TORONTO – The Toronto Raptors rallied for a crucial 122-115 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Friday, snapping a two-game losing streak and moving within a half-game of the sixth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Brandon Ingram led the Raptors with 36 points on 13-of-20 shooting, including 5-of-6 from beyond the arc, in his 64th game of the season – the second-most he’s played in his career. The performance came after a frustrating return to New Orleans on Wednesday, where the Raptors struggled in a loss against his former team.
“I think it was an urgency to compete and most of all stay together,” Ingram said. “We’ve been through some times where the other team was scoring offensively and we weren’t able to stop the bleeding or uncover a rhythm on the offensive end. At those times, we would put our heads down a little bit and sort of take it upon ourselves to try to fix it. I think tonight we just stayed connected.”
The Raptors overcame a double-digit deficit, trailing by 11 in the first half and 10 with eight minutes remaining before finally taking the lead on an RJ Barrett floater with 1:35 left on the clock. Scottie Barnes then sealed the win with a spectacular block on a Jalen Green dunk attempt with 43 seconds remaining, followed by a fast-break dunk of his own to extend the lead to six.
Barnes finished with 14 points, six rebounds, four assists, a steal and two blocks despite battling an illness. “Got out there. Was a little tired and a little winded,” Barnes said after the game. “Fight through and develop it to live another day.”
The win marked Toronto’s first against a team with a winning record since January 26. It sets up a Sunday matchup against the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons before embarking on a five-game road trip.
Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic praised a higher power after the hard-fought victory. “God is great. I can thank him for the performance of our team tonight,” Rajakovic said. “He kept us together during the whole game, and the whole ups and downs.”
RJ Barrett added 22 points, five assists, four rebounds, and two steals for the Raptors, while second-year wing Ja’Kobe Walter contributed 12 points, hitting three of his five three-point attempts. Walter’s timely three-pointer sparked an 11-2 run that cut the Suns’ lead to two with 5:22 remaining.
The Raptors’ recent struggles, including a physical contest in New Orleans on Wednesday where guard Jamal Shead was seemingly overpowered by Dejounte Murray, prompted a team discussion. “After watching the film, I thought that we did not handle the situation the way we want and how we were supposed to,” Rajakovic said. “Our players had conversations with each other. They know that’s not the true picture and image of our team. They all agreed that’s never going to happen again.”
Shead, who finished with six points and eight assists, explained his initial reaction to the incident. “I think in the moment I was just like, ‘Oh snap, he’s over me.’ That was about it,” Shead said. “We were really focused on the outcome of the game. We just weren’t happy with that. It got blown out of proportion a bit. We weren’t really focused on that.”
Immanuel Quickley added 17 points for Toronto. Jalen Green led the Suns with 34 points.
The Raptors’ roster features a core of experienced players, with all starters having at least five years in the NBA, including Ingram and Jakob Poeltl in their 10th seasons. Despite this veteran presence, Rajakovic has often referred to the team as being in “Year 2 of a rebuild,” a notion that doesn’t quite align with a team built around established players.
The team is still working to define its identity and determine what adjustments are needed as the season progresses. The Raptors will need to continue to find that fight as they navigate a challenging schedule and push for a playoff berth.
The Battle of New Orleans
A brief scuffle during Wednesday’s game in New Orleans prompted a team discussion about standing up for one another. When Suns wing Grayson Allen knocked Barrett to the floor with a body check, Barrett and his teammates quickly responded, leading to a flagrant foul on Allen.
The incident was less confrontational than it appeared, as Allen and Barrett are friends and former teammates at Duke. Allen explained that he initiated the contact because he anticipated Barrett would attempt to drive past him again. The two players quickly resolved the situation with a friendly dap.
The Battle for the Dillon Brooks Cup
Phoenix forward and Canadian national team star Dillon Brooks is recovering from a left hand fracture and hopes to return to the court in time for the playoffs. He plans to attend the Dillon Brooks Cup on Saturday at Father Henry Carr, his former high school.
Brooks has provided financial support to the Father Henry Carr prep basketball program for the past two years, which has been crucial to its operation, according to head coach Paul Melnik. “The financial support is invaluable,” Melnik said. “Getting a little bit of support from Dillon, it makes it easier to run our program.”
The program will host games at all three age levels on Saturday, starting with the freshmen at 11 a.m. ET.
