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GAME #70 - TORONTO RAPTORS (33-36) vs. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (34-35)
TEAM NOTES
- The Toronto Raptors started their three-game homestand (Mar. 14-18) with a win over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night, splitting the season series at one game apiece. With the victory, Toronto has now won a seasonhigh five consecutive games at Scotiabank Arena. The Raptors will look to extend their streak on Thursday evening when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder. Toronto will play six of their next seven (Mar. 16-28) games at home.
- Toronto set a franchise record for points scored in a quarter with 49 in the first frame on Tuesday night. The previous franchise record was 48 points -- also in the first quarter -- on Jan. 11, 1997 at New Jersey. The Raptors shot .534 (39-for-73) that game, led by Walt Williams and Damon Stoudamire who scored 28 points apiece.
- Toronto shot .527 (49-93) from the field and .400 (12-30) from three-point range against the Nuggets and improve to 6-1 this season when shooting 50 percent or better from the field and 40 percent or better from beyond the arc. Toronto has shot 50 percent or better in four of their last five games (Mar. 4-14), averaging .486 (222-457).
- Fred VanVleet recorded a game-high 36 points and added seven assists, three rebounds and three steals in 38 minutes vs. Denver. It was his tenth 30-point performance of the season. The Raptors are now 21-7 all-time when he scores 30+ points. His season-high eight three-point field goals on Tuesday is tied for the second most he has made in a single game, trailing only his career-best 11 three-pointers on Feb. 2, 2021, when he scored a franchise record 54 points. He has scored double digits in five of his last six games (Mar. 2-14) averaging 19.5 points.
- O.G. Anunoby recorded 24 points (10-14 FG, 4-8 3PT), three assists, three rebounds and one steal in 35 minutes against Denver. Anunoby has recorded double digit points in six of his last seven games (Feb. 28 – Mar. 14) averaging 19.1 points in that span. With three three-point field goals made on Tuesday, Anunoby (557) passed Vince Carter (554) for sixth on Toronto’s all-time three-point list. Anunoby has recorded 24-or-more points in consecutive games (Mar. 10-14) for the third time in his career and second time this season (last: Nov. 16-19).
- Jakob Poeltl recorded 12 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, two blocked shots and one steal in 27 minutes on Tuesday night. It marked his 15th double-double of the season and marked his fourth double-double as a Raptor which is the most on the team since he joined the Raptors following the trade deadline (Feb. 10).
- Scottie Barnes scored 18 points and added seven rebounds, five assists and one steal in 37 minutes of play He has now scored 10+ points in a career-high 20 consecutive games (Dec. 5 – Mar. 14), averaging 16.3 points.
- Thursday's matchup against the Thunder will be the second and final game of the season series. Toronto forced 19 OKC turnovers in the previous matchup, leading to a 27-to-13 advantage in points off turnovers. Toronto currently leads the NBA in points off turnovers (20.9), while averaging the fewest turnovers per game this season (11.9).
Can the scumbags do it again?
. No doubt he'll be extra motivated at home. Other than that, it'll seem like we're playing an early 2005 Raptors team with all the Williams' floating around. Go Raps
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