Stop if you’ve heard this one before: A halftime advantage couldn’t be maintained despite a gritty road effort by the Toronto Raptors, and the end result was a loss.
This time, it was a tough 94-87 decision at the hands of the Houston Rockets. Despite holding Houston to 36% shooting, Toronto fell to 5-1 when holding an opponent under 99 points this season thanks to 36.7% work from the floor of their own.
Mississauga-born Rockets forward Dillon Brooks led Houston with 19 points, Immanuel Quickley topped all with 20, but Scottie Barnes struggled from the floor and settled for too many three-point shots (he went 0-for-8 from beyond the arc). Toronto had to be encouraged by its defensive effort and by the play of rookie fill-in starter Jonathan Mogbo, plus reserves Ja’Kobe Walter and Jamal Shead, who all had impressive flashes. Mogbo had four blocks, three assists and six rebounds, Shead 14 points, Walter 10.
Toronto had lost three straight and 4-of-5 following a five-game winning streak, but Houston had been stumbling even more, losing six in a row to fall from second to fifth in the Western Conference.
Both teams were missing all kinds of key players. Toronto again played minus RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl, while new acquisition Brandon Ingram is not yet able to suit up. Houston missed former Raptor Fred VanVleet, talented young forwards Jabari Smith and Tari Eason and veteran centre Steven Adams.
Houston came in fourth in the NBA in defensive efficiency, but just 22nd over the last 10 games. Four of the games have been without VanVleet and he also missed most of another one. Smith, an impressive defensive big man, has been out since January 3.
To make matters worse, both sides quickly lost another important player.
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Houston centre Alperen Sengun, who is set to make his all-star debut next week, tweaked something in his lower back in the first quarter and left the game without returning. Later, Gradey Dick collided with Amen Thompson while trying to finish a layup and had to bow out just prior to halftime.
The Raptors led 42-37 at the break in one of the lowest-scoring games of the year. Houston was held to an ugly 29.3% from the field, including 2-for-17 on three-pointers, while Toronto was only marginally better at 31.9% and 4-for-23.
Toronto actually led by five after three quarters, before finally slipping in the fourth, allowing 36 points in the fourth. Houston sank seven of its 10 three-pointers in the game in the final quarter, while Toronto went just 1-for-6.
Quickley continued to ramp up his minutes, going from 17 in his return to action on February 2, to 21 against New York on Tuesday, to 28 in Friday’s loss at Oklahoma City up to 30 in this one.
The Raptors get a day off Monday before finishing this three-game trip at Philadelphia. They’ll be home to complete the back-to-back against East-leading Cleveland Wednesday before going their separate ways for the NBA all-star break.
@WolstatSun