Toronto Raptors: Frontcourt surprisingly leads Raptors to win over feisty Spurs team
By Nickeem Khan
The Toronto Raptors were able to get back in the win column, coming away with a 117-112 win over the San Antonio Spurs. Things were going to be difficult when it was announced that Toronto would be without five key players for this game. The Raptors were able to keep up and overcome a hungry Spurs team that is fighting for a playoff spot.
With three starters out of Wednesday night’s game, it was imperative for someone to pick up the load on the offensive side of the floor. Last night it was Pascal Siakam, and this time it was OG Anunoby.
Starting at the shooting guard position for the first time this season, Anunoby provided instant impact for the Raptors. OG connected on three out of four 3-point attempts, contributing 11 out of the 30 first-quarter points for Toronto, and finishing with 22 points on the night.
Anunoby and the Raptors saw their leads slip away several times in this game, but they managed to take down a tough San Antonio squad.
29. 117. 81. Final. 112
How did the Toronto Raptors beat the Spurs?
Defense still proved to be an issue early as the Spurs seemed to be getting whatever they wanted on offense. Patty Mills came off the bench and scored a quick 11 points in just under five minutes, gaining an enormous amount of confidence, which was trouble for the Raptors defense.
However, Toronto played with a burst of energy on defense that has been lacking for the past few games.
Yuta Watanabe came in and provided a great lift off the bench. Fans are familiar with the motor Watanabe brings to the game, but his defense was much needed in a game where the Raptors’ roster was depleted.
Raptor great DeMar DeRozan wasn’t dominant on the scoreboard, but was providing a phenomenal level of playmaking that opened up the Spurs offense. Despite the consistently good play from San Antonio, Toronto went into halftime with a 58-57 lead.
The hungriest team to start the second half was the men in red and black. Big-time plays by Siakam and Chris Boucher helped fuel the group offensively. It helped Toronto that the Spurs became very cold from beyond the arc.
It wasn’t completely smooth sailing, as the Spurs went on a 13-3 run to quickly reclaim the lead. Proving for things to not be easy the rest of the way for Toronto.
The frontcourt helped the Toronto Raptors pull out the win
The most surprising performance was from the play of Freddie Gillespie. The former D-3 player finished with nine points, eight rebounds, and three blocks, giving the Raptors great minutes off the bench. Although the Raptors were the team on the second night of a back-to-back, it looked like Toronto was the team with the most energy.
The addition of Khem Birch proved to be essential, as the Raptors, who have struggled all season with rebounding, outrebounded the Spurs 53-42, tying a season-high.
As time ticked away in the fourth, the Raptors continued to grow their lead. Before the Spurs knew it, the lead was too large to overcome.
A resilient performance from Nick Nurse’s bunch to say the least, and a disappointing performance from San Antonio, in a game they could’ve won. Toronto will get a day of rest before they will put their focus towards the youthful Orlando Magic on Friday night.
