Brandon Ingram and RJ Barrett scored 24 points each as the Toronto Raptors dominated the visiting Washington Wizards 140-110 on Friday for their sixth straight win.
The Raptors improved to 3-0 in the NBA Cup group stage and clinched a spot in the knockout rounds. The victory and a Friday loss by the Indiana Pacers to the Cleveland Cavaliers wrapped up first place in the East Group A, making Toronto the first team to advance this season.
The Wizards, who are 0-2 in the NBA Cup, have lost 13 straight overall. The franchise record is a 16-game losing streak, done four times.
Scottie Barnes scored 18 of his 23 points in the second half for the Raptors, who have won 10 of 11. Reserve Sandro Mamukelashvili also had 23 points and Immanuel Quickley scored 17. Jamal Shead chipped in with seven points and 10 assists.
The game was the first of four in a row at home for the Raptors.
CJ McCollum scored 20 points for the Wizards. Reserve Tre Johnson added 14 points, and reserve Cam Whitmore contributed 11.
Washington was playing the middle game of three straight on the road.
Toronto opened an 11-2 lead to start the game. The margin reached 12 before Washington trimmed the gap to six. The Raptors shrugged off the challenge and led 31-20 after one quarter, using their size advantage.
The undermanned Wizards battled and Corey Kispert’s 3-pointer cut the lead to nine with 6:56 to play in the second quarter. Shead’s 3-pointer put Toronto up 47-33 with 4:47 to go in the period.
Johnson nailed a pair of treys in the final two minutes of the first half, which ended with Toronto leading 57-47.
The Raptors dominated the third quarter, shooting 15-for-19 from the floor. They led by 20 after Barrett’s 3-pointer with 5:00 left. Shead’s trey bumped the lead to 28 with 37.5 seconds remaining, and Toronto led 105-77 after three quarters.
The lead reached 118-86 on Quickley’s floater with 7:36 left in the fourth quarter. Toronto continued scoring because points can be a factor in the NBA Cup.
Washington’s Marvin Bagley III (right hip contusion), AJ Johnson (right ankle contusion) and Alex Sarr (sore left big toe) did not play.
Toronto’s Collin Murray-Boyles (sprained right knee) did not play.
–Field Level Media
