining … Trent scored 16 points, ending his career-best streak of 30-point games at five … Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby each scored 21 as Toronto won its fourth straight overall … Toronto finished with 113 field goal attempts, while the Bulls had 90 … The Raptors also had 22 offensive rebounds, compared to 10 for Chicago … Chicago committed 17 turnovers, leading to 22 points for the Raptors … Vucevic matched his season high with 30 points and had 18 rebounds, his ninth double-double in 10 games … DeMar DeRozan scored 28 points against his former team … Coby White had 16 points, LaVine had 15, Javonte Green 13 and Ayo Dosunmu 11 for the Bulls, who came in as the Eastern Conference leaders … The Raptors led 103-93 after VanVleet’s 3 with 5:50 to go in regulation, but DeRozan tied it at 112 on a jump shot with 47 seconds left, capping a personal six-point run … VanVleet came up empty on a driving shot attempt at the other end, but Barnes tipped in the missed shot to tie it with 0.7 seconds left … Vucevic got a final shot off, but didn’t come close. 1 2 3 4 OT TOT CHICAGO 24 26 31 33 6 120 TORONTO 26 28 33 27 13 127
NEXT GAME DETAILS Opponent: Cleveland Cavaliers Date: Thursday, March 24 Tip-Off: 7:30 p.m. (ET) Venue: Scotiabank Arena Television: Sportsnet Radio: Sportsnet 590 The FAN SERIES RECAP VS. CLEVELAND OVERALL HOME ROAD 2021-22 0-3 0-1 0-2 ALL-TIME 46-53 26-23 20-30 STREAKS Lost 3 Lost 1 Lost 2 LAST WIN: Apr. 26, 2021 (112-96) LAST HOME WIN: Apr. 26, 2021 (112-96) LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY: +34 (Jan. 11, 2018) LARGEST MARGIN OF DEFEAT: -45 (Dec. 26, 2021) LAST TIME VS. CLEVELAND GAME 64 – MARCH 6, 2022 CLEVELAND 104, TORONTO 96 CLEVELAND — Evan Mobley had 20 points and 17 rebounds, Lauri Markkanen scored 22, and the Cavaliers beat the Raptors 104-96 … All-Star center Jarrett Allen reportedly suffered a fractured finger during the first quarter … Allen had six points and two rebounds in 10 minutes … Darius Garland had 17 points and 10 assists, Cedi Osman added 17 points and Kevin Love 15 as Cleveland improved to 3-0 against Toronto … Pascal Siakam scored 24 points and Chris Boucher 21 for the Raptors, who opened a six-game road trip without All-Star guard Fred VanVleet (knee soreness) or forward OG Anunoby (fractured finger) … Down 18 in the fourth, the Raptors closed within 100-95, but Garland made two free throws and Osman’s steal with 56 seconds left helped seal it for the Cavs … Injuries to VanVleet and backup Malachi Flynn led to Toronto coach Nick Nurse starting rookie Scottie Barnes at point guard … He finished with 19 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in 42 minutes … Cleveland led by 13 at halftime and then overcame a brutal third quarter — 16 points, 1 of 10 on 3-pointers — by opening an 82-64 lead early in the fourth … Love then hit a 3-pointer and reserve Dean Wade delivered a thunderous dunk over Toronto’s Khem Birch … The Raptors finished 6 of 24 on 3- pointers. … VanVleet has missed the past five games. 1 2 3 4 TOT TORONTO 29 17 16 34 96 CLEVELAND 30 29 14 31 104
BACK-TO-BACKS (17) FIRST GAME SECOND GAME DATE OPP RESULT DATE OPP RESULT Oct. 22 @BOS W 115-83 Oct. 23 DAL L 103-95 Oct. 29 ORL W 110-109 Oct. 30 @IND W 97-94 Nov. 10 @BOS L 104-88 Nov. 11 @PHI W 115-109 Nov. 18 @UTA L 119-103 Nov. 19 @SAC W 108-89 Dec. 13 SAC W 124-101 Dec. 14 @BKN L 131-129 (OT) Jan. 4 SAS W 129-104 Jan. 5 @MIL W 117-111 Jan. 14 @DET L 103-87 Jan. 15 @MIL W 103-96 Jan. 25 CHA W 125-113 Jan. 26 @CHI L 111-105 Jan. 31 @ATL W 106-100 Feb. 1 MIA W 110-106 Feb. 3 CHI W 127-120 (OT) Feb. 4 ATL W 125-114 Feb. 9 @OKC W 117-98 Feb. 10 @HOU W 139-120 Feb. 25 @CHA L 125-93 Feb. 26 @ATL L 127-100 Feb. 28 @BKN W 133-97 Mar. 1 BKN W 109-108 Mar. 3 DET L 108-106 Mar. 4 ORL L 103-97 Mar. 11 @PHX W 117-112 Mar. 12 @DEN W 127-115 Mar. 20 @PHI W 93-88 Mar. 21 @CHI Apr. 7 PHI Apr. 8 HOU RECORD: 11-5 (.688) RECORD: 10-5 (.667) 2020-21 RECORD: 7-9 (.438) 2020-21 RECORD: 3-13 (.188) SEASON SERIES Atlanta Hawks 2-1 Miami Heat 2-1 Boston Celtics 1-2 Milwaukee Bucks 3-0 Brooklyn Nets 2-2 Minnesota Timberwolves 1-0 Charlotte Hornets 2-1 New Orleans Pelicans 1-1 Chicago Bulls 1-2 New York Knicks 3-0 Cleveland Cavaliers 0-3 Oklahoma City 1-1 Dallas Mavericks 0-2 Orlando Magic 1-1 Denver Nuggets 1-1 Philadelphia 76ers 2-1 Detroit Pistons 0-3 Phoenix Suns 1-1 Golden State Warriors 1-1 Portland Trail Blazers 0-2 Houston Rockets 1-0 Sacramento Kings 2-0 Indiana Pacers 2-1 San Antonio Spurs 2-0 Los Angeles Clippers 2-0 Utah Jazz 1-1 Los Angeles Lakers 1-1 Washington Wizards 3-1 Memphis Grizzlies 1-1
Largest comeback by Toronto: 17 – Jan. 7 vs. Utah Largest fourth quarter comeback by Toronto: 8 (2X last: Mar. 12 at Denver) Largest comeback by opponent: 15 – Nov. 5 vs. Cleveland Largest fourth quarter comeback by opponent: 9 – Dec. 14 at Brooklyn (OT)
TORONTO RAPTORS (40-31) @ CHICAGO BULLS (41-29) Game 71, Home Game 36 Monday, March 21, 2022 – 7:00 PM CT United Center NBC SPORTS CHICAGO / WSCR-AM 670 / WRTO 1200, TUDN PROB-A-BULL STARTERS Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Player Updates F 24 JAVONTE GREEN 6-5 205 2021-22 Season: 7.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.0 apg, 1.0 spg, 24.1 mpg, .542 FG%, .381 3FG%, .831 FT% Career vs. TOR: 9 games, 5.2 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 0.7 apg, 11.7 mpg, .548 FG%, .375 3FG%, .769 FT% Note: Has started a career-best 41 times after making a combined total of four over two previous seasons. F 11 DeMAR DeROZAN 6-6 220 2021-22 Season: 27.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 5.1 apg, 36.0 mpg, .503 FG%, .353 3FG%, .871 FT% Career vs. TOR: 9 games, 23.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 7.7 apg, 36.5 mpg, .504 FG%, .429 3FG%, .914 FT% Note: Averaging career-highs in scoring (27.8), FG% (.503) and 3FG% (.353). C 9 NIKOLA VUČEVIĆ 6-11 260 2021-22 Season: 17.9 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.0 bpg, 33.5 mpg, .474 FG%, .302 3FG%, .752 FT% Career vs. TOR: 36 games, 15.2 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 3.3 apg, 29.8 mpg, .481 FG%, .386 3FG%, .700 FT% Note: Ranks 5th in the NBA with 40 double-doubles; has posted 15 double-doubles in his last 21 games. G 8 ZACH LaVINE 6-5 202 2021-22 Season: 24.