NBA: LaVine, Chicago Bulls sink Toronto Raptors

Zach LaVine inspired a fightback as the Chicago Bulls eliminated the Toronto Raptors from the NBA play-in tournament Wednesday, while rising Australian star Josh Giddey helped the Oklahoma City Thunder end the New Orleans Pelicans' season.

LaVine finished with 39 points –- 30 of them scored after half-time -- in a 109-105 road victory for the Bulls, who will now face Miami on Friday with the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs up for grabs.

LaVine and former Toronto star DeMar DeRozan showed superb composure down the stretch as Chicago recovered from a 19-point third-quarter deficit to snatch a win that left Toronto's Scotiabank Arena in stunned silence.

DeRozan finished with 23 points while Nikola Vucevic finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds and four assists.

Chicago coach Billy Donovan hailed LaVine's role in the comeback as "extraordinary."

"He was phenomenal," Donovan said. "What he did in that third quarter and going into the fourth quarter -– it would have been very difficult for us to have won that game had he not done that.

"His performance was extraordinary. It gave us life, and it gave us hope...he had that mentality where he was going to do whatever he had to get us back in the game."

Toronto, who looked to be in complete control for long periods of the game, were left ruing a litany of missed free throws.

The Raptors shot only 18-of-36 from the foul line, a 50 percent success rate which was in stark contrast to the Bulls, who made 18 of their 22 free throws.

"That's a lot of misses," Toronto coach Nick Nurse said afterwards. "We left a lot of points on the floor there for sure.

"Okay, you're not going to make them all. But if you miss more than 10 free throws in a game, it's hard to win."

Pascal Siakam (32 points) and Fred VanVleet (26) were both outstanding for Toronto, with VanVleet electrifying the home crowd with a buzzer-beating three-pointer from near half-way as the second quarter ended.

That gave Toronto a 58-47 lead at half-time, and the Raptors kept up their scoring momentum early in the second half, extending their lead to 19 points as Chicago's offense sputtered.

But the pendulum swung back in the visitors' favor once LaVine found his range, and as Chicago's defensive fine-tuning stifled the Raptors, the Bulls began to steadily whittle away the deficit.

A Pat Beverley three-pointer put Chicago ahead for the first time in the second half at 98-95 and Toronto were never able to get back in front thereafter.

Agence France-Presse

Depleted Celtics edge Raptors for ninth straight NBA win, 76ers beat Kings

LOS ANGELES --  The Boston Celtics shook off the absence of injured Jayson Tatum and the early exits of Marcus Smart and Robert Williams to beat the Toronto Raptors 106-104 on Saturday and push their NBA winning streak to nine games.

Jaylen Brown scored 27 points and Grant Williams added a career-high 25 for the Celtics, who improved their league-best record to 35-12.

Coming off a gritty overtime win over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, the Celtics trailed 85-81 going into the fourth quarter.

But they opened the final frame with a 9-0 run courtesy of three-pointers from Brown, Payton Pritchard and Grant Williams and stayed in front until Toronto tied it up at 103-103 on Gary Trent Jr.'s three-pointer with 2:23 to play.

Pritchard, who scored all of his 12 points in the fourth quarter, drained another three-pointer that proved to be enough after veteran Al Horford came up with a block and a steal in the final 10 seconds.

Malcolm Brogdon added 23 points off the bench for Boston, whose top scorer Tatum was sidelined with a sore left wrist.

Grant Williams said Tatum's absence was no reason for the Celtics to surrender the mindset of an elite team gunning to get back to the NBA Finals for a second straight year after falling to Golden State in the title series.

"You can't back down from any challenge, no matter if you're down 12 guys, no matter if you're down four, no matter if you're down two, no matter if you're a full team," he said. "You have to do your job."

Smart rolled his right ankle in the second quarter and left the game while Robert Williams hurt his left knee.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said Williams's injury was "nothing serious" and Smart had a sprained ankle.

"X-rays were negative," he said of Smart, who had to be helped off the court. "So it's just a matter of how he's able to cope with it day to day."

The Philadelphia 76ers, playing without star center Joel Embiid and playmaker James Harden because of injury management, completed a perfect 5-0 road trip against Western Conference teams with a 129-127 victory over the Kings in Sacramento.

The 76ers ended the Kings' six-game win streak, using a big third quarter to turn the tide after trailing by 21 on the way to a 10-point halftime deficit.

Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with 32 points and six assists.

Domantas Sabonis had a near triple-double for Sacramento with 16 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists. De'Aaron Fox scored 14 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter -- when the Kings got an 11-point deficit down to one three times before the Sixers closed it out.

- Mobley propels Cavs -

In Cleveland, Evan Mobley scored a career-high 38 points in a 114-102 victory over a Milwaukee Bucks team missing two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton.

A day earlier, the Cavs let a Golden State team missing star shooter Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green get past them, with coach J.B. Bickerstaff saying his team "got what we deserved" after taking the depleted Warriors too lightly.

On Saturday, second-year forward Mobley was laser-focused, connecting on 19 of 27 shots from the field and grabbing nine rebounds.

