Guanzhou Raptors beat Cleveland in the last minutes

Toronto Raptorsin which Juancho Hernángómez plays this year, They won in the closing minutes of their season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers For Ricky Rubio B 108-105 Long after the game. The match’s top scorer was the Cavs’ new possession, Donovan Mitchell, with 31 points, 9 assists, 2 rebounds and 2 steals. Garrett Allen scored a double in the Cavaliers’ midfield with 13 points and 10 rebounds. In the Raptors, Pascal Siakam was the top scorer with a double with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Hernángómez, who played only 7 minutes, finished the match with a rebound and a steal.

After winning the championship in the 2018-2019 season and losing winning team staples like Kohei Leonard, Kyle Lowry or Marc Gasol, the Raptors are still in the process of rebuilding. Under the guidance of Nick Norse, the coach with whom the Toronto team won their first title, the Raptors develop potential stars, such as Scotty Barnes, while relying on veterans such as Fred Van Vliet and Pascal Siakam.

Reconstruction of birds of prey

This year, to add more depth to the bench, the Raptors have acquired the services of Spaniard Juancho Hernangomes, a brand new Best player in the Eurobasket final With the Spanish team Otto Porter Jr and Christian Colocco. In their opening game of the season, the Raptors made their debut against the Cavaliers led by Ricky Rubio, who did not travel to Toronto as he continues to recover from a serious anterior cruciate ligament tear in his left knee suffered by the base guard on December 28. , 2021. While rebuilding the Raptors, the Caves are improving the team they formed last year which has been reinforced this season pending Rubio’s recovery with the acquisition of Donovan Mitchell.

The match started with the local team trying to find its place in the ring. The Raptors, who on Wednesday could not count on Potter Jr. or Chris Boucher due to injury, started Van Fleet, Gary Trent Jr., Sicam, Og Anonobi and Scotty Barnes against a quintet formed by Darius Garland, Karis Levert, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Garrett Allen. In the first quarter, the Caves and Raptors took turns taking the lead on the scoreboard. But in the closing minutes of the period, the Toronto team allowed two consecutive hat-tricks, first by Van Vliet and then by Barnes. Close the first 12 minutes before 6 points, 28-22.

Cleveland domination

At the start of the second quarter, the Raptors reached their maximum, 11 points (33-22) after a hat-trick for Thaddeus Young who had just entered the field with Hernangómez. But Cleveland reacted and scored partially 0-13 That put them ahead on the scoreboard 33-35. From there, the Raptors played in tow as the Cavs took advantage of their larger wingspan Allen and Mobley. A break was reached with 51-57 in favor of Cleveland That’s with four minutes left in the first half They lost Garland After receiving a blow to the face from Trent Jr.

In the third quarter, Cleveland’s dominance continued at the hands of Mitchell. After the first two minutes, the Cleveland team led by eight points, 54-62, after a new hat-trick from Mitchell. But the Raptors were reluctant to give up on the game. In the absence of 3.30 from the end of the third quarter, Raptors tied 73-73 Thanks to Siakam’s performance, although by the end of the fourth the Cavs were again behind by eight points, 76-84.

Early in the fourth quarter, three straight three-pointers from the Raptors (Train Jr., Anonobi and Precious Uchiwa) trimmed the Caves’ lead to three points, 85-88. Soon, the game was tied 90-90 thanks to the defensive strength of the Raptors and despite the effectiveness of Mitchell who already had 27 points to his credit. With 3:30 to go, the Raptors took the lead, 98-97, for the first time in the fourth quarter. And at 1.33, Toronto led by six points, 105-99. The birds of prey withstood intense pressure from enough team In the last 90 seconds the first game of the season concluded with a 108-105 victory.

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