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 4.6 apg, 34.7 mpg, .480 FG%, .395 3FG%, .860 FT% Career vs. TOR: 16 games, 16.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 4.8 apg, 34.0 mpg, .433 FG%, .295 3FG%, .779 FT% Note: Has scored in double-figures in 159 of of his last 160 games. G 12 AYO DOSUNMU 6-5 200 2021-22 Season: 8.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.2 apg, 27.0 mpg, .521 FG%, .390 3FG%, .672 FT% Career vs. TOR: 2 games, 9.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 6.0 apg, 40.2 mpg, .364 FG%, .111 3FG%, .500 FT% Note: Has shot .500+ FG% and .400+ 3FG% in the same game 23 times, 2nd most by a rookie this season.
TONIGHT’S OPPONENT – TORONTO RAPTORS (40-31) SERIES SUMMARY The third matchup between Toronto and Chicago came down to the wire, as the Raptors emerged with a 127-120 victory in a game that saw the Bulls go into overtime for the first time in 2021/22 … They were led by Nikola Vučević, who scored a game-high 30 points, shooting 13-21 from the floor and 4-6 from three … Behind Vučević was DeMar DeRozan, who had 28 points, seven rebounds and a pair of steals … He also shot 7-17 from the floor and a perfect 14-14 from the stripe … All five Bulls’ starters finished in double-figures, as Javonte Green scored 13, Zach LaVine had 15 while Ayo Dosunmu finished with 11 points … Coby White added 16 points off the bench … Toronto had four of five starters finish with 20+ points, led by Pascal Siakam, who finished with 25 points and 13 rebounds … Rookie Scottie Barnes had 21 points, including a go-ahead bucket with under two minutes left in the game, and Gary Trent Jr. scored 16 points including a three to finish the game off … in the second meeting, the Bulls came away with a 111-105 victory at the United Center giving Chicago five straight wins over the Raptors …DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 29 points while Zach LaVine added 23 on 9-of-16 shooting while gathering eight rebounds and dishing eight assists … Nikola Vučević also enjoyed his most efficient outing of the season, hitting 8-of-11 (.727) from the floor, finishing with 17 points and a game-high 15 rebounds … Chicago ended up with a season-best 68 points in the paint … Gary Trent Jr. led the charge for the Raptors, matching a season-high with 32 points, fueled by going 6-of-10 from three and 4-of 5 from the line … this contest was the first of two make-up games between the Bulls and the Raptors, as two previously scheduled games had to be rescheduled after a number of players on both teams were sidelined due to NBA health and safety protocols … in the series opener, Chicago pulled away late in the fourth quarter to post a 111-108 victory … DeMar DeRozan notched team-best 26 points for the Bulls, including scoring 11 in the final stanza, while Zach LaVine added 22 points … Toronto’s Fred VanVleet scored 15 points and set a career high with 17 assists … Precious Achiuwa also had 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Raptors, while rookie Scottie Barnes scored 13 points. Breakdown Overall Home Road Neutral All-Time Record 53-45 (.541) 28-21 (.571) 25-24 (.510) 0-0 (.000) 2021-22 SERIES (2-1)
CHI STAT TOR 112.0 PPG 108.8 111.2 OPP PPG 107.3 .481 FG% .443 .469 OPP FG% .462 .372 3FG% .351 .365 OPP 3FG% .352 .816 FT% .752 42.8 RPG 45.4 43.2 OPP RPG 44.2 24.1 APG 21.8 7.2 SPG 8.9 12.9 TO 12.6 13.2 OPP TO 15.9 4.3 BLK 4.6 BULLS/RAPTORS STREAKS CURRENT STREAK – 1 Loss HOME STREAK – 3 Wins ROAD STREAK – 1 Loss BULLS VS. RAPTORS THIS SEASON Oct. 25 @ TOR – W 111-108 Jan. 26 @ CHI – W 111-105 Feb. 03 @ TOR – L 120-127 (OT) Mar. 21 @ CHI BULLS NEXT OPPONENT – MILWAUKEE BUCKS (44-27) BULLS/BUCKS STREAKS CURRENT STREAK – 2 Losses HOME STREAK – 1 Loss ROAD STREAK – 6 Losses SERIES SUMMARY The Bulls fell to the Bucks 112-118 at the United Center in the second of four games between the two teams to give Milwaukee their third straight win … Zach LaVine led the team in scoring for the 22nd time this season with a team-high 30 points on 13- 26 from the floor … LaVine also recorded eight rebounds and six assists … DeMar DeRozan finished right behind him with 29 points… Nikola Vučević had 19 points and a team-high nine rebounds, while Javonte Green had nine points off the bench … The Bucks were agin led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had a game-high 34 points, going 12-22 from the floor and 10-19 from the free-throw line … Milwaukee shot 33 free-throws, going 22-33 (.667) from the stripe, which is the most by a Bulls opponent this season. The first matchup of the four-game season-series between Chicago and Milwaukee saw the Bucks come away with a 94-90 victory at the Fiserv Forum … it was Chicago’s sixth straight loss to the Bucks in Milwaukee … the Bucks were led by NBA Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who scored a team-high 30 points while also recording 12 rebounds, three assists, one steal and two blocks … Antetokounmpo was one of three Milwaukee starters with double-digit rebounding figures …Khris Middleton had a double-double with 16 points and 10 boards, while Bobby Portis had 12 points and a team-best 13 rebounds … Jrue Holiday came off the bench and had 13 points and four rebounds over 27 minutes… DeMar DeRozan scored a game-high 35 points for the Bulls … Nikola Vučević was the second-highest scorer for Chicago, finishing with 19 points while also pulling down a team-best 11 boards … Matt Thomas came off the bench and matched a season-high with a trio of three-pointers, going 3-5 from deep and finishing with 11 points in 19 minutes played … The Bulls, however, struggled on the offensive end overall, finishing the game at a 31-85 (.365) clip and 7-38 (.184) from three, both of which are season-lows.