Mobley scored 14 points in the fourth quarter alone. Darius Garland added 21 points and 10 assists and Caris LeVert, starting in place of the Cavs' injured top scorer Donovan Mitchell, added 13 points.

Milwaukee led by Jrue Holiday's 28 points, trailed much of the contest but managed to edge ahead twice early in the fourth quarter before Cleveland closed the door.

In Minneapolis, Anthony Edwards scored a season-high 44 points to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 113-104 victory over the Houston Rockets.

Elsewhere the lowly Charlotte Hornets claimed back-to-back games for just the second time this season as they eked out a 122-118 victory over the Hawks in Atlanta.

The Hornets, down by as many as 19 in the third quarter, snapped the Hawks' five-game winning streak.

Terry Rozier led Charlotte with 34 points, including three free-throws with 1.1 seconds left and another pair of free throws to seal it.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Bucks beat Raptors on Giannis triple double as Nets' streak ends

Giannis Antetokounmpo's triple-double sparked the Milwaukee Bucks to a 104-101 overtime victory at Toronto on Wednesday while the Brooklyn Nets saw their 12-game NBA win streak snapped.

Greek superstar Antetokounmpo scored 30 points, pulled down 21 rebounds and passed off 10 assists, the last to set up Grayson Allen's decisive 3-pointer with 11 seconds to play that rescued a Milwaukee triumph.

"You can't do it by yourself. You've got to trust your teammates, make plays for them," Antetokounmpo said.

"I'm trying to be aggressive... but at the end of the day everybody is sucking me in and the guy is open. That last play Grayson was wide open and I was able to get him the ball."

It was the 31st career triple-double for Antetokounmpo and the sixth time he managed 30 points and 20 rebounds in the same game -- heroics coming a night after scoring a career-high 55 points in a victory.

Antetokounmpo, who made 7 of 18 shots from the floor and 15 of 21 from the free throw line, was unhappy with a 28-7 Raptors run to close regulation time, Toronto tying the game at 97-97 on Gary Trent Jr's last-second 3-pointer to force overtime.

"We can't put ourselves in that position," Antetokounmpo said. "We were up 15 with two minutes left.

"But I think we did a good job keeping our composure and executing in the overtime -- finding open spots and defending -- and we were able to get the win."

Fred VanVleet, who led Toronto with 28 points, missed a potential tying 3-pointer at the finish.

DeMar DeRozan and Patrick Williams each scored 22 points and Nikola Vucevic added 21 points and 13 rebounds to lead Chicago over Brooklyn, 121-112.

The Bulls (17-21) snapped Brooklyn's 12-game win streak when a victory would have pulled the visiting Nets (25-13) level for the Eastern Conference lead with Boston.

Instead, they share second with the Bucks, one game adrift.

Chicago's triumph spoiled a 44-point effort from Brooklyn's Kevin Durant while Kyrie Irving added 25 points.

Philadelphia's James Harden had 26 points and eight assists while Tobias Harris, De'Anthony Melton and Montrezl Harrell each added 19 points to power the host 76ers over Indiana, 129-126, in overtime.

The 76ers (23-14) were playing without star big man Joel Embiid due to a sore left foot but still snapped Indiana's four-game win streak.

A Harris tip-in with six seconds to play lifted the Sixers level at 120-120 to force overtime. Harris made two free throws with four seconds remaining in the extra session to create the final margin.

 Cavs beat Suns 

Evan Mobley's jumper with four seconds remaining gave Cleveland a 90-88 victory over Phoenix. Caris LeVert led the Cavaliers with 21 points while Donovan Mitchell had 20 and nine assists.

Ja Morant scored 23 points and dished out eight rebounds to spark Memphis in a 131-107 romp at Charlotte as the Grizzlies (24-13) matched Denver for the Western Conference lead.

Anthony Edwards netted 32 points to power the Minnesota Timberwolves over visiting Portland, 113-106.

C.J. McCollum scored 28 points and Jonas Valanciunas added 16 points and 17 rebounds to lead New Orleans over visiting Houston, 119-108.

Jalen Brunson scored 38 points and Julius Randle added 25 points and 13 rebounds to spark host New York over San Antonio, 117-114.

Paolo Banchero, last year's NBA Draft top pick, had 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists to lead host Orlando over Oklahoma City, 126-115.

Saddiq Bey's 3-pointer at the buzzer gave the Detroit Pistons a 122-119 victory at Golden State. Croatian forward Bojan Bogdanovic led Detroit with 29 points.

John Collins and De'Andre Hunter each scored 22 points to lead Atlanta in a 120-117 triumph at Sacramento.

German guard Denis Schroder shook off an ankle sprain to score a season-high 32 points and lead the Los Angeles Lakers over visiting Miami, 112-109.

Lakers star LeBron James sat out against his former club with a non-COVID illness, joining injured forward Anthony Davis on the sidelines.

