Leonard leads depleted Raptors past Cavaliers
TORONTO — The Christmas break can’t come soon enough for the depleted Toronto Raptors. And yet they are still finding ways to win.
Down star point guard Kyle Lowry, versatile guard-forward Danny Green and big men Serge Ibaka and Jonas Valanciunas, the Raptors led wire to wire Friday night in dispatching the Cleveland Cavaliers 126-110.
On Wednesday, Toronto rallied from a 17-point deficit to edge the Indiana Pacers 99-96 with Fred VanVleet scoring nine of his 11 points in the final quarter to help snap a two-game mini-losing run.
Friday, it was the turn of Kawhi Leonard and OG Anunoby to lead the way.
Leonard matched a season high with 37 points and Anunoby tied a career high with 21 as Toronto improved its NBA-best record to 25-9. Anunoby led the way early before the muscular Leonard took over.
The Raptors play in Philadelphia today before a brief holiday break. They return for a game Boxing Day in Miami.
Toronto coach Nick Nurse said Leonard, as has been his practice this season with back-to-back games, will not play against the 76ers.
What about the other walking wounded? “There’s a chance that both Danny and Kyle could play (today),” said Nurse. “But I’m not sure they are great chances.”
Leonard produced 15 points in the third quarter and seven in the fourth, repeatedly bodying his way to the basket. It was his ninth 30-point game of the season.
Anunoby had two important buckets in the fourth, including a thundering dunk as Toronto scored at least 120 points for the 14th time this season — most in the NBA — while improving to 13-4 at home.
Jordan Clarkson led Cleveland (8-25) with 20 and rookie Collin Sexton added 17 before fouling out. The Cavs’ bench contributed 53 points.
Cleveland narrowed the lead to five in the fourth quarter, but Leonard and VanVleet, who finished with 14 points, eight assists and five rebounds, helped bring it home.
Both teams were hurting.
Green, who had been the lone Raptor to start every game this season, was the latest to go down with a left knee contusion.
Lowry has missed the Raptors’ last four games with a left thigh contusion.
Ibaka was sidelined by right knee swelling for the second straight game.
Valanciunas is not expected back until mid-January after dislocating his thumb against Golden State on Dec. 12.
Toronto started VanVleet, Delon Wright, Anunoby and Leonard with Pascal Siakam at centre.
Cleveland was missing Kevin Love (foot), J.R. Smith (personal), John Henson (wrist) and Canadian Tristan Thompson (foot).
“They were able to break our defence down too many times and then get to the basket,” said Cleveland coach Larry Drew, who thought his team out up a good fight for 3 1/2 quarters.
“I thought we really did some good things, but we just couldn’t overcome them,” he added.
A 10-0 run, thanks to eight straight points from Anunoby, left the Cavs in an early 12-2 hole. Anunoby tied a season high with his third 3-pointer midway through the first quarter.
The second-year forward had 13 of the Raptors’ first 17 points and finished the quarter with 15 on 6-of-7 shooting as Toronto led 34-28.
“It was great to see OG get off to such a hot start,” said Nurse.
“Just taking what the defence is giving me. That’s the main thing,” said the 6-foot-8 forward, who also tied a career high with eight rebounds. He matched his season high of 17 points early, exiting with four minutes left in the half due to three personal fouls. He finished with five fouls.
Toronto has now won three straight this season against Cleveland, with one more matchup remaining.
Cleveland arrived having lost three of its last four and 10 of its last 14. The Cavs were coming off an 11-point loss Wednesday in Charlotte.
The game was the Raptors’ 200th straight sellout at Scotiabank Arena, dating back to November 2014.