CHI STAT TOR 112.0 PPG 108.8 111.2 OPP PPG 107.3 .481 FG% .443 .469 OPP FG% .462 .372 3FG% .351 .365 OPP 3FG% .352 .816 FT% .752 42.8 RPG 45.4 43.2 OPP RPG 44.2 24.1 APG 21.8 7.2 SPG 8.9 12.9 TO 12.6 13.2 OPP TO 15.9 4.3 BLK 4.6 BULLS/RAPTORS STREAKS CURRENT STREAK – 1 Loss HOME STREAK – 3 Wins ROAD STREAK – 1 Loss BULLS VS. RAPTORS THIS SEASON Oct. 25 @ TOR – W 111-108 Jan. 26 @ CHI – W 111-105 Feb. 03 @ TOR – L 120-127 (OT) Mar. 21 @ CHI —
TEAM NOTE-A-BULLS At 41-29 (.586), Chicago sits 5th in the East, 2.0 games behind Boston (44-28 .611) for 4th, and Philadelphia (43-27 .614) for 3rd in the conference. The Bulls and Brooklyn have both shot .900+ from the free-throw line 14 times, ranking 2nd behind Phoenix with 16. The Bulls have hit 20+ free-throws while shooting .850+ from the stripe 13 times, ranking 3rd behind Philadelphia (15) and Atlanta (14). The Bulls, Brooklyn and Denver are the only teams to shoot .600+ from the floor twice this season. Five others have done it once. The Bulls have also shot .500+ from the field 26 times, ranking 3rd behind Phoenix (32) and Denver (28). The Bulls are 22-4 (.846) in those contests. The Bulls have also shot .500+ from the field and .450+ from the 3-point arc 14 times, as well as .400+ from deep 20 times. Both rank No. 1 in the NBA. The Bulls are 32-8 (.800) when outshooting an opponent; 22-5 (.815) when they hit more 3s; 18-5 (.783) when they hand out more assists; and 40-18 (.690) when two or more players score 20+ points. The Bulls have dished 30+ assists 17 times, ranking 6th in the league. The Bulls have scored 130+ points 8 times this season, the 3rd-most in franchise history. The 1969-70 team had 11 games while the inaugural squad from 1966-67 recorded 10 games of 130+ points. The Bulls have posted 70+ points by halftime four times, and in the second half three times this season. Last year, they were able to accomplish this just twice in the opening half and once in the second over a total of 72 games played. PLAYER NOTE-A-BULLS ZACH LaVINE hit his 1,000th career (and 700th as a Bull) 3-pointer at Sacramento (3/14). He currently ranks 3rd in franchise history with 706. DeMAR DeROZAN knocked down his 7,000th career shot vs. Cleveland (3/12). NIKOLA VUČEVIĆ notched his 40th double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds at Utah (3/16). He currently ranks 5th in the league. With his fifth (and final) assist at Atlanta (3/3), VUČEVIĆ recorded the 2,000th helper of his career. He currently has dished a total of 2,008, ranking 16th all-time and 1st among active NBA pivotmen. LaVINE (1,114) passed DAVE CORZINE (1,112) for 20th on the Bulls All-Time assists list with four helpers at Miami (2/28). DeROZAN recorded a 10th straight 30+ point game with 31 vs. Memphis (2/26), establishing a new personal best and tying franchise icon MICHAEL JORDAN for the second-longest mark in Bulls’ history. Jordan also holds the team record with 11 straight 30+ point games set during the 1986-87 season. DeROZAN has attempted double-digit free throws 20 times, and connected in double-digits 14 times, placing him 5th and 4th in the league, respectively. DeROZAN is the only Bulls player to score 40+ points in a game, something he’s done three times this season. In total, a player has scored 40+ 93 times this year, but only four games have happened without the player making a 3-point shot – three by DeRozan: 40 points vs. San Antonio (2/14), 45 points vs. Philadelphia (2/6) and 41 points at Orlando (1/23). LaVINE (6,218) moved in front of JIMMY BUTLER (6,208) for 14th on the Bulls’ All-Time scoring list after posting 28 points vs. Memphis (2/26). LaVINE also surpassed 9,000 career points after notching 20 vs. Atlanta (2/24). WHITE knocked down his 400th career trey in his 178th game vs. Milwaukee (3/4), and later tied ANDRÉS NOCIONI’s tally of 403 at Philadelphia (3/7) after connecting three more times from deep. He’s currently 9th on the Bulls’ all-time 3-point list with a total of 413. AYO DOSUNMU has shot .500+ from the floor and .400+ from deep in the same game 23 times, ranking 2nd among all rookies behind Orlando’s FRANZ WAGNER’s 24. DeROZAN ranks 2nd behind Denver’s NIKOLA JOKIĆ (57) in 20+-point games this season with 56, while LaVINE is tied for 8th along with LA’s LeBRON JAMES and Philadelphia’s JOEL EMBIID with 48. The Chicago duo are also two of only 10 players in the league (and the only teammates) to score 20+- points at least 48 times this season, and in the same game an NBA-best 37 times. They have also scored at least 25 points apiece in the same game an NBA-best 22 times, which is also the most in Bulls’ history. Lastly, DeROZAN (24x) and LaVINE (15x) are also the only teammates to score 30+-points at least a 15 times this season. When it comes to scoring down the stretch, Chicago’s 1-2 punch are two of the best in the business. DeROZAN ranks 1st in 4th-quarter scoring with 535 points while LaVINE is 13th with 316 points. REMAINING 2021-22 NBA KEY DATES Mar. 1 Playoff Eligibility Waiver Deadline Apr. 12-15 NBA Play-In Tournament Apr. 11 Rosters set for NBA Playoffs 2022 (3 p.m. ET) Apr. 16 NBA Playoffs 2022 begin May 2-3 Conference Semifinals begin (possible move up to April 30 / May 1) May 17 NBA Draft Lottery 2022 presented by State Farm May 17-18 Conference Finals begin (possible move up to May 15-16) June 2 NBA Finals 