GAME #27 - TORONTO RAPTORS vs. DENVER NUGGETS - WED, DEC 20, 2023 - 7:30 P.M

[MixxAOR]

TEAM NOTES

• The Toronto Raptors complete a four-game homestand (Dec. 13-20) Wednesday night against the visiting Denver Nuggets. Toronto has won five of its last seven home games against the Nuggets, dating back to October 2016. After tonight, the Raptors will play 10 of their next 12 games on the road (Dec. 22 - Jan. 12).

• Toronto now sits at 2-1 (.667) on the current four-game homestand after a 114-99 victory against Charlotte on Monday night. It was Toronto's fifth win this season when trailing after three quarters, tying them with Dallas & Charlotte for the league-lead. The Raptors bench outscored Charlotte's 43-24 (+19) led by Gary Trent Jr. who recorded his first career double-double with a season-high 22 points and career-best 10 rebounds.

• The Raptors have now dished out 30+ assists in a franchise-record five straight games (Dec. 8-18). The previous team best was four games from Jan. 8-17, 2020. Toronto currently owns the longest active 30+ assist streak in the NBA. The Raptors have recorded 30+ assists 10 times this season, something they did in just nine contests during the 2022-23 campaign. Both Toronto (T-3rd; 29.0) and Denver (2nd; 29.6) rank top-3 in the NBA in assists this year.

• Toronto is the only team this season with two players averaging 20+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists (Scottie Barnes and Pascal Siakam) *min 70 percent games played. Barnes has recorded a single-season career-high eight 20-point double-doubles this season, including Monday night against Charlotte where he finished with 22 points and a career high-tying 17 rebounds. Barnes' eight 20-point double-doubles are the most in the NBA this season by a player aged 22-or-younger.

• The Raptors have now shot 50 percent from the field in three straight games (Dec. 13-18) and in four of their last five contests overall (Dec. 8-18). Toronto has shot 50 percent from the floor in at least three straight games twice this season (Dec. 13-18 and a four-game streak from Nov. 19-24). Their longest streak in 2022-23 was just two games (6X - last: Mar. 31 - Apr. 2). Toronto is 7-3 this season when shooting 50 percent from the field.

• Toronto has scored at least 50 points in the paint in a season-high five straight games (Dec. 8-18), totaling 294 during this span. The Raptors rank sixth in the NBA in points in the paint (53.7), while Denver ranks fourth (55.3).

• Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovi? was an assistant coach for Serbia during the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China, a team that Nuggets centre Nikola Jokic played on. The pair helped their country to a fifth place finish at the tournament, which included a win over the United States in the classification round.

[DanH]

Game day!

[LJ2]

Wasn't aware that Raps were among the league leaders in assists. Nice find Mixx!

[Maury]

Wasn't aware that Raps were among the league leaders in assists. Nice find Mixx!

Based on all of Mixx’s finds you’d think this is actually a good team!

[The Great One]

Nuggets today, Nicky Nursery's team Friday? oh lord. Bulls game will be on the bigger screen these next two games.

[DanH]

Nuggets today, Nicky Nursery's team Friday? oh lord. Bulls game will be on the bigger screen these next two games.

Yeah, taking one of the next two would be a very positive outcome.

[Primer]

Nuggets today, Nicky Nursery's team Friday? oh lord. Bulls game will be on the bigger screen these next two games.

It appears as though Denver will be at full strength too.

Sometimes we show up for the big games so I remain hopeful of a W tonight.

[Dr Hannibal Lecter]

Win or lose, honestly I just want c good and competitive game. If they play how they play against Charlotte, God help us.
It could be really ugly.

[The Claw Reborn]

Out of necessity, Darko has no choice but to give Poeltl significant playing time against Joker and Embiid next game. The only way to showcase his ass versus elite bigman.

$20 million dollars x4 years, anyone?

[DanH]

Out of necessity, Darko has no choice but to give Poeltl significant playing time against Joker and Embiid next game. The only way to showcase his ass versus elite bigman.

$20 million dollars x4 years, anyone?

Yes, showcasing is why we will use our only starting quality C against the opposition's elite Cs.

[WJF]

It's a home game, Maybe Murray will have visited family and started his Christmas celebrating early? See how he plays with a belly full of turkey! Anyone on the Nuggets that we can keep from crossing the border?

[golden]

It's a home game, Maybe Murray will have visited family and started his Christmas celebrating early? See how he plays with a belly full of turkey! Anyone on the Nuggets that we can keep from crossing the border?

lol. Raptors need to do background checks on every player in the NBA. Could be some star players out there who were convicted of jaywalking as kids. We could hold that information and use it for a critical game in the future.

[planetmars]

Denver is beatable. They are 7-8 on the road. But the Raptors don't typically play like they are a serious team. So don't feel too good about this one.

[Kagemusha]

lol. Raptors need to do background checks on every player in the NBA. Could be some star players out there who were convicted of jaywalking as kids. We could hold that information and use it for a critical game in the future.

Denver Nuggets Phenom Nikola Jokic Used to Drink a Gallon of Coca-Cola Every Day

https://www.stack.com/a/denver-nugge...ola-every-day/

VERY very VERY BAD example to Canadian kids.
Ban him!

[Maury]

Denver is beatable. They are 7-8 on the road. But the Raptors don't typically play like they are a serious team. So don't feel too good about this one.

Denver hasn’t played all that well for a pretty big portion of the season. Health and general interest are the culprits, as they are still the favourite by a wide margin to win the whole thing IMO.