Week 13 saw the Toronto Raptors post another perfect 4-0 record as they faced off against a mixture of easy and difficult opponents. Which performances stood out the most from this four-game slate?
This week ended heartbreakingly. Not because of anything the Toronto Raptors did, but because of the death of one of the greatest players of all-time, Kobe Bryant. With 2020 already hosting a series of worldwide problems, this was not what the world and what the NBA needed to hear.
The Raptor’s first matchup was against the Atlanta Hawks. Trae Young and John Collins are great cornerstones for the franchise, but the Hawks were the weaker side heading into this game. Still, they gave the Raptors a true battle. In the end, Toronto pulled out the win by four points to extend its win streak to four games.
Their second matchup was a tough battle against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers did not have Joel Embiid playing in this one and Josh Richardson got hurt very early in the game, but the Raptors could not afford to take this team lightly. In the end, Toronto took care of business, winning by 12 to extend its win streak to five.
The New York Knicks were next up for the Raptors. The Knicks have been the laughing stock of this league for years now and it was no different this time around. While the expectation was that the Raptors would make quick work of this team, it ended up being a tough grind-it-out game. Fortunately, the Raptors pulled out the win by six points and extended their win streak to an impressive six games.
Their last matchup came against a familiar face, in DeMar DeRozan and the San Antonio Spurs. After the insane come from behind win the Spurs had the last time they met, the Raptors were looking for revenge. However, the Spurs are gritty and never give up. They made this game close and took it to the last few seconds, but in the end, the Raptors prevailed, winning by four points and capping off another perfect week.
Before we dig into the top performances of this week, a quick tribute to Mamba: