Quickley’s brilliance not enough as Raptors fight hard but fall to Durant, Phoenix Suns

Breadcrumb Path Hyperlinks

Toronto RaptorsSportsNBABasketball

Get the newest from Ryan Wolstat straight to your inbox Signal Up

Revealed Mar 07, 2024  •  3 minute learn

Article content material

The Raptors bought burned badly within the Valley of the Solar early, however surprisingly not by Phoenix’s megastars, however somewhat by the NBA chief in three-point share, Grayson Allen. And although Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal finally heated up too, a short-handed group of Raptors dug deep to hold with a Western Convention energy deep into Thursday’s recreation.

THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Subscribe now to learn the newest information in your metropolis and throughout Canada.

Limitless on-line entry to articles from throughout Canada with one account.Get unique entry to the Toronto Solar ePaper, an digital duplicate of the print version that you could share, obtain and touch upon.Take pleasure in insights and behind-the-scenes evaluation from our award-winning journalists.Help native journalists and the subsequent technology of journalists.Every day puzzles together with the New York Occasions Crossword.

SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES

Subscribe now to learn the newest information in your metropolis and throughout Canada.

Limitless on-line entry to articles from throughout Canada with one account.Get unique entry to the Toronto Solar ePaper, an digital duplicate of the print version that you could share, obtain and touch upon.Take pleasure in insights and behind-the-scenes evaluation from our award-winning journalists.Help native journalists and the subsequent technology of journalists.Every day puzzles together with the New York Occasions Crossword.

REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES

Create an account or sign up to proceed together with your studying expertise.

Entry articles from throughout Canada with one account.Share your ideas and be a part of the dialog within the feedback.Take pleasure in extra articles per 30 days.Get e-mail updates out of your favorite authors.

Do not have an account? Create Account

or

Sign up with out password New , a brand new option to login

Article content material

Although the Suns prevailed 120-113, Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic needed to like his staff’s efficiency within the remaining three quarters of the sport (giving up 39 factors within the first and Allen’s explosion was not excellent).

Article content material

The guests constantly stayed inside single digits, even getting inside three factors of the Suns earlier than Durant went to work. Immanuel Quickley was spectacular for the Raptors, handing out 18 assists (tied for sixth-most ever by a Raptor), scoring 21 factors and coming a rebound shy of a triple-double. Quickley bought into the paint at will and bought assist in the type of 30 from Gary Trent Jr. and 23 from former New York Knicks teammate RJ Barrett. However Durant had 35, Allen 26, Beal 20. The Suns had a major dimension benefit and managed the glass and shot 51.2% from the sphere.

Your Noon Solar

Your noon-hour have a look at what’s occurring in Toronto and past.

By signing up you consent to obtain the above publication from Postmedia Community Inc.

Article content material

Article content material

Allen was in Larry Fowl mode in that first quarter, nailing 7-of-8 treys to start the sport, earlier than the Raptors determined it was in all probability a good suggestion to stay tight to a man taking pictures 47.1% from past the arc who was coming off an eight made treys efficiency.

Toronto tightened up significantly on Allen the remainder of the way in which, with Quickley delivering in all probability his greatest two-way effort as a Raptor, combining an impressive offensive outing with some stifling defence towards Allen following Allen’s preliminary flurry.

The sport marked the beginning of a four-game street journey for the Raptors, losers of 3-of-4 heading in, together with a franchise-worst 41-point loss to New Orleans on Thursday. This one began out means worse than that Pelicans recreation had, however as an alternative of a blowout, Toronto fought all through and restored some delight a minimum of.

Article content material

Already lacking prime participant Scottie Barnes, beginning centre Jakob Poeltl and reserve Bruce Brown, the Raptors a minimum of bought some excellent news within the availability of younger wing Ochai Agbaji, who had been coping with a sore knee.

Agbaji didn’t do quite a bit, however the staff wanted his 24 minutes.

Devin Booker didn’t play. The star guard sits simply behind Durant in scoring and leads the Suns in assists per recreation.

The truth that Toronto’s most up-to-date opponents New Orleans and Phoenix are barely forward of the play-in pack speaks to the distinction in high quality between the Western and Jap conferences. Both staff can be preventing for second within the convention behind Boston in the event that they performed within the East.

Phoenix is without doubt one of the greatest taking pictures groups within the NBA, but in addition ranks twelfth in defensive effectivity this season.

Article content material

Durant, Booker and Beal have performed collectively in solely 23 video games.

Phoenix led 67-53 on the half, however a powerful Toronto third quarter made it attention-grabbing, with the Suns up by solely seven.

Chris Boucher was known as on to inject some power and supplied it. It’s important to give the veteran ahead credit score for his professionalism. He seemed like somebody who had been enjoying quite a bit, not one benched for almost each Raptors recreation in February and March.

Durant performed his thirtieth common season recreation towards the Raptors. Within the earlier 29 he’d averaged 26.1 factors per recreation, seventh amongst all gamers.

Beal sits fifteenth on that listing at 23.1 per recreation.

The journey continues in Portland on Saturday night time. Portland has the NBA’s fifth-worst report, Toronto the league’s seventh-worst. Don’t count on it to be must-see tv.

@WolstatSun

Article content material

Share this text in your social community