Raptors beat top two Eastern Conference rivals on back-to-back nights

Serge Ibaka (Keith Allison, Wikimedia Commons)

The Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association came away with two very impressive wins on the weekend over their Eastern Conference rivals. On Saturday, the Raptors beat the Milwaukee Bucks 123-116 and then on Sunday, the Raptors beat the Indiana Pacers 121-105.

What was most impressive with the Raptors wins was that they are able to beat the elite teams without a healthy lineup. On Saturday, the Raptors were without star point guard Kyle Lowry and on Sunday, the Raptors were without Kawhi Leonard, who continues to not play on one of the two Raptors’ back-to-back games. Meanwhile, Raptors star center Jonas Valanciunas continues to be out after thumb surgery.

In the Raptors win over the Bucks, Leonard and Pascal Siakam each had 30 points. Meanwhile, Serge Ibaka had 25 points, Fred VanVleet had 21 points and Danny Green has 12 points. In the Raptors win over the Pacers, Norman Powell led Toronto by scoring 23 points even though he was not part of the starting five. Seven other Raptors were in double digits in scoring. Ibaka had 18 points. Green had 15 points. VanVleet, Lowry, and Siakam had 12 points. Greg Monroe had 11 points and Delon Wright had 10 points. Siakam had a double double as he also had 10 rebounds.

Toronto currently leads the Eastern Conference with a record of 30 wins and 12 losses. The Bucks are second, half a game back, with a record of 28 wins and 11 losses. The Pacers are third with a record of 26 wins and 13 losses. The Denver Nuggets, led by point guard Jamal Murray of Kitchener, Ontario, lead the Western Conference with a record of 26 wins and 12 losses.

 

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