2022 begin DEEBO & FLIGHT 8 = ALL-NBA: The pairing of DeMAR DeROZAN and ZACH LaVINE has seamlessly formed into one of the most dynamic offensive duos in the league, with each making strong cases for All-NBA recognition. DeRozan, who was named a starter for the third time for the NBA All-Star Game in February (his 5th ASG overall), was a 2018 All-NBA Second Team player and a 2017 All-NBA Third Team member. LaVine, who was named to his second consecutive All-Star team this season, has continued to develop his overall game, proving night in and night out to be one of the league’s most efficient and versatile scorers, as well as a pretty formidable defender. Below are some of the hightlights each player has delivered in bringing the Chicago Bulls back to prominence this season. DeRozan LaVine WHAT ROOKIE WALL? One of the other keys to success for the Bulls in 2021-22 has been the development of rookie guard AYO DOSUNMU, whose recent play has put him in contention for the NBA All-Rookie Team. In 31 games as a starter, Dosunmu has averaged 36.1 mpg, 11.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists with only 1.9 turnovers while shooting .530 from the field, .375 from three and .788 from the free throw line. o Has shot .500 or better from the field and .400 or better from deep in the same game an 23 times, 2nd best among all rookies. o Ranks 2nd among all rookies with seven 40+ minute games. o Currently has .590 effective field goal percentage (eFG%), which is the highest in the league among all rookies (min: 50 games). o As his role expanded, his performance on the court improved, too. Dosunmu’s minutes, points, and assists per game have all increased throughout every month of the season: Month GS MPG PPG APG October/November 0 15.7 5.8 0.8 December 2 25.6 7.5 2.1 January 9 32.2 10.0 4.1 February 12 36.6 10.8 6.5 March 8 33.2 10.6 4.3 DIALING LONG DISTANCE: Both ZACH LaVINE and COBY WHITE are quickly rising to the top of the Bulls’ All-Time 3-point list. In the fourth game of the season (and his 209th as a Bull), LaVine knocked down three treys at Toronto (10/25/21) to pass franchise icon MICHAEL JORDAN (555) for the No. 4 spot in franchise history. He later moved ahead of another Bulls’ Hall of Famer, SCOTTIE PIPPEN (664), for No. 3 after hitting three more long shots vs. Portland (1/30/22). As for White, he jumped ahead of LUOL DENG for 10th after going 6-for-11 from downtown vs. Sacramento (2/16). The third-year guard, who missed the first 14 games of the season recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, started the year with 296 3-balls, good for 18th on the all-time list. HOT SAUCIN’: Although the Bulls haven’t taken a lot of 3s this season, when they do their aim has been true, as they’ve consistently ranked near the top of the NBA in three-point shooting percentage. The table on the right lists the Bulls’ leading long-distance shooters this season. It shows the number of games each has played, the number of 3s they’ve made and the number of games in which they’ve hit multiple 3s. o Was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month for February, and the Eastern Conference Player of the Week three times this season. o Has scored in double figures in every appearance (66) and ranks 2nd in the NBA with 56 20+ point games this season. o One of only seven in the league to average 25.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game. o He’s the only player to average over 25.0 ppg while making less than 1.0 3-pointer per game. o His 535 4th quarter points leads the NBA, while his 129 clutch points ranks 2nd. He’s also shooting .514 from the field, .667 from 3 and .879 from the free throw line in the clutch … his two made 3-pointers in clutch time were buzzer-beaters to win games on consecutive days (12/31 at IND and 1/1 at WAS). o DeRozan is converting an NBA-best 4.7 shots from mid-range on 9.7 attempts per game, both of which are the highest averages in the NBA. No other player in the league is currently averaging more than 4.0 made field goals or more than 7.2 attempts from that area. o DeRozan’s rankings: Per StatHead o PPG: 27.8, 6th overall o FGM/game: 10.1, 4th overall o FTM/game: 6.9, 4th overall o Has posted 48 20+ point games, tying him for 8th in the NBA. He’s also recorded 15 30+ point games. o Has 8 games with 10+ field goals and 5+ treys while also shooting at least .500 from the floor, tying him for 5th in the NBA. o His 89 clutch points ranks 10th in the league. o Scored in double figures in 140 consecutive games prior to exiting early with a knee injury (1/22). That was also the second-longest streak in the league over that stretch. In 19 appearances upon returning to the floor, he’s continued to post double-figure scoring nights, running his personal streak to 159 out of his last 160 games. o Holds the highest field goal percentage in the league in catch-and-shoot situations at .473 (min: 50 GP, 30 MIN/G). o LaVine’s rankings: Per StatHead o PPG: 24.5, 14th overall o FGM/game: 8.6, 13th overall o FTM/game: 4.5, T-13th overall o 3PM/game: 2.8, T-11th overa
GAME #71 – TORONTO RAPTORS (39-31) at PHILADELPHIA 76ers (43-26) SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 2022 – 7:30 P.M. (ET) – WELLS FARGO CENTER TV: SPORTSNET – RADIO: SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN
INJURY REPORTAT 5:30 P.M.
