Raptors at Nuggets
The Toronto Raptors' six-game road trip, to this point, has been all about the fourth quarter. After allowing 49 fourth-quarter points to the Chicago Bulls on Monday, the Raptors tightened up in the final period Saturday to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers 110-98. Toronto outscored Los Angeles 30-20 in the final period and hopes to recreate that late magic Sunday against a Denver Nuggets team that took the Raptors to overtime when the teams met north of the border earlier this month.
The Raptors' primary focus defensively on Sunday will likely be Kenneth Faried, as the Nuggets' power forward is coming off perhaps the best game of his four-year career. He posted 26 points and 25 rebounds in 30 minutes against Minnesota on Friday, becoming the first player since 1951-52 to post at least 25 points and 25 rebounds while playing no more than 30 minutes. “It helped me. I can’t even lie, it helped 110 percent,” Faried told the Denver Post, referring to a recent talk with coach Brian Shaw. “It helps just ease my mind and I can just go play my game. It is now more just like, ‘Go play my game and everything else will follow.'”
TV: 9 p.m. ET, SportsNet (Toronto), Altitutde (Denver)
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (23-7): With star guard DeMar DeRozan still sidelined by a groin injury, Toronto received a balanced attack on Saturday in which five players scored in double figures, led by Kyle Lowry (25 points) and Jonas Valanciunas (22 points, 11 rebounds). Several key reserves also stepped up for the Raptors, who received 37 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds from their bench. Backup guard Greivis Vasquez scored 16 points on 4-of-8 shooting from 3-point range and Patrick Patterson scored 10 points - his 13th double-digit effort in the last 15 games.
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (13-17): All five Denver starters scored in double figures Friday, although most of the damage came inside the paint, as the team connected on just 3-of-19 3-pointers in the win over Minnesota. The Nuggets have shot 31.9 percent from the arc this season, ranking 29th out of 30 teams, although they are seventh in the league in 3-pointers attempted per game (24.8). Ty Lawson is shooting a career-low 31 percent from long range, while his field-goal percentage (40.8) and free-throw percentage (74.1) are also the lowest marks of his career.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Valanciunas has gone three straight games without a block and six straight without a steal. On the bright side, he also has gone three straight outings without committing a turnover.
2. Faried has shot 21-of-29 over his last three games.
3. Toronto defeated Denver 112-107 in overtime on Dec. 8 as Patterson hit the tying 3-pointer late in regulation and Lowry finished with 13 points and 13 assists.