Raptors reserves rally, but fall as Pistons hard on starters

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The Toronto Raptors couldn’t hit shots most of the night in Detroit on Tuesday, and also forgot how to defend in a pivotal third quarter, leading to a Pistons win that should have been easier than how it ended up.

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Detroit eventually won 127-116, but it was anything but a textbook affair.

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Down by only five points at halftime, Toronto allowed perfect 11-for-11 Detroit shooting to start the second half, outscored Toronto 41-27 in the quarter and seemed fully in control, to the point the Raptors pulled their starters.

But what felt like a blowout was shifted by an unlikely group of Raptors. They went on a surprising 12-0 run midway through the fourth quarter to pull within 10. They did it again with a little over three minutes remaining, but the Pistons had just enough cushion to avoid a collapse.

Still, the Raptors group of Collin Murray-Boyles, Sandro Mamukelashvili, A.J. Lawson, Ja’Kobe Walter and Jamal Shead deserve a lot of credit and made a statement. Murray-Boyles, in particular, played astounding defence in the quarter.

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RJ Barrett led the Raptors with 24 points, Murray-Boyles had 14 and 10 rebounds, Brandon Ingram 22, while Detroit’s Jalen Duren led all with 31, missing only one of his 13 shot attempts.

More takeaways from what felt like two different games:

PHYSICALITY AN ISSUE AGAIN

Every time Toronto has faced Detroit, the most physical team in the Eastern Conference and either the baddest and meanest, or closest after Oklahoma City in the entire NBA, they have had trouble handling their opponent’s physicality. A huge effort on the glass allowed the Raptors to stun the Pistons in one of their most impressive performances of the season on March 15, but the other two games have been one-sided Detroit wins where the Pistons often have looked like men playing against boys.

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Duren was outplayed by Jakob Poeltl in the previous meeting, but dominated this one, scoring 24 points in the paint.

The Pistons foul a lot and they hit hard. You feel it when going up against them, and that was the case again Tuesday. Even innocent looking plays, like when Kevin Huerter tripped up Scottie Barnes late in the third quarter, ended up taking a toll on the Raptors, as Barnes hit the floor hard, banging his knee.

Three of Toronto’s four most likely playoff opponents — Detroit, Boston and New York — are extremely rugged and aggressive. Only Cleveland doesn’t really fit that pattern. The Raptors are going to have to meet the challenge.

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GETTING HEALTHIER

The Raptors welcomed back Ingram and Murray-Boyles after both had missed the team’s blowout win over Orlando on Sunday.

Starting point guard Immanuel Quickley remained sidelined as he deals with with plantar fasciitis.

Detroit had rested starters Duren (its all-star centre), Tobias Harris and Duncan Robinson a night earlier and still took defending champion Oklahoma City to overtime, but had them all back Tuesday. The team is still without top player Cade Cunningham, who is recovering from a collapsed lung, and backup big man Isaiah Stewart, who also missed the Thunder game.

Detroit improved to 11-4 (including 6-3 in March) without Cunningham this season, defying those who thought they would be passed atop the East after he got hurt.

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KINGS UP NEXT

It’s unclear whether the just-returned Ingram and Murray-Barrett, and Barrett, who is nursing a shoulder injury, would be available to complete the back-to-back Wednesday at home against Sacramento.

The Kings have lost four straight and sit last in the Western Conference with 19 wins. The team has shut down key players Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine and DeAndre Hunter for the season, former NBA MVP Russell Westbrook won’t play, nor Keegan Murray, but Raptors legend DeMar DeRozan is expected to suit up. DeRozan is averaging only 18.5 points a game, his lowest since his first four seasons with Toronto, but has passed the likes of Alex English, Vince Carter, Kevin Garnett, John Havlicek, Paul Pierce and Tim Duncan recently to move into 18th in career scoring.

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DeRozan should pass Dominique Wilkins on Wednesday, and overtake Oscar Robertson before this season ends.

AS THE STANDINGS SHIFT

Earlier Tuesday scuffling Orlando got a big win over Phoenix at home (after nearly blowing a big lead) and Charlotte beat Brooklyn on the road. Those games followed two interesting ones Monday, one where Miami stormed back to shock Philadelphia and another where red-hot Atlanta surprised Boston.

Toronto’s loss moved the Raptors into seventh, half a game behind Atlanta, Orlando stayed in eighth with the same number of wins as Miami and Charlotte (40), but one fewer loss. Philadelphia was idle but moved to a game behind the Raptors. The Sixers, like Toronto, play a terrible team Wednesday, their opponent is Washington. Atlanta visits Orlando in a notable one.

@WolstatSun

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