TOR@PHI
Philadelphia 76ers
Bassey, Charles Out G League – On Assignment Brown Jr., Charlie Out G League – Two-Way Embiid, Joel Questionable Injury/Illness – Back; Soreness Powell, Myles Out G League – Two-Way Springer, Jaden Out Injury/Illness – Left Groin; Soreness / G League Assignment
Toronto Raptors
Anunoby, OG Out Injury/Illness – Right Hand; Ring Finger – Fracture Bonga, Isaac Out G League – On Assignment Champagnie, Justin Out G League – Two-Way Flynn, Malachi Out Injury/Illness – Left Hamstring; Strain Johnson, David Out G League – Two-Way VanVleet, Fred Out Injury/Illness – Right Knee; Injury Management
• The Toronto Raptors (39-31) play the first game of a back-to-back set Sunday night against the Philadelphia 76ers (43-26) at Wells Fargo Center. The Raptors visit Chicago on Monday. Toronto’s win streak ended at five on Friday after losing 128-123 in overtime to the LA Lakers. Scottie Barnes set career-highs with 31 points and 17 rebounds, Gary Trent Jr. scored 23 points and Fred VanVleet had 20. The Raptors are now 1.0 game behind Cleveland for sixth place in the Eastern Conference. Toronto and Philadelphia have split the first two meetings this season, with the road team winning both contests. • Scottie Barnes earned his 11th double-double of the season with career highs of 31 points and 17 rebounds Friday against the Lakers. He added six assists in 42 minutes. Barnes became the first rookie since Blake Griffin (March 23, 2011) to record 30+ points, 15+ rebounds and 5+ assists in a game. His 31 points also tied Vince Carter’s Raptors rookie record for the most scored in a double-double. Carter had 31 points and 11 rebounds as a rookie Apr. 1, 1999 vs. Indiana. • Pascal Siakam is averaging 21.9 points, and career bests of 8.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists, in 57 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. • Precious Achiuwa had 18 points and five rebounds off the bench Friday against the Lakers. Achiuwa has now scored in double figures in a career-high six straight games (Mar. 9-18). He is averaging 13.0 points and shooting .484 (30-62) from the field, including .444 (12-27) from three, during this stretch. Achiuwa is shooting .362 (38-105) from beyond the arc this season after attempting just one three-pointer as a rookie. • The Raptors outrebounded the Lakers 46-43 on Friday night, including 16-13 on the offensive glass. Toronto (13.4) currently ranks second in the NBA in offensive boards and has +54 (152-98) advantage on the offensive glass through 10 games in March. • Scottie Barnes has scored 20+ points 17 times this season – the most by a Raptors rookie since Vince Carter did it 23 times during the 1998-99 season. Barnes leads all rookies this year having tallied 20+ points and 5+ rebounds in 17 games. Since the All-Star break, Barnes is averaging 19.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and has scored 20-or-more eight times in 13 contests. • Toronto scored 27 fast break points Friday night, while holding the Lakers to just 11. The Raptors (15.6) currently rank third in the league in fast break points. • Gary Trent Jr. finished with 23 points in 41 minutes Friday against the Lakers. Trent Jr. has now scored 20+ points 24 times this season, something he did 23 times in his first three years (2018-21) combined.
F – SCOTTIE BARNES #4 • Recorded career highs of 31 points and 17 rebounds Mar. 18 vs. the LA Lakers; added six assists in 42 minutes. • Leads all rookies in minutes (35.7), ranks third in scoring (15.5) and rebounds (7.6), and fourth in assists (3.4). • Has scored 20+ points in three of the last four games (Mar. 12-18), averaging 23.0 points during this span. F – PASCAL SIAKAM #43 • Finished with 17 points, six rebounds and seven assists in 46 minutes Mar. 18 vs. the LA Lakers. • Leads the Raptors with a career-best 23 double-doubles this season. • Averaging 25.7 points and shooting .505 (95-188) from the field through 10 games in March. C – KHEM BIRCH #24 • Contributed two points, three rebounds and one assist in 17 minutes Mar. 18 vs. the LA Lakers. • Has scored in double figures four times this season (Last: 11 – Mar. 1 vs. Brooklyn). • Averaging 5.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 18.7 minutes in 19 games as a starter this season. G – GARY TRENT JR. #33 • Scored 23 points Mar. 18 vs. the LA Lakers; added three rebounds and three assists in 41 minutes. • Ranks third in the NBA in both steals (1.80) and total deflections (218). • Averaging 20.8 points and shooting .400 (108-270) from beyond the arc in 32 road games this season. G – FRED VANVLEET #23 • Finished with 20 points, three rebounds and seven assists in 47 minutes Mar. 18 vs. the LA Lakers. • Leads the NBA in minutes (38.2), ranks second in deflections (222) and third in three-pointers (220). • Needs 18 three-pointers to tie Kyle Lowry’s single-season franchise record of 238 made threes (2017-18).
2021-22 RECORDS W-L EAST WEST OVERALL 39-31 23-19 16-12 HOME 17-16 11-9 6-7 AWAY 22-15 12-10 10-5 OVERTIME 2-2 2-1 0-1
GAME DETAILS Opponent: Philadelphia 76ers Date: Sunday, March 20 Tip-Off: 8:30 p.m. (ET) Venue: Wells Fargo Center Television: Sportsnet Radio: Sportsnet 590 The FAN SERIES RECAP VS. PHILADELPHIA OVERALL HOME ROAD 2021-22 1-1 0-1 1-0 ALL-TIME 59-42 32-18 27-24 STREAKS Lost 1 Lost 2 Won 1 LAST WIN: Nov. 11, 2021 (115-109) LAST ROAD WIN: Nov. 11, 2021 (115-109) LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY: +34 (Oct. 21, 2017) LARGEST MARGIN OF DEFEAT: -35 (Jan. 7, 2012) LAST TIME VS. PHILADELPHIA GAME 31 – DECEMBER 28, 2021 PHILADELPHIA 114, TORONTO 109 TORONTO — Tobias Harris had 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists for his first career triple-double, Joel Embiid finished with 36 points and 11 rebounds, and the Philadelphia 76ers hung on to beat the Toronto Raptors 114-109 … Chris Boucher scored a season-high 28 points and matched his career high with 19 rebounds, but the depleted Raptors lost their second straight … Pascal