The Toronto Raptors harnessed the energy from Vince Carter’s No. 15 jersey retirement to secure an overtime victory against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night.
Now, they will look to use their recent loss to Denver as motivation when they visit the Nuggets on Monday night.
Denver rallied from an eight-point deficit with 1:43 remaining in regulation to tie the game on a layup by Jamal Murray and eventually win in overtime for their first victory of the season. That win seemed to ignite the Nuggets, who have won three of their last four games, including a blowout of Utah on Saturday night. They now have the chance to secure a winning record on Monday.
The Nuggets were without Murray, who entered concussion protocol after a hit to the head in the loss to Minnesota on Friday night. Denver ruled him out for Sunday’s game against Toronto. In Murray’s absence, the Nuggets moved Russell Westbrook into the starting lineup and utilized Julian Strawther as the backup point guard. Strawther stepped up with 19 points, helping a struggling bench find success.
These three wins have calmed concerns after Denver’s rough start with two home losses.
Toronto is also dealing with injuries to several key players. Immanuel Quickley (pelvis) and Bruce Brown (knee) missed Saturday night’s win, while Scottie Barnes (orbital fracture) and Kelly Olynyk (back) will be out for several weeks. This has pushed young players into significant roles, and second-year guard Gradey Dick has stepped up. Dick is averaging 21 points per game and scored 22 in the win over the Kings, complementing RJ Barrett’s 31 points and Chris Boucher’s 24.
Dick, who averaged just 8.5 points in 60 games as a rookie last season, has seized his opportunities this season. He made a critical defensive play in overtime on Saturday and hit a floater in the final minute to extend the lead to three points. This came after he scored 30 against Charlotte and 31 in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.
