Pascal Siakam scored 36 factors because the new-look Raptors held off the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers 124-121 on Monday within the Toronto debuts of RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley.
Barrett completed with 19 level and 9 rebounds two days after he was traded to the Raptors (13-20) by the New York Knicks. Quickley, who was usually a reserve for New York, completed with 14 factors.
Scottie Barnes completed with 20 factors as six Raptors scored in double digits, together with Jakob Poeltl who had 14 factors and 11 boards for a double-double.
Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland (18-15) with 26 factors, seven rebounds and 7 assists. Caris LeVert got here off the bench for 31 factors.
Barrett and Quickley began for the Raptors after they had been traded to Toronto from New York on Saturday.
WATCH | Barrett excited to play for hometown staff:
Canadian basketball followers are buzzing a few commerce that’s sending RJ Barrett from the New York Knicks to the Toronto Raptors. Barrett grew up close to Toronto, and says he’s excited to be enjoying for his hometown staff.
Toronto despatched forwards OG Anunoby and Treasured Achiuwa in addition to guard Malachi Flynn to the Knicks for Barrett, Quickley, and a second-round choose within the 2024 NBA Draft.
“Clearly, including two new gamers in the midst of the season is difficult,” mentioned Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic earlier than the sport. “We met yesterday, we had an opportunity to speak a little bit bit about offence and defence, we met early this morning earlier than shootaround to go over some fundamental stuff and recreation preparation for tonight.”
Quickley had a right away impression, scoring Toronto’s first factors with a three-pointer 56 seconds into the primary quarter. Barrett obtained an help on the play.
WATCH NBA TV Canada’s Akil Augustine analyzes Raptors-Knicks commerce:
The Toronto Raptors are sending OG Anunoby, Treasured Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn to the New York Knicks for Canadian swingman RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and a 2024 second-round draft choose. The deal is instrumental to serving to the Raptors construct a younger roster round Scottie Barnes, says Akil Augustine, a number and producer at NBA TV Canada.
Siakam hit a three-pointer with three seconds left within the first to provide Toronto a 41-32 lead on the finish of the quarter.
It was essentially the most factors the Raptors has scored in a primary quarter all season, and a degree behind their highest rating in any quarter this season. Toronto had 42 within the second quarter of its 129-127 loss in Detroit on Saturday.
Raptors go on run in 2nd quarter
A 13-2 Raptors run constructed an 18-point lead for the hosts within the second quarter. Mitchell hit an 18-foot jumper with two seconds left within the half to chop that result in single digits, with Toronto carrying a 67-59 lead into intermission.
Barnes made a shot with 5:33 left within the third to achieve the three,000-point mark in his NBA profession, the second youngest participant in staff historical past to hit the milestone (22 years, 153 days). Chris Bosh was 21 years, 291 days when he reached the milestone.
Siakam scored 13 factors within the third quarter as Toronto maintained a 98-91 lead.
After a fast 7-3 Cavaliers’ run to open the fourth, Mitchell intercepted a Barrett go 2:27 into the quarter and handed to George Niang for the simple layup to drag Cleveland to inside a degree of the Raptors.
After a number of turnovers by each groups, Mitchell hit a free throw with 2:28 to go. Boos rained down from the sold-out Scotiabank Enviornment crowd of 19,800 as he missed his second free throw.
Followers had been quiet for a lot of the evening, however the fourth’s roller-coaster rating introduced them to life. They cheered when Jarrett Allen made solely one in every of his two free throws to tie it and cheered when Barnes laid it in on the different finish for a 120-118 lead.
A pair of Cavaliers misses allowed the Raptors to wind down the clock, however Toronto additionally could not rating because the clock ticked down. Barnes jumped up for a essential defensive rebound with 13 seconds to go and was instantly fouled.
Allen was allowed to drive to the web for an uncontested layup and on the following Toronto inbound Barrett was fouled. He hit each free throws to make it 123-120 for his hometown staff.
Mitchell was fouled on the subsequent Cavaliers inbound however may solely make one free throw. Barnes was fouled once more with 1.1 seconds left to play and he made one in every of his free throws for the sport’s ultimate rating.