Siakam, Gary Trent Jr. and Malachi Flynn returned for Toronto after being among the 10 players to miss Sunday’s 144-99 loss at Cleveland because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols … Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, Isaac Bonga, and Justin Champagnie remain in the protocols … Siakam scored 28 points while Trent had 19 … After Toronto took a 78-76 lead on Svi Mykhailiuk’s 3-pointer with 2:02 left in the third, the 76ers responded with a 19-5 run, including a 10-2 spurt to begin the fourth that was fueled by eight straight points from Georges Niang … The Raptors battled back, and Trent hit a 3- pointer with 1:41 remaining to put Toronto up 107-106 … But Harris was fouled after grabbing the rebound on Trent’s miss with 21 seconds left, and made two more from the line to put the Sixers up 112-109 … Toronto missed a chance to take a tying shot when Trent turned the ball over with six seconds left … … Philadelphia led 55-48 at halftime. 1 2 3 4 TOT PHILADELPHIA 27 28 30 29 114 TORONTO 24 24 33 28 109
GAME #70 – TORONTO RAPTORS (39-30) vs. LOS ANGELES LAKERS (29-40) FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2022 – 7:30 P.M. (ET) – SCOTIABANK ARENA TV: SPORTSNET – RADIO: TSN 1050 TORONTO 2021-22 RECORDS W-L EAST WEST OVERALL 39-30 23-19 16-11 HOME 17-15 11-9 6-6 AWAY 22-15 12-10 10-5 OVERTIME 2-1 2-1 0-0
• The Toronto Raptors (39-30) return home from a six-game road trip (Mar. 6-16) Friday night when they host the Los Angeles Lakers (29-40) at Scotiabank Arena. The Raptors have won five in a row and went 5-1 on their recent road trip. Pascal Siakam scored 31 points as Toronto held off the LA Clippers to cap its trip with a 103-100 victory on Wednesday. The Raptors are now tied with Cleveland for sixth place in the Eastern Conference. Toronto will play nine of its final 13 games at home. • The Raptors have won five consecutive games (Mar. 9-14) for the first time since a season-long eight-game winning streak (Jan. 29 – Feb. 10). Over the last five games, Toronto is averaging 116.0 points and shooting .452 (208-460) from the field, while holding opponents to 106.8 points. Pascal Siakam and Gary Trent Jr. are averaging 27.2 and 20.4 points, respectively, during the win streak. The Raptors have led after the first quarter in each of the last five games. • Pascal Siakam recorded his team-leading 23rd double-double of the season with 31 points and 12 rebounds in Wednesday’s win over the Clippers. Siakam has now scored 20+ points in a career-best eight straight games (Mar. 3-16), averaging 27.8 points and shooting .522 (82-157) from the field and .483 (14- 29) from three-point range during this stretch. Siakam is the first Raptor since Kawhi Leonard to score 20-or-more in eight straight games. Leonard scored 20+ points in 12 straight games Feb. 11 – Mar. 24, 2019. • Pascal Siakam is averaging 22.0 points, and career bests of 8.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists, in 56 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. • Precious Achiuwa recorded 11 points and six rebounds off the bench Wednesday against the Clippers. Achiuwa has now scored in double figures in a career-high five straight games (Mar. 9-16). He is averaging 12.0 points and shooting .469 (23-49) from the field, including .474 (9-19) from three, during this span. Achiuwa is shooting .361 (35-97) from beyond the arc after attempting just one three-pointer as a rookie. • The Raptors outrebounded the Clippers 43-41 on Wednesday night, including 13-10 on the offensive glass. Toronto (13.4) currently ranks second in the NBA in offensive boards and has +51 (135-85) advantage on the offensive boards through nine games in March. The Raptors grabbed a season-best 64 rebounds in Monday’s 114-103 win over the Lakers in Los Angeles. • Scottie Barnes has scored 20+ points 16 times this season – the most by a Raptors rookie since Vince Carter did it 23 times during the 1998-99 season. Barnes leads all rookies this year having tallied 20+ points and 5+ rebounds in 16 games. He scored 15 of his 21 points in the first quarter Monday vs. the Lakers. Since the All-Star break, Barnes is averaging 18.8 points and 8.1 rebounds in 12 contests. PROBABLE STARTERS F – SCOTTIE BARNES #4
MIN: 35.6 REB: 7.6 AST: 3.3 STL: 1.2 TO: 1.9 BLK: 0.8 PTS: 15.3 • Finished with 15 points and four rebounds in 40 minutes of action Mar. 16 against the LA Clippers. • Leads all rookies in minutes (35.6), ranks third in rebounds (7.6) and fourth in both points (15.3) and assists (3.3). • Averaging 18.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 36.5 minutes in 12 games since the All-Star break. F – PASCAL SIAKAM #43
MIN: 37.6 REB: 8.4 AST: 5.1 STL: 1.3 TO: 2.7 BLK: 0.6 PTS: 22.0 • Recorded 31 points, 12 rebounds and three assists in 39 minutes Mar. 16 against the LA Clippers. • Leads the Raptors with a career-best 23 double-doubles this season. • Averaging 26.7 points and shooting .506 (89-176) from the field through nine games in March. C – KHEM BIRCH #24
MIN: 18.4 REB: 4.5 AST: 1.0 STL: 0.6 TO: 0.5 BLK: 0.5 PTS: 4.7 • Contributed nine points, seven rebounds and one assist in 21 minutes Mar. 16 against the LA Clippers. • Has scored in double figures four times this season (Last: 11 – Mar. 1 vs. Brooklyn). • Averaging 5.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 18.8 minutes in 18 games as a starter this season. G – GARY TRENT JR. #33
MIN: 34.7 REB: 2.8 AST: 2.0 STL: 1.8 TO: 1.0 BLK: 0.3 PTS: 18.1 • Tallied seven points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals in 33 minutes Mar. 16 against the LA Clippers. • Ranks third in the NBA in both steals per game (1.82) and total deflections (211). • Averaging 20.84points and shooting .400 (108-270) from beyond the arc in 32 road games this season. G – FRED VANVLEET #23
