RJ Barrett scored 27 points, Brandon Ingram added 26 and the Toronto Raptors defeated the visiting Memphis Grizzlies 117-104 on Sunday.
Scottie Barnes had 19 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists and five blocks for the Raptors, who have won two straight. Collin Murray-Boyles scored 15 points.
Jaren Jackson Jr. collected 20 points and nine rebounds for Memphis despite picking up his fifth foul late in the third quarter. Santi Aldama added 15 points for the Grizzlies, who have lost two in a row. Jock Landale and Vince Williams Jr. each had 14 points. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cedric Coward each had 12.
Toronto entered the fourth quarter with a 13-point advantage after being ahead by as many as 16 in the third quarter. Memphis chipped away and reduced the deficit to seven with 6:14 to play. Williams hit a 3-pointer to trim the lead to six with 4:19 left. Barnes scooped in a layup with 3:01 left to bump the lead to 10 and close the deal.
Memphis was without Ja Morant, who was suspended one game by the Grizzlies for actions detrimental to the team. Toronto was without center Jakob Poeltl (back tightness).
The Raptors answered the Grizzlies’ 7-0 run with a 9-0 surge to take a 19-12 lead with 4:53 left in the first quarter. Toronto missed five straight shots to end the quarter and Memphis cut the lead to 26-23.
Barnes asserted himself with two offensive rebounds in the first two minutes of the second quarter that led to his own putback layup and Barrett’s 3-pointer that gave Toronto an eight-point lead. Toronto controlled the tempo of the play but Memphis cut the lead to 53-47 when Landale nailed a corner 3-pointer to end the first half.
Ingram scored the first five points of the third quarter followed by Barnes’ 3-pointer that gave the Raptors a 14-point lead against the flat-footed Grizzlies.
Memphis crept to within eight before Toronto answered with a 7-0 run capped by Immanuel Quickley’s 3-pointer.
The lead reached 16 with 5:50 left in the third. Memphis started to move the ball better and the result was an 8-0 run that trimmed the margin to six.
Toronto regained control and led 84-71 after three quarters.
–Field Level Media
