Kawhi Leads Raptors Past Jazz With Career-High 45 Points
2nd January 2019
After making just two three-pointers in the first half, they connected on their first three from beyond the arc in the third to seize control of the contest.
- Kawhi Leonard poured in a career-high 45 points to lead the Toronto Raptors to a 122-116 NBA victory over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday
- With the win the Raptors improved to 28-11, keeping the pressure on the Milwaukee Bucks who boosted their league-leading record in terms of winning percentage to 26-10 with a 121-98 victory over Detroit
- They took a 10-point lead into the fourth quarter, and while the Jazz managed to cut the deficit to as few as four, they couldn't get any closer
LOS ANGELES, United States-
Kawhi Leonard poured in a career-high 45 points to lead the Toronto Raptors to
a 122-116 NBA victory over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday.
With the win the Raptors improved to 28-11, keeping the
pressure on the Milwaukee Bucks who boosted their league-leading record in
terms of winning percentage to 26-10 with a 121-98 victory over Detroit.
The Raptors were again without injured Jonas Valanciunas and
Kyle Lowry -- whose return date remains uncertain after he received
anti-inflammatory injections to combat back pain last week.
In their absence, Leonard excelled, making all seven of his
field goal attempts in the third quarter as he scored 19 points in the period
and the Raptors -- who trailed by two at halftime -- pulled away.
After making just two three-pointers in the first half, the
Raptors connected on their first three from beyond the arc in the third to
seize control of the contest.
They took a 10-point lead into the fourth quarter, and while
the Jazz managed to cut the deficit to as few as four, they couldn't get any
closer.
"They're a well-coached team, they've got great guys on
their team that compete every possession," Leonard said. "We just
tried to stay in it til the end of the game. We had to get some stops on the
defensive end and try to come back and execute on the offensive end -- it was a
good win for us tonight."
Pascal Siakam contributed a career-best 28 points with 10
rebounds for the Raptors and Norman Powell added 14 points off the bench as
Toronto improved to 28-11.
In Milwaukee, the Bucks won their fourth straight with the
help of 25 points from Brook Lopez, 22 from Khris Middleton and 18 from Eric
Bledsoe.
"I was feeling good," Lopez said. "We were
moving the ball really well ... my guys were making great passes to me all
night."
Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo had a relatively modest 15
points, but they included a stunning one-handed dunk over Jon Leuer in the
final minute of the first quarter.
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Milwaukee were up by 16 by halftime, the margin swelling to
as many as 28.
"Pleased with the focus, pleased with the effort,"
said Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer. "We keep talking about wanting to do it
for 48 minutes ... felt like tonight was one of those nights where we got
closer to that, without a lull or very few lulls if any."
In Denver, Nikola Jokic's triple-double of 19 points, 15
assists and 14 rebounds propelled the Nuggets to a 115-108 victory over the New
York Knicks.
The Knicks dropped their eighth straight, but they didn't go
quietly, leading by as many as 10 in the first half and pulling within four
points with less than four minutes to play before a three-pointer from Jokic
with 2:55 remaining helped Denver pull away.
Jokic notched his third triple-double of the season --
scoring in double digits in three key statistical categories as the Nuggets won
their third straight.
The Portland Trail Blazers opened 2019 in dramatic style,
winning an overtime thriller against the Kings in Sacramento 113-108.
Jusuf Nurkic produced 24 points and a career-high 23
rebounds to go with seven assists, five blocked shots and five steals for
Portland.
Damian Lillard came alive late, forcing overtime with a
layup with 15.5 seconds remaining in regulation and scoring five of his 25
points for the Trail Blazers in overtime.