MIN: 38.1 REB: 4.6 AST: 6.7 STL: 1.6 TO: 2.7 BLK: 0.5 PTS: 21.1 • Scored 21 points Mar. 16 against the LA Clippers; added two rebounds and three assists in 36 minutes. • Leads the league in minutes (38.1), ranks second in deflections (216) and third in three-pointers (218). • Needs 20 three-pointers to tie Kyle Lowry’s single-season franchise record of 238 made threes (2017-18). INJURY REPORT OG Anunoby (Right Hand; Ring Finger – Fracture) – Doubtful Malachi Flynn (Left Hamstring; Strain) – Out David Johnson (G League – Two-Way) – Out UPDATED: Mar. 18, 2022 NEXT GAME DETAILS Opponent: Philadelphia 76ers Date: Sunday, March 20 Tip-Off: 8:30 p.m. (ET) Venue: Wells Fargo Center Television: Sportsnet Radio: Sportsnet 590 The FAN SERIES RECAP VS. PHILADELPHIA OVERALL HOME ROAD 2021-22 1-1 0-1 1-0 ALL-TIME 59-42 32-18 27-24 STREAKS Lost 1 Lost 2 Won 1 LAST WIN: Nov. 11, 2021 (115-109) LAST ROAD WIN: Nov. 11, 2021 (115-109) LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY: +34 (Oct. 21, 2017) LARGEST MARGIN OF DEFEAT: -35 (Jan. 7, 2012) LAST TIME VS. PHILADELPHIA GAME 31 – DECEMBER 28, 2021 PHILADELPHIA 114, TORONTO 109 TORONTO — Tobias Harris had 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists for his first career triple-double, Joel Embiid finished with 36 points and 11 rebounds, and the Philadelphia 76ers hung on to beat the Toronto Raptors 114-109 … Chris Boucher scored a season-high 28 points and matched his career high with 19 rebounds, but the depleted Raptors lost their second straight … Pascal Siakam, Gary Trent Jr. and Malachi Flynn returned for Toronto after being among the 10 players to miss Sunday’s 144-99 loss at Cleveland because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols … Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, Isaac Bonga, and Justin Champagnie remain in the protocols … Siakam scored 28 points while Trent had 19 … After Toronto took a 78-76 lead on Svi Mykhailiuk’s 3-pointer with 2:02 left in the third, the 76ers responded with a 19-5 run, including a 10-2 spurt to begin the fourth that was fueled by eight straight points from Georges Niang … The Raptors battled back, and Trent hit a 3- pointer with 1:41 remaining to put Toronto up 107-106 … But Harris was fouled after grabbing the rebound on Trent’s miss with 21 seconds left, and made two more from the line to put the Sixers up 112-109 … Toronto missed a chance to tie with 21 seconds left, and made two more from the line to put the Sixers up 112-109 … Toronto missed a chance to take a tying shot when Trent turned the ball over with six seconds left … … Philadelphia led 55-48 at halftime. 1 2 3 4 TOT PHILADELPHIA 27 28 30 29 114 TORONTO 24 24 33 28 109
2021-22 SCHEDULE Day Date Opponent Time (ET)/Result Wed. Oct. 20 Washington L 98-83 Fri. Oct. 22 at Boston W 115-83 Sat. Oct. 23 Dallas L 103-95 Mon. Oct. 25 Chicago L 111-108 Wed. Oct. 27 Indiana W 118-100 Fri. Oct. 29 Orlando W 110-109 Sat. Oct. 30 at Indiana W 97-94 Mon. Nov. 1 at New York W 113-104 Wed. Nov. 3 at Washington W 109-100 Fri. Nov. 5 Cleveland L 102-101 Sun. Nov. 7 Brooklyn L 116-103 Wed. Nov. 10 at Boston L 104-88 Thu. Nov. 11 at Philadelphia W 115-109 Sat. Nov. 13 Detroit L 127-121 Mon. Nov. 15 at Portland L 118-113 Thu. Nov. 18 at Utah L 119-103 Fri. Nov. 19 at Sacramento W 108-89 Sun. Nov. 21 at Golden State L 119-104 Wed. Nov. 24 at Memphis W 126-113 Fri. Nov. 26 at Indiana L 114-97 Sun. Nov. 28 Boston L 109-97 Tue. Nov. 30 Memphis L 98-91 Thu. Dec. 2 Milwaukee W 97-93 Sun. Dec. 5 Washington W 102-90 Wed. Dec. 8 Oklahoma City L 110-109 Fri. Dec. 10 New York W 90-87 Mon. Dec. 13 Sacramento W 124-101 Tue. Dec. 14 at Brooklyn L 131-129 (OT) Thu. Dec. 16 Chicago POSTPONED Sat. Dec. 18 Golden State W 119-100 Mon. Dec. 20 Orlando POSTPONED Wed. Dec. 22 at Chicago POSTPONED Sun. Dec. 26 at Cleveland L 144-99 Tue. Dec. 28 Philadelphia L 114-109 Fri. Dec. 31 LA Clippers W 116-108 Sun. Jan. 2 New York W 120-105 Tue. Jan. 4 San Antonio W 129-104 Wed. Jan. 5 at Milwaukee W 117-111 Fri. Jan. 7 Utah W 122-108 Sun. Jan. 9 New Orleans W 105-101 Tue. Jan. 11 Phoenix L 99-95 Fri. Jan. 14 at Detroit L 103-87 Sat. Jan. 15 at Milwaukee W 103-96 Mon. Jan. 17 at Miami L 104-99 Wed. Jan. 19 at Dallas L 102-98 Fri. Jan. 21 at Washington W 109-105 Sun. Jan. 23 Portland L 114-105 Tue. Jan. 25 Charlotte W 125-113 Wed. Jan. 26 at Chicago L 111-105 Sat. Jan. 29 at Miami W 124-120 (3OT) Mon. Jan. 31 at Atlanta W 106-100 Tue. Feb. 1 Miami W 110-106 Thu. Feb. 3 Chicago W 127-120 (OT) Fri. Feb. 4 Atlanta W 125-114 Mon. Feb. 7 at Charlotte W 116-101 Wed. Feb. 9 at Oklahoma City W 117-98 Thu. Feb. 10 at Houston W 139-120 Sat. Feb. 12 Denver L 110-109 Mon. Feb. 14 at New Orleans L 120-90 Wed. Feb. 16 at Minnesota W 103-91 Fri. Feb. 25 at Charlotte L 125-93 Sat. Feb. 26 at Atlanta L 127-100 Mon. Feb. 28 at Brooklyn W 133-97 Tue. Mar. 1 Brooklyn W 109-108 Thu. Mar. 3 Detroit L 108-106 Fri Mar. 4 Orlando L 103-97 Sun. Mar. 6 at Cleveland L 104-96 Wed. Mar. 9 at San Antonio W 119-104 Fri. Mar. 11 at Phoenix W 117-112 Sat. Mar. 12 at Denver W 127-115 Mon. Mar. 14 at LA Lakers W 114-103 Wed. Mar. 16 at LA Clippers W 103-100 Fri. Mar. 18 LA Lakers 7:30 p.m. Sun. Mar. 20 at Philadelphia 8:30 p.m. Mon. Mar. 21 at Chicago 8:00 p.m. Thu. Mar. 24 Cleveland 7:30 p.m. Sat. Mar. 26 Indiana 7:30 p.m. Mon. Mar. 28 Boston 7:30 p.m. Wed. Mar. 30 Minnesota 7:30 p.m. Fri. Apr. 1 at Orlando 7:00 p.m. Sun. Apr. 3 Miami 7:00 p.m.# Tue. Apr. 5 Atlanta 7:30 p.m. Thu. Apr. 7 Philadelphia 7:30 p.m. Fri. Apr. 8 Houston 7:30 p.m. Sun. Apr. 10 at New York TBD KEY: * ESPN # NBATV ^ TNT NBA All-Star Weekend, February 18-20, 2022 Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse – Cleveland, Ohio
LAKERS
