Holly MacKenzie - Raptors.com
It Was Over When…
Danny Green hit his fourth three-pointer of the game with 2:12 remaining to put the Spurs ahead 107-94.
Turning Point
After a disastrous first half that had Toronto trailing San Antonio 61-41, the Raptors picked things up on both ends of the floor and started to turn things around in the third quarter. DeMar DeRozan scored 13 of his 24 points in the third and Toronto reeled off a 15-7 run to close the quarter and trim the deficit to 85-71 entering the fourth.
Big Minutes From Lowry
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Kyle Lowry played a game-high 43 minutes, scoring 32 points on 10-for-19 shooting. Lowry’s 32 points were his highest total since a December 22nd match up against the Chicago Bulls where he scored 34 points. With the team going 1-9 over their last 10 games, a healthy and productive Lowry is needed.
The Underrated Raptor
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Amir Johnson often does things that don’t show up on the box score, but his impact was easily apparent against the Spurs. Playing 33 minutes, Johnson recorded a 16-point, 14-rebound double-double for Toronto. He also added three assists and a blocked shot.
That’s A Rap…
“We didn’t play well in the first half. We can’t wait until the second half to start to play. It was bad. You name it and we didn’t do it. Offensively, the ball didn’t move, but the second half was who we are. We shouldn’t have to wait to get kicked in the teeth and hit in the head before we start playing. Like I told them, it doesn’t matter what seven or eight guys are out there, as long as we are playing hard, with intellect, together and as a unit, it doesn’t matter who it is.” - Raptors head coach Dwane Casey on his team’s effort in the first half
By The Numbers
6 - First-half assists for Tony Parker and five for the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors finished the game with 18 assists, but a first half without moving the ball had them playing a game of catch up in the second.
36 - Points scored in the fourth quarter by Toronto after scoring 41 points in the entire first half.
24 - Made free throws for the Spurs, compared to 13 made free throws for the Raptors. San Antonio made more free throws (24) than Toronto attempted (18).
10 - Rebounds for Patrick Patterson off the bench. Patterson struggled with his shot against the Spurs, shooting just 2-for-10 from the floor, but provided a much-needed boost on the glass.
0 - Free throw attempts for Lou Williams. Williams is averaging 5.1 attempts per game, but has taken just two trips to the line in his last three games combined.
They Said It
“That effort in the first half wasn’t us. We have no idea who that team was in the first half. A lack of effort, a lack of trust in one another, a lack of moving the ball. Just everything that what we’re not about is what we did in the first half.” - Patrick Patterson on a rough first half
“I shouldn’t be the only one jumping up and down, looking crazy and cursing guys out. It should be all the guys caring, because we put a lot of sweat equity into this and we can’t let it go down the drain right now. We work too hard to let it go and we have to be more like we are in the second half. All I need is seven or eight guys to put their hands in the circle, be committed and play like we did in the second half.” - Casey, on a fiery Lowry taking over a huddle during a Raptors timeout
“"It's nine [losses] out of 10. F---. We need to play. We don’t need a kick in our ass, we’ve literally been getting our ass kicked, so we shouldn’t need that type of first half. We should go and do it.” - Lowry, on the Raptors not needing a deficit to get motivated
Up Next
The Raptors return to Air Canada Centre to open a stretch of seven of their next 10 games at home against the Miami Heat on Friday at 7:30 PM ET (Sportsnet ONE, TSN 1050).