Agence France-Presse

 

NBA: Tatum leads Celtics over Raptors, Pacers beat Warriors

LOS ANGELES -- Jayson Tatum scored 17 of his 31 points in the third quarter on Monday as the Boston Celtics earned an impressive 116-110 victory over the Raptors in Toronto.

Trailing 62-56 at halftime, the Celtics out-scored the Raptors 35-18 in the third period to take a nine-point lead, pushing their advantage to as many as 13 in the fourth as they handed the Raptors just their third home defeat.

The NBA champion Golden State Warriors also suffered a rare home defeat, falling 112-104 to the Indiana Pacers -- the Warriors' second loss this season at the Chase Center in San Francisco.

Andrew Nembhard scored 31 points to lead six Pacers players in double figures.

Klay Thompson's 28 points led the Warriors as star Stephen Curry endured a tough shooting night, connecting on three of 17 attempts on the way to 12 points.

"I just thought they came in, out-played us," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "Out-coached us."

In Toronto, the Celtics improved their league-best record to 20-5.

They lead the Eastern Conference by two games over the Milwaukee Bucks, who beat the Orlando Magic 109-102 on the back of 34 points and 13 rebounds from Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Tatum scored 17 of his 31 in the third quarter and Jaylen Brown added 22 points as Boston posted their seventh win in eight games -- despite the absence of injured Al Horford and ailing Malcolm Brogdon.

Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart added 18 points and Blake Griffin's 13 included a tip-in off a Tatum miss that pushed Boston's lead to 115-108 with 26.8 seconds remaining.

Tatum said the Celtics told themselves at halftime to "figure it out."

"Second night of a back-to-back, against a team that plays really well at home," he said. "We were just playing too slow. We were worried about the officiating too much, and we just wanted to change that."

Tatum said it's the kind of win the Celtics need if they're to return to the NBA Finals and claim the title that eluded them against Golden State last season.

"When we put our minds to it, we can beat anybody," he said.

In Orlando, the Bucks shook off a sluggish start on the way to a 54-45 halftime lead and never trailed after the interval, withstanding a late push that saw the Magic cut the deficit to four points with 2:20 remaining.

Philadelphia's James Harden returned from injury against his old team in Houston, but the struggling Rockets spoiled his night with a 132-123 double-overtime victory over the 76ers.

The Sixers had hoped Harden's return after missing 14 games with a foot injury would help them reverse their fortunes after two road defeats.

But he looked rusty in connecting on just four of 19 shots from the field on the way to 21 points, seven assists and seven turnovers.

Joel Embiid led the 76ers with a game-high 39 points. He grabbed seven rebounds with two blocked shots before fouling out in overtime.

Jalen Green scored 27 points for Houston and Kevin Porter Jr. added 24.

- Leonard lifts Clippers -

Los Angeles Clippers stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George returned from injury and made an immediate impact in a 119-117 victory over the Hornets in Charlotte.

George, who missed seven straight games with a hamstring strain, led the Clippers with 19 points and Leonard added 16 -- including a game-tying put-back basket and the game-winning step-back jump shot with 1.4 seconds remaining.

"It felt good," said Leonard, a two-time NBA champion who had missed the previous six games with a sprained right ankle. "My teammates trusted me."

In Dallas, the Mavericks seized control with a 33-15 first quarter and never let up in a 130-111 victory over the Western Conference-leading Phoenix Suns.

Luka Doncic scored 33 points and Spencer Dinwiddie added 21 for the Mavs.

Deandre Ayton scored 20 points for Phoenix and Devin Booker, who had averaged 39 points over the Suns' previous four games, scored 11.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Pascal Siakam's 40 points carry Raptors past Celtics in OT

Pascal Siakam scored four of his season-best 40 points in overtime before fouling out and added 13 rebounds as the host Toronto Raptors defeated the undermanned Boston Celtics 115-112 Monday night.

Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby each added 14 points for the Raptors, who have won the first three games of a four-game homestand.

Gary Trent Jr. and Thaddeus Young each scored 12 points. Scottie Barnes had 10 points before fouling out late in the fourth quarter.

Marcus Smart had 28 points for the Celtics, who had a six-game winning streak come to a halt. Grant Williams added 17 points, Derrick White had 15, Daniel Theis had 13 points and 10 rebounds, Aaron Nesmith had 13 points and Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser had 10 points each.

Boston was without Jayson Tatum (knee), Jaylen Brown (knee), Robert Williams (knee) and Al Horford (personal).

Boston took a four-point lead in overtime on Smart's eight-footer. Siakam's layup followed by a jumper put Toronto ahead by three points with 1:52 to play in overtime. Siakam fouled out and Williams made two free throws with 51.4 seconds left. Trent made two free throws with 14.4 seconds left to clinch the win.

The game was tied after three quarters. Boston opened the fourth quarter with a 9-2 burst. Anunoby tied the game on a layup with 1:55 left. Boston took a four-point lead on Nesmith's 3-pointer with 57.9 seconds remaining. Siakam tied the game at 106 with two free throws with 12.6 seconds to play to force overtime.

Boston led 38-30 after one quarter after being ahead by as many as 11.

