The Denver Nuggets got their second loss in a row to Toronto Raptors 127-115. The Raptors were 10-1 when leading at the half on the road, and they expanded that number tonight. The Nuggets held a 99-93 lead after the third quarter, but Toronto outscored Denver 34-16 in the fourth. The Raptors obliterated the Nuggets on the boards tonight. They outrebounded Denver 50-39 and grabbed 23 offensive rebounds to Denver’s 9.
Toronto scored 61 points off of turnovers and second-chance points combined. This was a winnable game for Denver, but Toronto executed better and with more energy down the stretch. Denver's next game is a big one against the 76ers on Monday at 5:30 PM MT.
1st Quarter
- Jokic initiated the contest with two hook shots and then Siakam answered with a three. Will Barton matched it with a three of his own and a floater, but the Raptors scored seven in a row forcing an early Malone timeout
- It was 12-9 Raptors with a 9-0 Toronto scoring run until Jokic ended it with a hook shot. Monte and Pascal traded transition baskets, but Siakam countered with another three
- Jeff Green earned two dunks in consecutive possessions, but the Raptors matched it with four points of their own. Monte tied it up at 21 with a mid-range basket, but Armoni Brooks sank a triple to go up three
- After multiple scoreless possessions by both teams, Bones found Jokic for a reverse layup in transition. After a Toronto timeout, Barnes completed a floater inside and Boucher hit a mid-range to increase their lead 28-25
Score: 28-25 Raptors
Scoring leaders: Siakam - 12, Jokic - 10
2nd Quarter
- Toronto started the quarter with a Boucher dunk and a Barnes layup. JaMychal Green initiated the scoring for Denver with a two-handed jam, and Boogie followed with a three-point play
- Siakam quickly responded with four in a row, but another JaMychal dunk and a Bones three cut the Raptors lead to 36-35. After another Raptors offensive rebound, Khem Birch sank two free throws, but Bryn Forbes hit a mid-range jumper at the other end
- Chris Boucher’s tip-in increased the lead to three until Bones swished another three, but Toronto answered again with a Barnes triple. After a Malone timeout, Bones assisted another JaMychal dunk and Barnes made a layup at the other end
- Scottie Barnes picked up JaMychal’s third foul and sank one of two free throws, but he grabbed his own miss and converted a layup for a 48-42 Raptors lead. Morris and Siakam traded buckets, and then Jokic hooked one in for two, but Achiuwa responded with an and-one hook shot
- Jeff Green and Jokic combined for four points to decrease the Toronto lead to three, but then Green fouled Trent Jr. on a three as he made two of three. Davon Reed and Thaddeus Young both scored two on their end
- Rivers swished home a corner three to get within two, but after a Denver turnover, Siakam turned it into a three-point play. Following one of two free throws from the Joker, Davon Reed completed a three-point play off a driving layup
- Achiuwa stretched the lead to 63-59 with a three, and then Siakam hit two free throws. Jokic played bully ball for a layup, and Monte ended the quarter with a four-footer
Score: 65-63 Raptors
Scoring leaders: Siakam - 23, Jokic - 17
3rd Quarter
- Barnes and Jokic both scored two to introduce the quarter, and after a Nugget’s turnover, Achiuwa sank a corner three for the 70-65 lead. Barton’s mid-range jumper and Jokic’s technical free throw brought Denver within one, but Siakam restored order with a floater
- Jeff Green completed a nice driving, left-handed layup, and then Will Barton sank a three to give Denver a 74-73 advantage. Achiuwa quickly answered with a corner three, but Green tied it up with another layup
- After two Jokic free throws, Trent Jr. hit a triple from the wing, but Jokic regained the lead for Denver with a layup and a tip-in shot. Barton then rocked the rim with a driving, one-handed slam, and Bones followed with a layup via a Jokic touchdown pass
- The Nugget lead was 86-80 before Boucher’s three-point play. Barton continued his hot shooting with a mid-range jumper, but the Raptors responded with another three-point play to cut the lead to two
- Bryn Forbes lit up a three from the top of the arc on the next possession. Rivers hit two free throws to increase Denver’s lead to six, but Birch and Siakam scored four in a row
- Bones Hyland knocked in a corner three for a 96-91 lead, but again Siakam answered with a tip-in. Austin Rivers then ended the quarter with a corner three
Score: 99-93 Nuggets
Scoring leaders: Siakam - 33, Jokic - 26
4th Quarter
- Scottie Barnes and Bones Hyland traded threes to start the quarter. After two Boogie free throws, Birch and Boucher combined for six in a row to pull within two, 104-102
- Following a Nuggets timeout, Young completed a three-point play, but Bones countered with a side step triple. Boucher then tied it up at 107 with a mid-range jumper and Young took the lead for the Raptors with a floater
- Boucher extended a 13-3 Raptors run with another offensive rebound and the putback. That put Toronto up 111-107 until Banton stretched the lead with a floater
- Barton responded with a left-handed layup but Barnes matched it with his own layup off another Raptors offensive rebound. Boucher continued his good night with an open layup which increased their lead 117-109
- Boucher’s hit a corner three and Green responded with a dunk at the other end, but the Raptors held a 120-112 advantage. On the following possession, Barnes knocked in a floater and Young scored a transition layup off another Denver turnover
Score: 127-115 Raptors
Scoring leaders: Siakam - 33, Jokic - 26
Stat leaders
Points: Siakam - 33
Rebounds: Boucher - 13
Assists: Barnes - 10
Silent hero of the game: Chris Boucher - 21 points, 13 rebounds (9 offensive) on 8-15 shooting
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