The Toronto Raptors have been touted to do big things this season especially after they were able to convince star forward DeMar DeRozan to re-sign with them on a new, lucrative five-year contract. This deal sees him extend his stay with the Raptors who already have big names in their roster such as Kyle Lowry and Terrence Ross.
The Portland Trail Blazers have a secret weapon themselves in the form of hot prospect Damian Lillard. However, raw talent may not be enough, as the Trail Blazers are currently finding things difficult in the league this season. This could be attributed to the fact that they have the worst defensive efficiency in the league so far in 2016-17, Sports Net reported.
Those who were looking to live stream the game via the Internet were in for a treat. Sports Net One is showing games like this one and others in the Ontario region, while Sports Net Northwest will broadcast it in the Pacific Northwest area. The Raptors vs. Trailblazers game, which unfortunately will not be broadcast on national TV, can also be seen on NBA League Pass, Fox Sports reported.
DeRozan and the Raptors were heavy favorites coming into this matchup. In comparison to their opponents' defensive performances, they currently possess the best offensive efficiency in the league this NBA season.
In spite of this seemingly unfair matchup, the worst defense was able to hold the best offense to 34 percent. Although the Raptors are also third in the league in terms of three-pointer percentage, they only managed to sink one of their first ten long distance attempts. Fortunately, Patrick Patterson and Kyle Lowry were able to improve on this performance later on in the game.
Lowry managed to kick it into another gear in the game's second half to help the Toronto Raptors to their seventh straight win on the road. DeMar DeRozan scored 20 points on the night and he is now only 15 points away from becoming the leading scorer for the Toronto Raptors. In spite of their 95-91 victory, the Raptors should take this as a wake up call to not underestimate their future opposition.
Watch the highlights of this game below: