Raptors escape Nets to extend club-best winning streak

 

 

LOS ANGELES, USA – Fred VanVleet scored 10 of his 29 points in the 4th quarter as the Toronto Raptors extended their franchise-best winning streak to 14 games with a 119-118 victory over the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA on Saturday, February 8 (Sunday, February 9, Philippine time).

Pascal Siakam scored 20 points, including the winning free throw with 22 seconds left for Toronto, who have also won 10 consecutive home games.

The Raptors squandered an 18-point second-half lead, allowing the visiting Nets to tie the game, 118-118, with 35 seconds left before Siakam drained the go-ahead free throw.

Terence Davis tallied 20 points, Matt Thomas had a career-best 15 and Serge Ibaka scored 12 in the win.

Caris LeVert had 37 points for Brooklyn, Spencer Dinwiddie delivered 21 points and 11 assists, DeAndre Jordan had 15 points and 14 rebounds for the Nets, who have won 5 of their last 7 games.

Toronto has won the first 3 meetings between the teams this season.

The Raptors won despite playing without All-Star guard Kyle Lowry, who missed the contest with a whiplash injury.

“At this point, I think we’re experienced enough in that realm, unfortunately,” VanVleet said of winning without Lowry. “We’ve had a ton of guys out this year. We don’t really think about it.”

The Raptors had an 18-point lead during the 3rd quarter and led by 12 entering the 4th. 

VanVleet’s jump shot stretched the lead to 6, but the Nets answered with 4 points to cut the lead to two. 

Another jump shot by LeVert tied the game, 118-118, before Siakam made one of two free throws. LeVert and Harris missed shots to end the game.

 

His name is @FredVanVleet and he’s a baller pic.twitter.com/0TVIEURDHb

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) February 9, 2020

 

Elsewhere, Giannis Antetokounmpo flirted with a triple-double and Brook Lopez finished with 23 points as Milwaukee completed a four-game season sweep of the Orlando Magic with a 112-95 victory.

The reigning league MVP Antetokounmpo finished one assist shy of a triple-double as he delivered 19 points, 18 rebounds and 9 assists for Milwaukee, who have won 13 of their last 14 contests.

Antetokounmpo saw his streak of at least 30 points, 16 rebounds and 6 assists come to an end.

Khris Middleton scored 21 points and 13 rebounds while Eric Bledsoe and Wesley Matthews also scored in double digits for Milwaukee, netting 18 and 12 points, respectively. 

Nikola Vucevic collected 21 points and 14 rebounds for his team-leading 26th double-double for the Magic, who lost their eighth game in their last nine.

Milwaukee began the 3rd quarter on a 9-0 run to stretch their lead to 72-46. Orlando made a short-lived comeback to halve that deficit entering the 4th quarter, but the Bucks were in control the rest of the way.

“We have to keep playing good basketball,” Antetokounmpo said. “We were up 27 and they came back, cut the lead to 11. We just try to take it quarter by quarter.”

 

A near triple-double from @Giannis_An34:

19 PTS | 18 REB | 9 AST | 2 BLK pic.twitter.com/oUEK5L46En

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) February 9, 2020

 

– Rappler.com