A short-handed Toronto Raptors team stayed close for stretches but fell 118-102 to the Memphis Grizzlies at Scotiabank Arena, Sportsnet reported, dropping to 5-5 while Memphis improved to 7-3.
Kawhi Leonard, who had been away from the team with swelling in his left knee during a long road trip, was back on the bench but did not play. Immanuel Quickley (right hamstring) and Scottie Barnes (left adductor strain) each missed a second straight start. Collin Murray-Boyles was sick and not in the building. Coach Darko Rajakovic said the night would be a fight, that the group was not looking for excuses, and that everyone available had to compete from the start.
Toronto led by one after the first quarter, fell behind by 16 midway through the third, then pulled within one after a burst led by RJ Barrett, who scored 19 points on 7-of-21 shooting, and Jamison Battle, who had 18 points with five 3-pointers in 12 tries. The Raptors stalled after that. Memphis used a 22-7 run, punctuated by a jump hook from Toronto native Zach Edey, who had 8 points and 9 rebounds in 23 minutes, to go back up by 16 with 3:37 to play. There was no late Toronto surge, Sportsnet said.
The Grizzlies had started 6-0, then lost three in a row before Monday, the report noted, and arrived as a team that has played better than a typical rebuild.
Jakob Poeltl's layup at 9:18 of the fourth made it 94-92, the closest Toronto would come the rest of the night, according to complementary accounts of the same game.
Sportsnet's story focused on the missing starters and the failed late comeback, not a full official box score.
Sources: Sportsnet