TORONTO – One team will emerge with a three-game NBA winning streak on Tuesday (Wednesday morning, Singapore time) when the Oklahoma City Thunder visit the Toronto Raptors.
The Thunder will also aim to avenge their 103-101 home loss to the Raptors on Jan 25.
After entering the All-Star break with losses, the Thunder and Raptors have each won twice since returning.
Both teams are coming off wins on Sunday. The Thunder prevailed 121-113 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, while the Raptors dominated on the road with a 122-94 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Thunder’s win over the Cavaliers was impressive because they were without Alex Caruso (sprained left ankle), star man Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain), Ajay Mitchell (abdominal strain) and Jalen Williams (strained right hamstring).
Isaiah Joe was a key player as he not only led the Thunder with 22 points, but also recorded all five of his steals in the first quarter, when the Thunder raced to a 40-25 lead to set the momentum.
“It’s just being active,” Joe said. “A lot of times it started with helping off of their main guys, trying to fill the gaps and see what we can do from there. I was fortunate enough to get all of those steals in like the first five minutes, and then I didn’t get another one for the rest of the game. But it was just about activity. I was just trying to create havoc any way I can.”
Chet Holmgren was also vital in the absence of their injured men. He had 17 points, 15 rebounds and three blocked shots and could again play a part in their next game against the Raptors.
“(Holmgren) was unreal,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “He was really high level on both ends, and he continues to rebound exceptionally well. That’s always been a weakness of our teams when he’s been out there at the five, and that has quietly improved this season.”
In the Raptors camp, Immanuel Quickley will hope to keep up his form after scoring 18 of his 32 points in the second quarter against the Bucks.
“I feel I’m hot as soon as the game starts – that’s the mindset,” he said as he looked forward to the next game. “Come in, be aggressive. If the defence stops me, when they put two on me... the mindset to be aggressive is where it starts.”
On how he feels Toronto could improve, he added: “I think we’ve let some leads get away and we’ve got to continue to keep getting better with that.
“Coach (Darko Rajakovic) has been on us about that and we’ve been on each other about it, which is great.”
Crucially, Quickley had 23 points and 11 rebounds in the victory over the Thunder last month.
“I don’t think he’s even close to peak as a player,” Rajakovic said. “I think there is another layer to him. I can see him constantly getting better and improving for us.”
Meanwhile in the highlight of NBA action on Monday, Victor Wembanyama led a defensive masterclass as the San Antonio Spurs out-muscled the Detroit Pistons 114-103 in an intense and aggressive clash between the NBA’s two most in-form teams.
Sitting second in the Western Conference, the Spurs were pushed hard for their ninth-straight victory by the East-topping Pistons, who had entered the home court matchup on a five-win streak of their own.
Defences dominated the first meeting between the two sides this season, with the 7-foot-5 Wembanyama making six blocks and 17 rebounds to fuel transitions as the Spurs pulled clear in the latter stages.
He finished with 21 points, while Devin Vassell led the team with 28 points including seven three-pointers.
“They tried to impose their will. We tried to get out on transition, keep getting stops, find an open man. That’s what we did,” said Vassell. REUTERS, AFP