Fred VanVleet hits 2 3s in OT, Raptors beat Wizards 116-109
By The Associated Press on March 4, 2023.
WASHINGTON (AP) – Fred VanVleet made two 3-pointers in overtime and scored 25 points, and the Toronto Raptors beat the Washington Wizards 116-109 on Saturday to split their two-game series. Gary Trent Jr. scored 26 points to lead the Raptors, who bounced back from their 119-108 loss Thursday night to move back ahead of the Wizards into ninth place in the Eastern Conference. “I thought we shot better,” VanVleet said. “Created the same amount of good looks, but shot a little bit better and we just guarded a little bit tougher down the stretch finishing out the game, closing out the game.” VanVleet added 10 assists and Pascal Siakam had 15 points and seven assists for Toronto. Kristaps Porzingis had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Wizards. Bradley Beal added 21 points and 10 assists, but shot just 7 for 22 and missed a jumper that could have won it in regulation. “We knew that we wanted to make it 2-0, but we fell a little bit short,” Porzingis said. “We made a comeback, had opportunities, fell short. That’s how it goes in this game.” VanVleet snapped a 107-all tie with a 3-pointer with 1:47 remaining in OT. After Kyle Kuzma made a pair of free throws to cut it to one, VanVleet knocked down another 3 that made it 113-109, and Siakam’s three-point play with 15 seconds to go put it away. Neither team had a double-digit lead through three quarters, but Toronto appeared to be taking control when it opened a 97-84 advantage with 9:24 to play. The Wizards charged back behind Porzingis, who had three baskets in a little more than two minutes to cut it to 105-102 with 2:21 remaining. Trent and VanVleet missed 3-pointers before Delon Wright tied it with his 3 with 30 seconds left. VanVleet missed another 3 and Beal missed a jumper to force the extra period. “I think the big thing is during the break between the end of the game and the OT, the assistant coaches, the message was: `We are generating awesome shots. We’re going to make them in the overtime,'” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. “Like, just keep doing what we’re doing.” Wright had a season-high 18 points, tied a career high with six steals and added seven assists and six rebounds. TIP-INS Raptors: O.G. Anunoby missed all six 3-pointers and finished 2 for 11 for six points. … Toronto has won 14 of its last 16 in Washington. Wizards: Kuzma scored 16 points. … Corey Kispert was 4 for 4 behind the arc and scored 12 points. UP NEXT Raptors: At Denver on Monday night. Wizards: Host Milwaukee on Sunday night. ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports 21-20
