Our Beloved Raptors beat the Suns last night; Better days are ahead in 2023
The Raptors had a lot to prove last night, and they did just that, snapping their five-game losing streak at home by besting the Phoenix Suns 113-104. Encapsulating the Raptors' resilience, last night's game proved a testament to their refusal to let another game slip away. Gary Trent Jr. rocked the house with an impressive 35 points, matching his season high, while Pascal Siakam added 26 of his own.
With the game tied late in the fourth quarter, Scottie stepped up with a tie-breaking 3-pointer that put the Raptors ahead for good! Shortly after, Koloko hit a clutch shot of his own for his first NBA career 3, giving the team an extra boost to seal their victory.
Pascal is close to making history.
Pascal Siakam inched closer to making history last night with his impressive performance. His 26 points marked seven straight games in which he has scored 25 or more, just one shy of the franchise record held by Vince Carter. It would be an incredible accomplishment for Siakam and cement his legacy as one of the greatest players to ever wear a Raptors’ jersey. That’s not something to be taken lightly; all eyes will be on him as he attempts to make history.
The pressure is on!
The buzz around the fanbase is all about Pascal Siakam and his meteoric rise this season.
He's been tearing up the court with an impressive run of seven games where he scored over 25 points, including a masterful 52 pint at MSG. This hasn't been seen in two decades since the days of Vince Carter. Even more remarkable is that he isn't showing any signs of slowing down. His energy level is still sky-high, and he continues to carry us game after game despite the team's struggles lately.
The Raptors frustrated Chris Paul with turnovers and contained Deandre Ayton in their matchup.
The Toronto Raptors were good defensively last night. For the shorthanded Suns, the struggle was real. Chris Paul's rock-solid night of 20 points and 12 assists became almost inconsequential due to the turnovers he gave up, a season-worst 27 turnovers for the Suns. Toronto had 15 steals, one shy of its season-high, with Thad Young spearheading the hunt with four. Barnes and Trent were right behind him, with three each. The Raptors successfully turned their defence up as they forced numerous turnovers from all over the court, resulting in 34 points for them alone.
Deandre Ayton struggled against the Raptors' defensive pressure. He acknowledged that they were everywhere, disrupting his ability to rebound, set screens or post up - which contributed significantly to their success.
The Raptors will look to continue to build upon this win in the new year as they face the Indiana Pacers on Monday. Coach Nurse is confident that his team can build on this momentum, and better days are ahead.
As 2023 is just around the corner, Raptors fans have something to be excited about. After fighting through difficult times, the team is only four games below a .500 record. With health on our side and Pascal Siakam as our MVP, there’s no limit on what we can accomplish in the next year.
Let’s commit to supporting each other and rallying around our beloved team. This New Year is an opportunity for us all to unite as one unified fan base and cheer on our Raptors! Let's go, Raptors!