The Raptors started the second quarter with a 14-6 surge to tie the game with 5:05 to play. Toronto led by three points on Siakam's dunk with 3:06 to play. Toronto led 59-58 at halftime after VanVleet's steal, layup and free throw.

Boston started the third quarter on a 9-1 run. Toronto responded with an 8-0 surge. Trent's layup ended the third-quarter scoring and tied the game at 80.

Toronto was without Khem Birch (knee) and Malachi Flynn (hamstring).

-reuters-

NBA: Pascal Siakam's 35 points lead Raptors past Cavaliers

Pascal Siakam scored 35 points and the host Toronto Raptors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 117-104, on Thursday night.

Siakam was 6 of 7 on 3-pointers. OG Anunoby added 14 points in his return to the Raptors' lineup after missing 15 games with a broken finger.

The Raptors (41-32) have won seven of their past nine games to move into a tie for sixth place with the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland won the first three games between the teams this season.

Chris Boucher added 17 points off the bench for Toronto, Scottie Barnes had 11 points, Fred VanVleet had 10 points and eight assists and Precious Achiuwa scored 10.

Lauri Markkanen scored 20 points for the Cavaliers (41-32), who have lost two in a row. Darius Garland added 18 points and 10 assists, Lamar Stevens had 16 points, Kevin Love had 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Evan Mobley and Caris LeVert each scored 11.

Toronto used a 15-0 run to take a 25-17 lead after one quarter.

Sparked by Thaddeus Young's eight points off the bench, the Raptors stretched the lead to 14 points. Anunoby made two free throws with 1:49 left in the second quarter. Stevens and Markkanen finished off the first half with dunks, cutting Toronto's lead to 58-48.

Toronto regained a 14-point lead on Siakam's 3-pointer with 9:03 remaining in the third quarter. Love's 3-pointer reduced the deficit to eight. Stevens made one of two free throws with 4:22 left, trimming the lead to five. Toronto led, 83-75, after three quarters.

The lead returned to 14 on VanVleet's 3-pointer with 6:10 to go. Cleveland cut the deficit to eight when Mobley banked in a hook shot. Toronto scored the next six points, four by Siakam and two by Barnes, to lead by 14 again with 2:53 to play.

Gary Trent Jr. (toe) was out for Toronto.

Jarrett Allen (finger) and Dean Wade (knee) were out for Cleveland.

-reuters-

NBA: VanVleet's 33 powers Raptors past Spurs

Fred VanVleet scored 24 of his 33 points in the first half and had seven assists as the Toronto Raptors defeated the visiting San Antonio Spurs 129-104 Tuesday night.

VanVleet, who was 7 of 14 in 3-point attempts, has scored more than 30 points in the past three games as the Raptors improved their record to .500 for the season at 17-17.

Pascal Siakam added 18 points, 12 rebounds and five assists for the Raptors, who have won three straight. Gary Trent Jr. contributed 21 points, OG Anunoby and Justin Champagnie each scored 14 points, Scottie Barnes had 11 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, and Precious Achiuwa had 10 points.

Former Raptor Jakob Poeltl scored 19 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for the Spurs, who have lost four in a row. Devin Vassell and Joshua Primo each scored 15 points, Joe Wieskamp tallied 13 points and Derrick White scored 12.

San Antonio has four games remaining on a seven-game road trip. Toronto finished a four-game homestand with a 3-1 record.

The Raptors, who had a 16-point advantage after three quarters, started the fourth quarter on a 9-3 surge to bump the margin to 22 points.

Toronto led 30-29 after one quarter.

The Raptors used a 9-0 run to take a 14-point lead with 4:09 remaining in the second quarter. Siakam's 3-pointer stretched the margin to 16 with 1:43 left. Toronto led 68-53 at halftime.

VanVleet's 3-pointer gave Toronto a 17-point lead with 10:51 left in the third quarter. The Spurs cut the lead to 13, but the Raptors pulled ahead by 18 on Siakam's dunk.

Jock Landale's cutting layup with 3:22 remaining in the third quarter trimmed the lead to 10s. Toronto responded with a 9-0 run that was capped by Chris Boucher's free throw. White finished the third-quarter scoring with a dunk and foul shot to cut the lead to 97-81.

The Spurs were without Devontae Cacok, Doug McDermott and Lonnie Walker because of health and safety protocols, and Dejounte Murray (return to competition reconditioning).

Toronto was without Yuta Watanabe and Svi Mykhailiuk because of COVID-19 protocols.

-reuters-

NBA: Fred VanVleet puts up 31 points, as Raptors top Clippers

Fred VanVleet scored 31 points and dished out 9 assists as the host Toronto Raptors defeated the undermanned Los Angeles Clippers 116-108 Friday night.

Pascal Siakam added 25 points and matched his career best with 19 rebounds for the Raptors, who had lost their 2 previous games.

The Raptors had most of their players back from health and safety protocol, a list that had reached 10 last weekend.

OG Anunoby had 26 points and Gary Trent Jr. scored 10 for Toronto.

