Holly MacKenzie - Raptors.com
IT WAS OVER WHEN
DeMar DeRozan made his first and intentionally missed his second free throw with 0.9 seconds remaining. Kyle Lowry told DeRozan to miss the free throw so the clock would run down and the team could seal the victory. Neither player realized DeRozan could have set an NBA record for most free throws without a miss in a game had he made both. Lowry said he would have told him to make both had he known, while DeRozan was content with the 117-115 victory that moved Toronto to 41-19 on the season.
FURIOUS FOURTH
Toronto went into the fourth leading by 13 points, but Damian Lillard put on show and nearly brought the Blazers all the way back as he became just the fourth opposing player to score 50 points at the Air Canada Centre. Lillard scored 22 of his 50 points in the fourth where the Blazers outscored the Raptors 38-27.
NORMCORE
Dwane Casey elected to start rookie Norman Powell to help give DeMar DeRozan a break on the defensive end of the floor. In addition to guarding C.J. McCollum, Powell put in his best offensive performance as a pro, scoring 10 points on 3-for-5 shooting, to go with six rebounds and an assist. This comes one day after Powell scored 36 points with Toronto’s D-League affiliate, Raptors 905.
RAPTORS PLAYER(S) OF THE GAME
DeMar DeRozan became the third player in Raptors history to top 9000 points with his 38-point performance, joining Chris Bosh and Vince Carter. DeRozan had one of the season’s strangest statlines, finishing with 38 points on 7-for-19 field goals, while shooting an absurd 24-for-25 from the free throw line in 37 minutes. Although DeRozan missed the NBA record for most makes from the foul line without a miss, he set a franchise record with his 24 free throws.
Kyle Lowry scored 28 points to go with five rebounds, six assists and two steals in 37 minutes. Lowry made eight of 15 field goal attempt, three of his five attempts from deep, and shot 9-for-15 from the free throw line.
UNDERRATED RAPTORS PLAYER OF THE GAME
Jonas Valanciunas had a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds in 28 minutes. He added an assist and a blocked shot. The Raptors were a +18 when he was on the floor.
THAT'S A RAP…
“Kyle told me to miss. I’m blaming it on Kyle. I didn’t know [I could have had the record]. I had no clue…I’m happy I got the win.”- DeMar DeRozan on missing out on the NBA record for most made free throws without a miss, but getting a big victory at home
BY THE #’S
65… Combined fouls in the game, 35 for the Blazers, 30 for the Raptors.54… Free throws for Toronto compared to 35 for Portland. Toronto set franchise records for both free throws made (43) and attempted (54) in the game.50… Points on 28 shots in 39 minutes for Damian Lillard. The last player to score 50+ points at the Air Canada Centre was Kevin Durant on March 21, 2014 (2OT).4… Players in double figures for the Raptors, DeRozan with 38, Lowry with 28, Valanciunas with 17 and Powell with 10.
THEY SAID IT…
“They’re really good. Damian had 50 points tonight. That’s why they’re in the position they are for the playoffs, because of their backcourt. It wasn’t anything personal. It was just our team trying to win against their team and we got the win tonight.”- Kyle Lowry on the battle between the two backcourts“I was just taking what they were giving me, honestly. With that, being aggressive. I wasn’t trying to force anything. Every time I seen an angle I tried to take advantage of it.”- DeMar DeRozan on his big night“Norm gave us the hustle, the fight, the grit that we needed to chase those guys to try to wear them down. He did, he came in, and also gave us 10 points, six rebounds. I thought that was very solid. just his energy, his energy gave us a bump that you need to go against a guy like [CJ] McCollum.”- Dwane Casey on the boost provided by Norman Powell“It was one of those fun games to be a part of. Everybody was aggressive. That team is definitely fighting for something to make it to the playoffs. They have time with that group of guys and it was fun, everybody out there being aggressive.”- DeMar DeRozan on matching up against Blazers and playing in a game with so many whistles
UP NEXT:
The Raptors will take on the Houston Rockets at Air Canada Centre on Sunday at 6:30 P.M. ET.