NBA

Toronto Raptors at Phoenix Suns

· National Basketball Association
36-30, 19-15 Away
Final
117 - 112

53-14, 28-8 Home

Gary Trent Jr. scores 42 points, Raptors hold off Suns

Trent scored 42 points and the Raptors held off the NBA-leading, but short-handed Phoenix Suns 117-112 on Friday night.

Trent was 8 from 11 from 3-point range — one of the misses was a halfcourt heave before halftime — and 13 of 21 from the floor. He fell just short of his career high of 44 points set last season. He also had eight rebounds.

“It's great, when Freddie's out there, the player he is, he gets a lot of attention,” Trent said. “Everybody complements each other. It's great to have him back.”

Raptors coach Nick Nurse agreed.

“I know it's a fairly small sample size here, but he didn't get a whole lot going with Freddie off the floor,” he said. “(With VanVleet) there's better spacing, there's a lot of concentration on Fred. That's what I saw tonight, there was better spacing for Gary to operate.”

“He got going and there were times where we just stared at him or we didn't get there,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “He hit some tough shots.”

The Raptors improved to 36-30, winning two straight after dropping three in a row, the final three games VanVleet missed.

VanVleet had 10 points and eight rebounds Friday. Pascal Siakam added 25 points and 10 assists for the Raptors, and Scottie Barnes had 15 points.

Cameron Payne had a career high-tying 24 points before fouling out in the final seconds for the Suns, and Devin Booker scored 22 points. Booker missed two 3-point attempts in the final minute and was held to three points in the fourth quarter.

“We had chances to win but you are not always going to get the fair whistle,” Booker said. “Every team probably feels that way after the game, but I think we definitely didn't tonight.”

Mikael Bridges scored 18 points for Phoenix, DeAndre Ayton had 16 and Jae Crowder 13. The Suns fell to 53-14.

Toronto opened up a 96-82 lead through three quarters. But the Suns rallied with a 20-6 run to tie it at 102 with 4:36 remaining.

“I expected them to make a huge run,” Nurse said. “I kept looking up and saying, ‘It’s down to four,' but I would say, ‘We’re up four in this game on the road in the fourth quarter.'

“It really doesn't matter who we play. We got to play well and if we do, we're going to have a chance on any night.”

Williams cited his team's emotion as needing some work. Payne and Booker were each assessed technical fouls in the third quarter.

“We have to be more emotionally regulated,” Wiliams said. “That cost us momentum and we are giving points away. That is something we have to be a lot better at.”

TWO FLAGRANTS

With 3:27 left in the third quarter, Booker fouled Toronto's Precious Achiuwa on a drive to the basket. Booker was assessed a flagrant foul (penalty one). Achiuwa made two free throws and VanVleet made a 3-pointer to give Toronto its biggest lead to that point at 83-71. The Raptors led by as many as 16 in the period.

In the fourth quarter, with 4:13 remaining Trent was called for a flagrant-one on Payne while Trent was attempting a 3-point shot.

SUNS ON THE MEND

Suns point guard Chris Paul (right thumb fracture) continued to practice shooting before the game Friday.

“It’s awesome, but it’s just part of the normal progression for that kind of injury,” coach Monty Williams said. “We’re happy about it but you have to temper it until he’s able to get to 1-on-1, 3-on-3, 5-on-5, which is hard to do with where we are in the season.”

Paul was injured before the All-Star break and is expected to miss another month or so. While Paul is eager to return, Williams says he isn’t concerned that his point guard will try to come back too soon.

“I don’t (worry) because I know how diligent he is about his body. Anytime a guy wants to play I don’t mess with him. (Laughs) It’s when guys don’t want to play that’s (a problem). Our guys love to play.”

Cam Johnson (right quad contusion) continues to improve, Williams said.

Malachi Flynn (left hamstring strain) and OG Anunoby (fractured finger) remain sidelined for the Raptors.

TIP-INS

Suns C Bismack Biyombo is donating his 2021-22 salary to build a hospital in his native Congo to honor his father, who died of COVID-19 in August.

Biyombo was unsigned this season until joining the Suns in January. He has a one-year, $1.4 million contract. The 11-year veteran, through the foundation that bears his name, donated $1 million in medical supplies to the Congo two years ago for supplies to fight COVID-19.

NEXT

Raptors: At Denver on Saturday night.

Suns: Host Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night

Regular Season Series

Series tied 1-1

Recent Plays

4th 0.0 End of Game 117 - 112
4th 0.0 End of the 4th Quarter 117 - 112
4th 1.8 Gary Trent Jr. defensive rebound 117 - 112
4th 4.4 Mikal Bridges misses running pullup jump shot 117 - 112
4th 8.1 Gary Trent Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2 117 - 112

Statistics

https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/nba/500/tor.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originTOR https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/nba/500/phx.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originPHX
42-94 FG 44-88
44.7 Field Goal % 50.0
14-32 3PT 11-36
43.8 Three Point % 30.6
19-21 FT 13-17
90.5 Free Throw % 76.5
48 Rebounds 40
12 Offensive Rebounds 5
36 Defensive Rebounds 35
19 Assists 27
11 Steals 7
4 Blocks 8
15 Turnovers 16
2 Team Turnovers 0
17 Total Turnovers 16
0 Technical Fouls 2
0 Total Technical Fouls 2
1 Flagrant Fouls 1
20 Points Conceded Off Turnovers 25
25 Fast Break Points 15
36 Points in Paint 48
19 Fouls 23
16 Largest Lead 5
Phoenix Suns Phoenix Suns Injuries
NAME, POS STATUS DATE
Nick Richards, C Day-To-Day Jul 3
Toronto Raptors Toronto Raptors Injuries
NAME, POS STATUS DATE
Brandon Ingram, SF Day-To-Day Jul 10
Jakob Poeltl, C Day-To-Day Jul 3
Gradey Dick, G Day-To-Day Jul 3
Chris Boucher, PF Day-To-Day Jun 24

Game Information

PHX Arena

Location: Phoenix, AZ
Attendance: 17,071 · Capacity:

2024-25 Atlantic Standings

TEAM W L PCT GB STRK
Boston 61 21 .744 - W2
New York 51 31 .622 10 W1
Toronto 30 52 .366 31 L2
Brooklyn 26 56 .317 35 L3
Philadelphia 24 58 .293 37 L2

2024-25 Pacific Standings

TEAM W L PCT GB STRK
LA Lakers 50 32 .610 - L1
LA Clippers 50 32 .610 - W8
Golden State 48 34 .585 2 L1
Sacramento 40 42 .488 10 W1
Phoenix 36 46 .439 14 L1
Full Standings

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