Marcus Morris Sr. scored 20 points for the Clippers, who have lost 3 of their past 4. Terance Mann added 18 points and 11 rebounds, Reggie Jackson scored 17, Amir Coffey had 15 and Luke Kennard scored 13.

The Raptors led by as many as 15 points during the 1st quarter, but the Clippers took a 5-point lead into the 4th.

The Raptors cut the deficit to 1 point on Anunoby's running dunk with 9:19 to play in the contest, and his 3-pointer gave Toronto a 2-point lead 32 seconds later.

The game was tied at 101 after Morris hit a jumper with 4:34 remaining.

Toronto led by 4 with 1:34 remaining after Chris Boucher sank 2 free throws and Siakam dunked. Mann answered with a 3-pointer, but VanVleet made a layup and then a 3-pointer to increase the lead to 6 with 25.2 seconds to go.

Toronto led 32-29 after the 1st quarter on the strength of an 18-0 run in an arena that was empty because of COVID-19 restrictions.

The Clippers scored the first 5 points of the 2nd quarter. Toronto pulled out to a 5-point lead, but Jackson's 3-pointer capped a 13-2 run to complete the 1st-half scoring and give the Clippers a 62-56 lead.

VanVleet scored 6 straight points, including a layup that tied the game with 3:41 to play in the 3rd quarter. The Clippers responded with an 8-1 run, and they led 87-82 after 3 quarters.

Los Angeles' Brandon Boston Jr., Ivica Zubac and coach Tyronn Lue (COVID-19 protocol) missed the game. Brian Shaw coached the Clippers.

Scottie Barnes (knee tendinitis) was out for Toronto.

There was a video tribute to the Clippers' Serge Ibaka, a former Raptor, during the first quarter.

-reuters-

NBA: Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins combine for 65 in Warriors' win

Canadian-born Andrew Wiggins caught fire against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night, scorching the net for six 3-pointers in a 32-point performance that propelled the Golden State Warriors to a 119-104 home victory in a rematch of the 2019 Finals.

Jordan Poole went one better than Wiggins with 33 points for the Warriors, who won a fourth straight despite getting just 12 points on 2-for-10 shooting from Stephen Curry.

Pascal Siakam had 21 points for the Raptors, who lost for the seventh time in their last nine games.

Wiggins, who was born in Toronto and has gone on to become the NBA's leading scorer from Canada in his first eight NBA seasons, propelled Golden State to a lead it would never relinquish with two 3-pointers, a three-point play and a dunk in a 16-5 game-opening flurry.

The third-year Warrior wound up 6-for-8 on 3-pointers and 12-for-20 overall en route to his second 30-point outing of the season.

The Warriors led by as many as 20 in the first quarter and retained at least a nine-point advantage the rest of the way on the way to an eighth straight home win.

The Raptors, who beat Golden State in six games for the 2019 title, managed to hang within 103-93 after a Fred VanVleet 3-pointer with 7:16 to play. But Poole nailed his seventh 3-pointer of the night and Otto Porter added another from beyond the arc, allowing the Western Conference front-runner to pull away.

Poole finished 8-for-11 on 3-pointers, a career-high number that made him just the seventh in Warriors history to make eight or more in a game. Curry has done it 66 times, Klay Thompson 13.

The Warriors finished 22-for-45 from deep, outscoring the Raptors 66-45 on threes.

Draymond Green chipped in with a game-high 14 rebounds, eight assists and four points for the Warriors, while Kevon Looney also reached double figures in boards with 10 to complement seven points. Curry tied Green for game-high assist honors with eight.

Porter recorded all 15 of his points off the bench on 3-pointers for Golden State, while Chris Chiozza was a fifth Warrior scoring in double figures with 11.

VanVleet totaled with 17 points and a team-high seven assists for the Raptors, who have lost three of four to start a six-game trip.

Precious Achiuwa went for 12 points, Gary Trent Jr. 11, and Scottie Barnes and Chris Boucher 10 apiece for Toronto. Barnes completed a double-double with a team-high 13 rebounds.

-reuters-

NBA: Nuggets run winning streak to four by beating Raptors

Michael Porter Jr. scored 23 points, Nikola Jokic had 19 points and 11 rebounds, and the host Denver Nuggets beat the Toronto Raptors, 121-111, on Thursday night.

JaMychal Green scored 15 points, Facu Campazzo had 12, Shaquille Harrison and Austin Rivers scored 11 each and P.J. Dozier added 10 for Denver (42-21), which has won four in a row.

OG Anunoby scored 25 points, Kyle Lowry and Khem Birch added 20 apiece, Malachi Flynn scored 16 and Pascal Siakam finished with 11 for Toronto (26-37).

The Raptors played without guard Fred VanVleet due to a hip injury.

The Nuggets led by just two after three quarters but started to pull away against Toronto's reserves in the fourth. 

Paul Millsap scored four points and Porter had five in a 9-0 run that extended the two-point advantage to 11 at 96-85 lead.

