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Raptors 99, Kings 87
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
TORONTO — Guard Terrence Ross showed no ill effects from a sprained left ankle that sidelined him for Sunday’s game, leading the Toronto Raptors to a 99-87 win over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night.
Ross, who entered the game having gone 16 of 25 from 3-point range, finished 6 of 8 from beyond the arc and had a team-high 18 points.
Guard DeMar DeRozan, who failed to finish with more than 30 for the first time in three games had 15 and center Jonas Valanciunas scored 14 for Toronto.
The game marked forward Rudy Gay’s first game in Toronto since his trade from the Raptors to the Kings in early December. Gay was booed relentlessly all night at the Air Canada Centre. He finished with 15 points.
With the win, Toronto improved to 27-14 since the trade. Toronto (34-26) improves to 13-4 at home since Jan. 1 and has now won eight of 10.
Kings center DeMarcus Cousins finished with a game-high 24 points. Guards Isaiah Thomas and Ben McLemore each had 14 points for the Kings.
The loss halts Sacramento’s win streak at two games and snaps their four-game win streak in Toronto. Sacramento (22-40) had won 8 of 11 and 10 of their last 15 trips to Toronto.
The Kings are now 9-21 on the road this season.
Forwards John Salmons and Patrick Patterson, who were acquired from Sacramento in the Gay trade, hooked up on a give-and-go play early in the fourth quarter with Patterson finishing off the alley-oop feed and receiving a thunderous cheer from the crowd.
Salmons finished with 15 points off the bench.
On the strength of a 10-2 run in the third quarter, Toronto carried a 17-point lead into the fourth.
The third quarter was highlighted by a monster one-handed dunk from forward Amir Johnson. Johnson finished with nine points.
Toronto led 51-44 at the half as both teams battled foul trouble.
Foul trouble limited Cousins to just over eight minutes in the first half. Valanciunas and Ross each had three personal fouls for the Raptors as both teams combined for 27 first-half fouls.
The Raptors and Kings finished with a combined 58 fouls in their last meeting.
DeRozan led the way with eight points in the first quarter, hitting 4 of 6 from the line, and the Raptors led 29-19.
The Kings, who are in the middle of a seven-city, 12-day road trip, visit Brooklyn on Sunday.
Toronto concluded its three-game homestand with a 2-1 record and visits Minnesota on Sunday.
NOTES: Toronto G Terrence Ross (sprained left ankle) returned to the starting lineup after missing Sunday’s win over Golden State. … Kings coach Michael Malone’s father, Brendan, coached the Raptors to a 21-61 record in their inaugural season (1995-96). … In addition to F Rudy Gay, Sacramento received F Quincy Acy and F Aaron Gray in exchange for G Greivis Vasquez, F John Salmons, F Patrick Patterson and C Chuck Hayes in a Dec. 9 trade. … Toronto is averaging 101.5 points per game since the trade after averaging 97.3 in 18 games with Gay.
