Gasol feeling ‘really good’ after win over Trail Blazers
It was only 10 minutes, but it was enough to make Marc Gasol smile.
Nearly six months since he’d last played, the slimmed-down Spanish big man’s start was a highlight of the Toronto Raptors’ 110-104 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday. How’d it feel? “Really good. Really good. Really exciting,” Gasol said. “I know it might have been a scrimmage but I was geeked up the whole day. Excited about it, and happy to help the team.”
Serge Ibaka scored 19 points, while Pascal Siakam added18 to lead the Raptors in their second exhibition scrimmage of the NBA restart in the Walt Disney World bubble.
Matt Thomas had 16 points, while Kyle Lowry had 13 points, six rebounds and four assists, and Terence Davis chipped in with 13 points.
CJ McCollum topped Portland with 21 points, while Yusuf Nurkic had 17 points and 13 rebounds.
Gasol, who hadn’t played since Jan. 28 — he didn’t play in the first scrimmage as coach Nick
Nurse eases him back into action — had three points and four rebounds, but it was a triumphant return for the 35year-old who’d missed 28 games of the pre-pandemic season nagging hamstring injury.
“You always wanna play more but . . . you’ve got to build it up,” Gasol said. “We know when the important times come and when the big games come, you have to be ready to take those bigger minutes.”
The one negative on the night for Toronto was the loss of Fred VanVleet less than a quarter in to the game. He suffered what the team called a “banged” left knee, but was able to jog unevenly off the court.
Raptors 110 Blazers 104 NEXT: VS SUNS ON TUESDAY