The Raptors called a timeout, but Dozier and Green hit 3-pointers to make it 102-85. Lowry broke Toronto's drought with a 3-pointer with 7:59 left, but Green split two free throws and Lowry was called for a flagrant foul on a layup by Dozier with 7:13 left.

Dozier hit the free throw and then Green made it a six-point trip with another basket from behind the arc to put Denver ahead, 109-88.

Lowry hit another 3-pointer but the Nuggets were able to close it out.

Neither team led by more than five points in the first quarter and the biggest lead was six, by Denver, late in the second. Toronto quickly tied it at 50-all.

Campazzo made five free throws in the final minutes, and Harrison's jumper with 4.2 seconds left gave the Nuggets a 59-57 lead.

The Raptors took a 63-61 lead early in the third, and the game stayed close through most of the period. Denver went ahead, 81-75, on a steal and layup, but Yuta Watanabe and Birch made 3-pointers in an 8-2 run that tied it.

Harrison went 2-for-4 from the line and Dozier hit a layup and the Nuggets took a slim 87-85 lead heading into the fourth.

-reuters-

NBA: Three members of Raptors test positive for COVID-19

TORONTO - Three members of the Toronto Raptors have tested positive for COVID-19 during the league-mandated testing period prior to training camp, the NBA team said on Monday.

The Raptors, who in 2019 became the first Canadian team to win an NBA championship, did not identify the individuals but said all three are self-isolating away from the rest of the organization.

"Adherence to protocols, follow-up testing and contact tracing has so far revealed no spread to other members of the Raptors organization," the Raptors said in a statement.

The team also said media access scheduled for Monday with head coach Nick Nurse and starting point guard Kyle Lowry have been cancelled.

The Raptors, who arrived in Tampa, Florida, last week for training camp, will start the 2020-21 season playing home games in the U.S. city because of travel restrictions the Canadian government has put in place stemming from the pandemic.

The Raptors, who lost a decisive seventh game to the Boston Celtics in last season's Eastern Conference semi-final, open their season on Dec. 23. 

(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Ken Ferris)

-reuters-

NBA: Antetokounmpo powers Bucks over Raptors

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 36 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and added eight assists as the Milwaukee Bucks held on to defeat the visiting Toronto Raptors 115-105 Saturday night.

The Raptors tried to come back from a 26-point deficit but could get no closer than four points in the fourth quarter.

It was the first meeting between the teams since the Raptors eliminated the Bucks in the Eastern Conference finals last season.

Eric Bledsoe added 14 points and nine rebounds for the Bucks, while Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez each had 11 points.

Kyle Lowry led Toronto with a season-best 36 points and Pascal Siakam had 16 points before fouling out with 1:41 to play in the fourth quarter. Fred VanVleet added 12 points, Serge Ibaka scored 11 and Marc Gasol contributed 10 points and 12 rebounds.

The Bucks scored the first five points in the fourth, but Ibaka's dunk cut the lead to four with 7:03 remaining.

The Bucks bumped the lead to seven points on Middleton's two free throws with 3:27 remaining. VanVleet's 3-pointer trimmed the lead to four with 2:24 remaining. But the Bucks went ahead by eight on a dunk by Antetokounmpo with 1:22 to go.

The Bucks opened a 12-1 lead with Antetokounmpo scoring seven and finished the first quarter with a 36-17 lead.

The lead reached 22 points early in the second quarter when Lopez made a 3-pointer. Middleton's reverse layup with 4:59 remaining in the first half gave the Bucks a 55-30 lead.

The Raptors outscored the Bucks 25-15 in the final 6:45 of the first half that ended with the Bucks leading 66-50.

Antetokounmpo scored 17 first-half points and Lowry also led Toronto with 17. The Bucks shot 53.2 percent from the field and the Raptors shot 31.7 percent before the break.

The Bucks opened a 20-point margin on a layup by Donte DiVincenzo two minutes into the third quarter.

Lowry had 17 points in the third quarter as the Raptors trimmed the lead to 95-90 entering the fourth quarter.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Brown, Tatum drive Celtics past Raptors

Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum each scored 25 points, and Kemba Walker had 11 of his 22 in the fourth quarter as the Boston Celtics rallied past the visiting Toronto Raptors 112-106 in their home opener Friday.

Gordon Hayward had 15 points, and Marcus Smart 10 as the Celtics improved to 1-1 on the season.

Pascal Siakam led all scorers with 33 points, and Kyle Lowry had 29 for the Raptors, who lost their first after a win in their opener Tuesday.

Boston took 31 more shots than Toronto in the contest, though the Celtics shot 38.5 percent (42 of 109).

A Hayward 3-pointer put Boston up for good, 107-104, with 3:27 to go. A pair of Siakam free throws got Toronto within one, but the Raptors would score no more, with Brown hitting a three with 2:49 left for a four-point Celtics lead.

The Raptors entered the fourth quarter up 82-76. To that point, the six-point advantage matched the largest lead by either team in the game.

Toronto finally forged ahead by seven when Lowry drilled a three with 9:47 left for an 89-82 lead. Walker scored nine straight points to get Boston within two on two occasions, and his layup with 7:02 left got the Celtics within 95-93.

