Gary Trent Jr. dominating Patrick Beverley in Raptors win was great

Gary Trent Jr. and the Toronto Raptors were able to snap a two-game losing streak against Patrick Beverley and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night. No player on the Raptors was more responsible for the win than Trent, who once again put up 30 points in a game where Fred VanVleet didn’t play.

This win had to feel extra satisfying for Trent and the Raptors fanbase. On top of the fact that Trent grew up in Minnesota and he helped Toronto get a win before the All-Star break, he managed to put together one of his finest offensive games of the year at the expense of Beverley.

While Beverley can be a fun player to have on your team given his pesky defense, his willingness to get right up in your favorite player’s face and needle them verbally can be annoying.

Right before the game started, both Beverley and Trent received technical fouls after a verbal altercation. Later in the game, Beverley was nearly ejected for a hard foul on OG Anunoby. After that, Trent proceeded to snipe Minnesota to death from 3-point range.

Nick Nurse told reporters that Trent gets “juiced up” on most nights and that the Beverley foul didn’t motivate him any extra, but it looked like GTJ was playing with something to prove tonight.

Gary Trent Jr. and the Toronto Raptors owned Patrick Beverley.

In six games this season where Trent has played without VanVleet, he is averaging an insane 29.7 points per game. In a game where only two Raptors players scored more than 11 points, Trent’s 30-point night and clutch shooting in the fourth quarter was invaluable to Toronto’s effort last night.

Beverley’s night didn’t get any better when he was forced off of Trent. After poking the ball away from Pascal Siakam and shaking his head, Beverley called for an isolation on the All-Star snub. Just a few seconds later, Siakam blew right by him and scored two of the easiest points he’ll score all season long.

Trent has been showing the league that Portland was foolish to give up on him, as his combination of turnover generation on defense and quality marksmanship from 3-point range has helped Toronto become a team that very few will be asking to see when the playoffs come around.

Beverley’s style of play might be welcomed by his teammates given how he can get under a rival’s skin, but that bravado can often blow up in his face if he doesn’t back it up.