LAST TIME OUT: • LeBron James had 19 points, fi ve rebounds, four assists, one steal and two blocks in 37 minutes. The performace was his fi rst game since 12/17 without 20+ points, ending his streak at 32 games, the third longest streak of his career. • Wenyen Gabriel scored a season-high 10 points with two rebounds and one steal in 15 minutes off the bench. PLENTY OF TWENTY: LeBron James is approaching yet another milestone in his 19th season as he looks to become the NBA’s all-time leader in games with 20+ points. James is just nine games away from passing Karl Malone for the most such games in NBA history. He has climbed the charts thanks to a streak of 32 consecutive 20-point games that started on 12/19 and ended on 3/16. He passed Abdul-Jabbar with a 23-point outing on 3/9 at Houston. TRIPLE-QUINTUPLE: LeBron James became the only player in NBA history to tally 10,000+points, 10,000+ rebounds and 10,000+ assists as he recorded his 10,000th career assist against the Suns. James finished the night with 31 points, seven rebounds, six assists and one block in 30 minutes. The performance marked his 28th game of the season with 30+ points. DOUBLE 50 BURGER: LeBron James fi nished with 50 points, seven rebounds, six assists and one block in 36 minutes. The performance marked his second 50-point game of the season and the 14th such game of his career, tying Rick Barry for sixth most in NBA history. In his last two home games, James has scored 106 points, the fi rst Lakers player to score 100+ across two consecutive home games in a single season since Kobe Bryant did so in April of 2007. James is the sixth player in NBA history to score 50+ points in consecutive home games and the only player to do so after turning 30. ULTIMATE WARRIOR: LeBron James fi nished with a season-high 56 points (19-31 FG, 6-11 3FG, 12-13 FT) to go with 10 rebounds, three assists and one block in 38 minutes on 3/5 vs. Golden State, good for the sixth 50-point double-double of his career. James became the fi rst Lakers player to tally 55+ points and 10+ rebounds since Shaquille O’Neal on March 6, 2000. He is just the fourth player in NBA history to record a 50-point game at age 37 or older, joining Jamal Crawford, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. James scored 30 points in the second half, his highest scoring half since scoring 35 points in the second half on April 6, 2018 at Philadelphia. He has now scored at least 30 points in 19 diff erent halves throughout his career TWENTY FIVE A NIGHT: LeBron James put together a scoring streak unlike anything he has done since the 2007-08 season. James scored at least 25 points in 23 consecutive games, good for the longest streak of his career. The last time he had such a streak was from 1/25/08-3/8/08 when he scored 25+ points in 21 consecutive games. His streak is tied for the longest such streak in the NBA this season HALF A NIGHT, RUSS: Russell Westbrook had one of his strongest nights since joining the Lakers as he finished with 35 points (12-23 FG), four rebounds and fi ve assists on 1/28 against the Hornets. Westbrook scored 30 of his points in the second half, becoming the fi rst Lakers player to have a 30-point half since Kobe Bryant scored 38 points in the fi nal half of his career on 4/13/16 vs. Utah. The performance marked the seventh time that Westbrook had scored 30+ in a single half and the fi rst time since scoring 30 points in the second half on 3/7/17 vs. Portland. Westbrook is just the seventh player this season to tally a 30-point half. I’M THE CAPTAIN AGAIN: For the sixth consecutive season and ninth time overall, LeBron James led all players in All-Star voting as he was named an All-Star for the 18th time in his career. James has been named a captain in every year since the NBA switched to the current format and improved to 5-0 as the team captain of the annual event. His 18th straight selection ties him with Kobe Bryant for most all-time and his 18th overall selection ties him with Bryant for second-most selections in NBA history. A three-time NBA All-Star Game MVP and the contest’s all-time leading scorer (413 points), James made his NBA-record 18th All-Star start on February 20, 2022, fi nishing with 24 points, six rebounds, eight assists, three steals and one block in 36 minutes. 10 ACROSS THE BOARDS: Dwight Howard added to his Hall of Fame resume as he passed Nate Thurmond for 10th place on the NBA’s all-time rebounds list on 1/21 against the Orlando Magic. With his fi rst rebound of the night, Howard broke a tie with Thurmond to take sole possession of 10th place, recording his 14, 465th career rebound. PASSING THE ALL-TIME PASSERS: LeBron James continued his climb up the NBA’s all-time lists as he moved passed Oscar Robertson on the all-time assists list on 1/9 vs. Memphis. With his seventh assist of the night, James passed Robertson for seventh all-time, passing out his 9,888th career assist. James will now look to become just one of seven players all-time to tally 10,000 career assists. DOUBLE-TRIPLE-DOUBLE: In the Lakers’ 132-123 win over the Houston Rockets, both LeBron James and Russell Westbrook recorded triple-doubles and James added to his list of career milestones. • LeBron James became the third player in NBA history to score 36,000 points as he fi nished with 32 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists, one steal and two blocks in 39 minutes. James became the fi rst Lakers player since Kobe Bryant in 2013 to score 30+ points in fi ve consecutive games. • Russell Westbrook tallied his seventh triple-double of the season with 24 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists and two steals. James and Westbrook became just the third pair of Lakers teammates to record a triple-double in the same game, and the fi rst since James and Lonzo Ball on 12/15/18. CHRISTMAS TREE TOPPER: LeBron James appeared in his 16th career Christmas Day game, tying Kobe Bryant for most such games all-time, and put on a show in front of the Crypto.com Arena crown. James fi nished the night with 39 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, three steals and one block in 40 minutes. With his third free throw of the night, James surpassed Bryant to become the all-time leading scorer on Christmas Day, totaling 422 career points on the holiday. With his second fi eld goal of the night, James passed Bryant for most career fi eld goals on Christmas Day, now totaling 150 fi eld goals on December 25th. L
The view from left field 