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Toronto Raptors: Grades following gutsy road win over Utah Jazz

By Jordan Skuse

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - MARCH 09: Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz attempts a shot under Serge Ibaka #9 of the Toronto Raptors during a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 9, 2020 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - MARCH 09: Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz attempts a shot under Serge Ibaka #9 of the Toronto Raptors during a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 9, 2020 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Raptors
(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) /

The Toronto Raptors, on the final night of what’s been a gruelling, five-game road trip, gutted out a 101-92 win over the Utah Jazz but saw a key player go down with a serious injury.

The good news: the Toronto Raptors won another game, their fourth in a row, to finish their five-game road trip with a 4-1 record.

The bad news, however, is Norman Powell is going to miss even more time after spraining his left ankle 90 seconds into Monday’s victory over the Utah Jazz who came into the game owning the league’s longest active winning streak: five games.

Missing the likes of Powell, Fred VanVleet, and Marc Gasol, Toronto still found a way to scratch and claw its way to a win in tough circumstances – playing at altitude on the second night of a back-to-back is known in the business as a “schedule loss”. Toronto had other ideas, however.

Led by Serge Ibaka (27 points, 13 rebounds, 5-7 3pt) and Pascal Siakam (27 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists – career-high), the Raptors outscored Utah in the first, third and fourth quarters. They tied the Jazz 19-19 in the third quarter, so the home team, facing a tired Toronto team, failed to win a single quarter. It was just another banner night for Nick Nurse’s Raptors, who continue to find different ways to win. Credit Nurse for scrambling his way through yet another game that saw him without a trio of key players – at this point, just give him Coach of the Year.

Toronto now will enjoy a few days off, returning home to play the Detroit Pistons on Saturday. The Raptors will be going for their fourth straight win, facing off against the team’s former head coach, Dwane Casey.

But, before the reunion with DC, let’s throw out some grades following Monday’s impressive win in Salt Lake City.

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