The Toronto Raptors were riding high after impressive wins against the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers. Even without Kyle Lowry and Jonas Valanciunas, who is expected to be out at least a month with a dislocated thumb, Toronto was just a 1.5 underdog on the road.
Portland was struggling, going 5-10 in their most recent 15 games prior to the contest. The Raptors were playing like the best team in the NBA.
Despite their recent struggles, Portland came to play. They controlled nearly all of Friday night’s matchup, leading from midway through the first quarter on.