Portland has not been a hospitable city for the Toronto Raptors for quite sometime. This game was different, as the Raptors managed to earn their first win against the Trailblazers in Portland for the first time since December 22, 2006. The Raptors were resilient, despite a late push by the Blazers, and won the game 110-103.
The game would feature a match up of two sets of fantastic backcourts. NBA All-Star calibre talent across the board, the Raptors Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan vs. the Trailblazers’ Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. The Raptors got off to a hot start, scoring 37 points in the first quarter, but the game was a pretty even keeled affair the rest of the way.
It was announced earlier in the evening that Kyle Lowry is going to be a participant in the upcoming Foot Locker 3-Point Shootout on NBA All-Star Saturday, February 13th, in Toronto.
Kyle Lowry caught fire from beyond the arc, making seven threes on ten attempts in the game, and appears more than ready to challenge the reigning champion Warriors’ Stephen Curry for the All-Star 3-point crown next week in Toronto! Kyle finished the game with 30 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. He did also commit 7 turnovers in the game, but his effective play in every other facet helped him overcome that one category blemish.
DeMar DeRozan posted his fifth straight game of scoring at least 20 points. He finished this game with 29 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. He is now averaging 23 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists through 50 games this season. Very impressive!
Jonas Valanciunas earned his eleventh double-double of the season posting 14 points (on 5-10 from the field) and 11 rebounds (six of them on the offensive glass). The Raptors got more solid production from their bench, speficially from Terrence Ross and Cory Joseph; who’s stat lines mirrored each other’s. T-Ross looked confident, and his jumper was smooth! Cory continued to be the calm & controlled backcourt presence that the second unit needs, and down the stretch in tight games as well. Both Ross & Joseph scored 12 points, made two 3-point field goals, and each grabbed 3 rebounds
Damian Lillard wasn’t able to find his rhythm early in the game, or in much of the first half, posting only 6 points at the break (on just one of seven shooting from the field). Lillard came out aggressive in the second half, and by the end of the game had the kind of statistics we’ve come to expect from this incredibly talented player. Lillard finished the game with 27 points, 11 assists and 5 rebounds.
C.J. McCollum was a steady hand for the Trailblazers all game long, scoring 21 points (on 8-18 from the field including four 3-point field goals) and grabbing six rebounds. Another player who made his presense felt was Blazers guard Allen Crabbe, who scored 17 points and picked up 2 steals as well.
The win improved the Raptors record to 34-16 on the season, and it also set a franchise best start through the first fifty games of any previous Raptors season. Additionally, the Raptors have now won thirteen of their last fourteen games. Toronto is currently in 2nd place in the Eastern Conference, two games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers (35-13), and in first place in the Atlantic Division, currently five and a half games ahead of the Boston Celtics (29-22).
Random stat of the night: According to Raptors telecast play-by-play broadcaster, Matt Devlin, Kyle Lowry is the first Raptors player to make seven threes and have two blocks in the same game since another Raptors fan favourite, Morris Peterson.
Postgame Reactions:
DeMar DeRozan
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9qzBfA0MSY]Cory Joseph
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6Ziyf4wdfM]Kyle Lowry
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXMTX-as6vQ]Dwane Casey
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