The Raptors usually have one quarter per game in which the offense stagnates. They used up their next three games’ worth in Portland with forty-eight minutes of dismal shooting. Yet they gutted out an ugly victory anyway, largely because their collective defensive effort was as determined and effective as we’ve seen all season.
With Portland’s brilliant scoring machine Damian Lillard in street clothes because of a sprained ankle, the Raptors should have seized this game early and never let go. Instead, we fans who stayed up saw 9 lead changes, 9 ties, and the biggest lead for either team was 6 points.