Here are 10 takeaways from the Toronto Raptors’ 110-104 win over the Portland Trail Blazers in the second of three scrimmage games ahead of the 2019-20 season restart.
One — Intensity: Who says scrimmages don’t count? The Raptors and Blazers traded pointed elbows and verbal jabs as if it was the 1992 USA Dream Team scrimmage from Barcelona. Serge Ibaka and Jusuf Nurkic squared up in the second quarter after battling for a rebound, and that flashpoint defined the rest of the game. Portland went on a mini-run behind inspired play from Nurkic, but the reigning champs responded in kind and took the lead.