Serge Ibaka drilled a three for a 98-93 Raptors lead, but a 6-0 Celtics run put Boston ahead with 5:43 to go.

Toronto went back ahead on a Siakam basket, but Grant Williams responded with a layup for a 101-100 Celtics edge. Tatum sank a three with 4:33 to go to put Boston up by four.

The Raptors tied the score at 104 when Siakam converted an alley-oop at 3:41.

The Celtics entered halftime up 50-49. Brown led Boston at the half with 13 points, and Lowry paced Toronto with 11.

During the second quarter, Celtics big man Daniel Theis sustained a left ankle sprain with 8:13 left on the clock. Though he limped to the locker room under his own power, he returned to start the third.

Boston ended the first quarter up 22-21.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Raptors' Siakam signs 4-year extension -- reports

The Toronto Raptors signed forward Pascal Siakam to a maximum extension of four years and $129.92 million, multiple media outlets reported Saturday.

The deal does not include any player or team options, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.

According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, Siakam will earn $29 million in 2020-21, $31.32 million in 2021-22, $33.64 million in 2022-23 and $35.96 million in 2023-24.

Siakam is due to make a base salary of $2.35 million in 2019-20, according to Spotrac.

Siakam, 25, helped the Raptors win their first NBA championship and was named the league's Most Improved Player last season.

He is in line for an even bigger role with the defending champs this season following the offseason departure of Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The 2016 first-round draft pick (27th overall) averaged 16.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 80 regular-season games (79 starts) in 2018-19. He averaged 19.0 points, 7.1 boards and 2.8 assists in 24 postseason starts.

Entering his fourth season, the Cameroon native has career averages of 10.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 216 games (122 starts).

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NBA: Warriors’ Thompson says torn ACL 'most tragic part of sports'

Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson called his torn ACL, suffered in Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the eventual world champion Toronto Raptors in June, "obviously the most tragic part of sports," in an in-depth interview with ESPN on Thursday.

"I knew I did something," Thompson told ESPN's Cari Champion during a promotional event in Los Angeles. "But I've never had the severity of an ACL injury or an injury that bad. So me, personally, I didn't think it was that bad, initially. My adrenaline was so high being Game 6, whatever. I thought I sprained my knee; that's all I thought it was.

"But when I went back to the locker room, it swelled up a lot, didn't feel right. It's just not a good feeling when you feel helpless and the team's out there competing."

He is expected to make a full recovery and return to action during the second half of the 2019-20 season.

"I've heard varying opinions about, especially medically, I don't want to rush it 'cause I want to play until I'm 38, 39, 40 years old," Thompson, 29, said in the interview. "That's my plan, especially because the way I can shoot the ball. I would love to see the floor this season. I don't know when that is."

A few days before he underwent the surgery on his left knee in early July, Thompson agreed to a five-year, $190 million contract to remain with the Warriors.

"The Warriors showed their loyalty and their respect for me, offering me that five-year deal," Thomson said. "Jumped on that as soon as I could, just because the history with this team and the franchise it would be so hard to leave. And the feeling of, you know, unfinished business, getting that close in the Finals, or to the fourth championship -- tasting it -- just being out of reach.

"It's the pain of sports, but it's what keeps me motivated."

Thompson has spent his entire eight-year career with Golden State since being the No. 11 overall pick in the 2011 draft out of Washington State.

He has averaged 20 or more points in each of the past five seasons, including a 21.5 mark in 2018-19. Thompson, a five-time All-Star, has buried more than 200 3-pointers in seven consecutive seasons, as well.

Thompson made 241 3-pointers last season, his third most behind 276 in 2015-16 and 268 in 2016-17. He holds the single-game record of 14, set last season against the Chicago Bulls.

--Field Level Media

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NBA: Raptors' Kyle Lowry undergoes thumb procedure

Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry underwent a procedure to repair a tendon in his left thumb, but he still plans on being available for the upcoming FIBA World Cup, ESPN reported.

Lowry is not expected to miss USA Basketball's mini-camp to be held Aug. 5-9 at Las Vegas. He last played for Team USA at the 2016 Olympics and is one of 20 players invited to the mini-camp for the current team.

Lowry, 33, scored 14.2 points with 8.7 assists for the Raptors in the 2018-19 season and scored 15.0 points with 6.6 assists in 24 games during the postseason on the way to an NBA title.

The 32-team FIBA World Cup is scheduled for Aug. 31-Sept. 15 in China.

--Field Level Media

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NBA: Kawhi Leonard, Paul George to sign with Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers pulled off two major acquisitions late Friday night, as ESPN and The Athletic reported that free agent forward Kawhi Leonard will sign with the team, which also acquired forward Paul George in a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted that Leonard received a four-year, $142 million maximum contract.

In order to acquire George, the Clippers will send guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and forward Danilo Gallinari to Oklahoma City. The Thunder also will receive four unprotected first-round draft picks, one protected first-round pick and two draft-pick swaps, according to the ESPN report.

