San Antonio Spurs: Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam scored 29 of his game-high 39 points in the second half, leading the Raptors to a 111-107 victory over the Washington Wizards in NBA match at Scotiabank Arena.
After conceding a season-worst 64 points, the Raptors found themselves trailing by 19 points at halftime. The deficit widened early in the third quarter, with the Wizards leading 71-48, reports Xinhua.
The 29-year-old Siakam, undeterred, netted 22 points on 8-for-11 shooting in the third quarter, reducing the deficit to 10. "I'm a fighter. For us as a team, we just need to get the energy," said Siakam after the game on Monday, where he also secured 11 rebounds and provided seven assists. "I'm just glad the guys stayed together. I kept telling them one possession at a time."
The Raptors ramped up their defensive intensity, holding Washington to 40.9 percent shooting from the field in the second half, a stark contrast to the 62.5 percent in the first. "I thought our defense in the second half really gave us a chance," said Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic. "We came up with deflections, steals, and blocked shots at the rim. It opened up the floor and created opportunities to drive."
In the game's final seven minutes, the Wizards missed nine consecutive field goals, allowing Toronto to end the game on a 21-1 run, marking the fourth-largest comeback in franchise history. Notably, the team overcame a 30-point deficit against the Dallas Mavericks four years ago.
This comeback was the second of at least 20 points this season for the Raptors, following their recovery from a 22-point deficit against Victor Wembanyama's San Antonio Spurs on November 5.