Raptors set new franchise record for best start
Some Raptors wins will be prettier than others.
Friday night’s 116-107 victory over the Dallas Mavericks largely fell into the “others” category: Toronto never trailed in the game but switched on and off over the course of 48 minutes, turning the contest into more of a battle than it needed to be.
But that doesn’t matter to the record books, which now say that the Raptors 6-0 run to begin the year is the best start to a season in franchise history. A 5-0 record at home is also Toronto’s best home record to start a year.
Kawhi Leonard led with 21 points on the night, while Kyle Lowry put up his fourth doubledouble in six games with 20 point and 12 rebounds. Seven Raptors players finished the night with 10 points or more. Turning point: The Mavericks pulled within one point of the Raptors late in the third quarters, but failed to capitalize on three free throws and a number of opportunities from the field to tie the game, or take the lead. Toronto’s bench weathered the onslaught, finished the third quarter up by three points and went into the fourth with Leonard, Lowry, Serge Ibaka, Pascal Siakam and Lorenzo Brown on the court.
That lineup promptly pulled away with a 13-2 run. Toronto never looked back.
Doncic got game: Dallas rookie Luca Doncic didn’t let being guarded by Leonard derail his night. The 19-year-old looked comfortable as ever as he led the Mavericks with 22 points and was crucial to a his team’s strong third quarter. Pain without gain: Injuries affected both sides of Friday night’s contest. Delon Wright missed another game with a left adductor strain and Fred VanVleet was out for a second straight night with a sprained left big toe. Dallas was without Dennis Smith Jr. (ankle), Dirk Nowitzki (ankle) and Devin Harris (hamstring). Raptors OG Anunoby was also inactive, for personal reasons. Missing three rotation players proved tough on Toronto as the team struggled to find consistency throughout the game.
Lauding Lowry: Lowry became the first Raptors playing with 10
or more assists in four straight games since Jose Calderon did so in 2012.
Seen and heard: Blue Jays righthander Marcus Stroman caught the game from court side seats alongside his former teammate, veteran slugger Jose Bautista, who received a rousing cheer from Toronto fans when he appeared on the video board. Dallas centre DeAndre Jordan showed up at Scotiabank Arena wearing a Hamilton Tiger-Cats jersey belonging to his brother Avery Jordan, a Ticats left tackle who is currently injured. Mavericks point guard Jalen Brunson made his first NBA start against a team he has two personal connections to: his dad, Rick Brunson, played for the Raptors in 2003, and both he and Kyle Lowry are Villanova University alums.
What’s next? A visit to “Greek Freak” Giannis Antetokoumpo and the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, the first game in Toronto’s second back-to-back of the season.