Leonard, who led the Toronto Raptors to their first NBA championship after he was acquired in a trade from the San Antonio Spurs last July, reportedly selected the Clippers over the Raptors and Los Angeles Lakers.

Leonard, a 28-year-old Southern California native, averaged 26.6 points and 7.3 rebounds over 60 regular-season games with the Raptors in 2018-19. He then improved on that over 24 playoff games averaging 30.5 points with 9.1 rebounds.

In the NBA Finals, Leonard scored 28.5 points per game with 9.8 rebounds as Toronto defeated the Golden State Warriors in six games.

The three-time All-Star, who was drafted 15th overall by the Indiana Pacers in 2011, has averaged 17.7 points and 6.3 rebounds over 467 games (440 starts) with the San Antonio Spurs and the Raptors.

George, a 29-year-old who makes his offseason home in the Los Angeles area, averaged 28 points per game with 8.2 rebounds for the Thunder last season. In nine NBA seasons, George has averaged 19.8 points and 6.4 rebounds in 604 games (556 starts) with the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City.

The six-time All-Star played just six games in the 2014-15 season because of a serious leg injury. He reportedly requested a trade from the Thunder after Leonard had reached his deal with the Clippers, the ESPN report indicated.

Gilgeous-Alexander, who turns 21 next week, was the No. 11 overall pick in the 2018 draft. As a rookie for the Clippers last season, he averaged 10.8 points and 3.3 assists.

Gallinari, 30, put up career bests of 19.8 points and 6.1 rebounds for the Clippers last season.

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2 hurt as gunfire mars Toronto Raptors' NBA victory parade

TORONTO - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was among 2 million fans cheering the NBA champion Toronto Raptors at a victory parade through the city on Monday that was briefly interrupted by nearby gunfire that injured two people and caused many attendees to scatter for safety.

Two people were seriously wounded during a shooting, but neither suffered life-threatening injuries, Toronto police said on Twitter. Two people have been taken into custody and two firearms were recovered, police said. The investigation is ongoing.

The shots were fired near Nathan Phillips Square, the parade's final destination, causing a chaotic scene toward the back of the huge crowd. 

However, the incident caused only a brief pause in the celebratory speeches, which were still going on.

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NBA: Raptors' victory parade could draw up to 2 million fans

Toronto Raptors fans already are lining up along the route for Monday's victory parade, which could bring as many as two million people to the streets of Toronto to celebrate the team's first NBA title.

Mike Bartlett, head of community affairs and events with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, provided that estimate to Toronto's CP24.

The parade is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. ET at Exhibition Place's Princes' Gates and will end at Nathan Phillips Square for a 12:30 p.m. rally.

He said fans can expect the "biggest party Toronto has ever seen on Monday."

"We got a few surprises up our sleeves but we are going to leave some of that for (Monday)," he said. "I can guarantee you that each and every Toronto Raptor will be there as will our front office team."

Players will ride on double-decker buses and tote the Larry O'Brien Trophy to celebrate their victory over the Golden State Warriors in six games.

And Bartlett encouraged fans to wear any gear representing the team's history in the city.

"This is Canada's team, so whether it be red, whether it be black and gold, whether it be the old school purple, wear it proud and be part of our 24-year-run to become world champions," he said.

Mayor John Tory declared Monday "We The North" day to honor the team.

"As we gather to celebrate the first NBA championship in Raptors' history, I encourage everyone in our city to show our support, pride, love, and appreciation for this incredible team," reads the proclamation he signed.

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NBA: Raptors President Ujiri allegedly pushed sheriff's deputy

Toronto Raptors team president Masai Ujiri is being investigated amid allegations he pushed a sheriff's deputy and hit him in the face following the Raptors' championship-clinching Game 6 of the NBA Finals in Oakland, California, Thursday night.

Sheriff's officials said Ujiri was barred from going on the court at Oracle Arena because he didn't have proper credentials.

"Mr. Ujiri was unknown to the deputy at that time. He [the deputy] asked him for a credential," said Sgt. Ray Kelly, a spokesman for the Alameda County Sheriff's Office, told ESPN. "He shoved the deputy out of the way and walked toward the court. The deputy pushed back. The president came forward more with a more significant push and ended up striking the deputy in the face."

In a video posted by NBC Bay Area showing the end of the incident, Raptors guard Kyle Lowry is shown pulling Ujiri onto the court. The video does not show Ujiri, or anyone else, striking the officer.

Kelly told ESPN that the league had asked law enforcement to be firm in enforcing the requirement for credentials to access the court. If Ujiri had a credential, he didn't display it, Kelly said.

The sheriff's office has been in touch with the NBA but had not yet spoken to either Ujiri or other Raptors representatives, he added.

The incident is being investigated as a misdemeanor battery on an officer. When completed, the report will go to the district attorney's office for review.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Friday morning that the Washington Wizards intend to seek permission from the Raptors to speak to the 48-year-old Ujiri about running that team. Wojnarowski said an offer from the Wizards could be in the range of $10 million a year.

source: news.abs-cbn.com