Toronto Raptors: Player grades from collapse against Oklahoma City Thunder

The Toronto Raptors welcomed the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Scotiabank Arena on Friday night, looking for back-to-back victories against the Western Conference outfit. How did everyone grade in the game?

After defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in overtime on Wednesday night, the Toronto Raptors were looking to go one better and sweep the series with a home. This time, though, they were hoping to do so without the fourth quarter collapse that forced the game into overtime.

Despite being fairly loose with the basketball in the first quarter, the Raptors still shot 63-percent from the field, building up a seven-point lead early on. Pascal Siakam had a quick nine points, as did Danny Green. Both players were perfect from the field, with Green hitting all three of his three-pointers.

The Raptors were able to maintain their lead in the second quarter and had the ball moving as good as they ever have, even without All-Star point guard, Kyle Lowry. Typified down the stretch in the second quarter, Pascal Siakam pinned a Russell Westbrook lay-up to the backboard before taking the ball down the court and handing the ball off for a Danny Green three.

Just like Wednesday night, the Raptors fell flat on their face for a brief period, letting the Thunder back into the game, to the point where they led by three heading into the fourth quarter. It was the presence of Dennis Schroder that brought the Thunder back into the game, as he had 14 points by the end of the third. The same amount of points as the whole Raptors bench.

The Thunder fired themselves into the lead and the Raptors fell short, turning the ball over 22 times throughout the whole game. Incidents like that let them down in the game. But this was a game the Thunder needed to win much more so than the Raptors.

It’s likely that Toronto is locked into the number two seed now, so there should be no real desperation to win games. Kyle Lowry was missing from the line-up too, so don’t be too worried Raptors fans.

Either way, the Thunder deserved this one.

Off to the grades, let’s begin with the starters.