The Raptors (9-10) play spoilsport. They surprisingly beat the Suns (11-7) who had not lost since November 12th, who had won 7 games in a row. And they do it on the evening of the return of Kevin Durant, who had missed a couple of games due to a foot injury. He scores 30 points, 11 in the last quarter, yet the Canadians win, defending great on the perimeter: Phoenix shoots just 7/26 from 3 points. Booker, fresh from the basket in the victory over New York in the photo finish, scores the game: 2/12 from the field for just 8 points overall. Toronto wins driven by Barnes and Siakam, fueled by Schroeder’s 12 assists. And to think that the Raptors were on the second evening of a back to back, defeated in Brooklyn by the Nets in the last outing of their Season Tournament the night before, with a plane landing late across the border only at 4 in the morning. Yet they are the ones who have the final say.
Toronto: Barnes 23 (6/12, 1/3, 8/8 TL), Siakam 22, Poetl 17. Rebounds: Achiuwa 10. Assists: Schroeder 12.
Phoenix: Durant 30 (9/22, 2/8, 6/6 TL), Nurkic 19, Gordon/Okogie 10. Rebounds: Nurkic 14. Assists: Nurkic/Durant 6.
NBA results: the Raptors surprise the Suns. Ok the Nuggets and the Clippers
