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Game Rap: Raptors 97 Blazers 113

Holly MacKenzie - Raptors.com

It Was Over When…

The Portland Trail Blazers answered every Toronto Raptors run and showed why they’re one of the Western Conference’s top teams. With beautiful ball movement (leading to 27 team assists), the Blazers offence was unable to be stopped.

Turning Point

The Blazers called a timeout after a floater from Greivis Vasquez brought Toronto within eight with 8:38 remaining. Portland went on a 14-4 run to extend their lead to 107-89 with four minutes to play.

Raptors Player Of The Game[[{"fid":"31305","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"DeMar DeRozan","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"DeMar DeRozan"},"type":"media","attributes":{"alt":"DeMar DeRozan","title":"DeMar DeRozan","class":"media-element file-default"}}]]

DeMar DeRozan scored a team-high 22 points on 9-for-18 shooting. He also shot 4-for-5 from the free-throw line and added eight rebounds, two assists a steal and a blocked shot. Outside of DeRozan, Toronto’s shooters struggled as Kyle Lowry, Terrence Ross and Lou Williams combined to shoot 6-for-25 from the floor.

Underrated Raptor(s)[[{"fid":"31307","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"jonas valanciunas","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"jonas valanciunas"},"type":"media","attributes":{"alt":"jonas valanciunas","title":"jonas valanciunas","class":"media-element file-default"}}]]

Jonas Valanciunas returned from a one-game absence after the birth of his son to score 14 points on a perfect 7-for-7 field goals to go with a team-high nine rebounds, an assist and a blocked shot in 22 minutes of action.

That's A Rap

“We have more than enough scorers. That’s what everybody gets concerned about, scoring the ball, my touches, rhythm, moving the ball. I am more concerned with getting stops. We got it to nine by getting stops. By getting stops and rebounding we got ourselves back in the game. It wasn’t our offence. It is because we got consecutive stops, pushed the ball down the floor and created offence with our defence. That’s what we have to do. We have to make sure we get stops and if you don’t it’s going to be a long night, especially against a great three-point shooting team like Portland.” - Raptors head coach Dwane Casey preaching the importance of defence

By The Numbers

16 - Turnovers for the Raptors, four more than their season average of 12 per game. Toronto now has 33 turnovers over the last two games. 

52 - Percent shooting for Portland who also shot 45 per cent from beyond the three-point line. The Blazers made 13 of 29 attempts from downtown, compared to just five makes on 18 attempts for Toronto. The Raptors shot 47 percent overall in the game.

18 - Fourth-quarter points for the Raptors, who trailed by 12 after three quarters.

3 - Blazers players who had five or more assists (Nicolas Batum, 12, LaMarcus Aldridge, 5, Damian Lillard, 5), compared to just one Raptors player (Kyle Lowry, 6). 17-22 - Raptors record when their opponents score at least 100 points. 

They Said It

“We have to be a step quicker. A lot of times on coverages we are just a step too slow or too late. We turn our head and they get the layup. We have to be more aware. Once one breakdown happens, we get scrambling. Once a team, like tonight, where they have a lot of shooters out they, they are smart, they pass the ball and we are scrambling to run them off the three-point line and they make plays.” - DeMar DeRozan on needing to improve defensively

“I thought we set the tone early, but once they got it going and saw the ball go through the basket…We didn’t set the tone and hold the tone long because once they got it going they are such a great three-point shooting team and that was the difference in the game.” - Casey on being unable to slow Portland once they got going from deep

“If the opposing team is making a run, you call a timeout. You try to fix and find a resolution to what you can do on the court and that’s what they did. They went on a run, hit shots and pretty much took control of the game.” - Patrick Patterson on Portland responding to every Toronto run

Up Next

The Raptors fly to Indiana to end a back-to-back set against the Pacers on Monday night at 7 PM ET (TSN, TSN 1050). Toronto is 2-0 against Indiana this season.