Toronto Raptors set franchise record with dominant win over Warriors
Seeing that the Toronto Raptors picked up a 130-77 victory over the Golden State Warriors, it’s alright if the first reaction was to be in absolute shock.
This is a Raptors team that came into the game losing 14 of their past 16 games including four straight. Of course, this was probably the most winnable game on their schedule considering the Warriors were without Steph Curry and Draymond Green.
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At the same time, this was a performance where Toronto provided a brief reminder of what their potential can be when everything is going right for them. This was highlighted by Pascal Siakam who scored 36 points which was a season-high for him.
On top of that OG Anunoby had 21 points while Gary Trent Jr. added 24 points and rookie Malachi Flynn got to play 31 minutes. Really, the only negative from the game was Fred VanVleet leaving with an injury.
It seems like a lot will have to go right for Toronto to get back into the playoff picture and at this point, the team needs to find some silver linings. Having a 53 point win over Golden State is certainly a nice moment to look back on considering how the rest of the season has gone.
Toronto Raptors: Gary Trent Jr. continues to impress since trade
Trading Norman Powell wasn’t an easy decision for the Raptors but seeing what Trent Jr. has done since joining the team certainly eases the sting.
When the Raptors acquired Trent Jr., the main selling point when looking at his scouting report was his defensive game. After a few games, it’s clear that his offensive game might be farther along.
He already put up a career-high 31 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder where he shot 6-for-11 from beyond the arc. He followed it up going 6-for-9 from three and finished with 24 against the Warriors.
At 22-year-old, there is certainly a lot to be impressed about with Trent Jr. and given his age, he should be able to improve. He will definitely be a priority to re-sign this offseason since he is a restricted free agent.
Depending on how the Raptors approach the offseason, Trent Jr. could inherit Powell’s role as the sixth man on a permanent basis. There is also no reason he couldn’t be a potential starter at times next season as well.
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What are your thoughts on the Raptors’ performance against the Warriors? Has Trent Jr. impressed you since joining the team? Let us know in the comments below.