VanVleet has 32 as Raptors get 117-111 win over Rockets
By Kristie Rieken, The Associated Press on February 3, 2023.
HOUSTON (AP) – Fred VanVleet scored 32 points, Gary Trent Jr. added 29 and the Toronto Raptors snapped a two-game skid with a 117-111 win over the Houston Rockets on Friday night. The Raptors took a commanding lead in the third quarter and were up by double-digits for most of the fourth. But five straight free throws by the Rockets cut the lead to 110-104 with about 30 seconds left. Pascal Siakam, who had 23 points, made two free throws after that to pad the lead. Both teams made two free throws before Daishen Nix made a basket for Houston to cut the lead to six again. VanVleet made one of two free throws before a 3 by Jabari Smith Jr. cut the lead to 115-111 with 1.2 seconds to go. Trent added two free throws after that to secure the victory. Houston got a season-high 28 points from Eric Gordon and Alperen Sengun added 21 on night when Jalen Green missed a third straight game with a bruised right calf. A 12-5 run, with five points from Martin, got the Rockets within 98-90 with about 5 1/2 minutes to play. Toronto scored five of the next seven points to make it 103-92 a couple of minutes later. Toronto had a seven-point lead at halftime and scored the first eight points of the third quarter, with 3s from Siakam and VanVleet, to make it 63-48. Gordon made a basket for Houston after that, but VanVleet made 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to push the lead to 69-50 with about 9 1/2 minutes left in the third. An 11-3 run by the Rockets later in the third cut the lead to 74-65. But the Raptors used a 9-4 spurt to push their advantage to 83-69 with less than three minutes left in the period. Toronto led 85-72 entering the fourth quarter. TIP-INS Raptors: OG Anunoby missed his fourth straight game with a sprained left wrist. … Toronto made 15 of 39 3-pointers with 10 coming from Trent and VanVleet. … Chris Boucher had 11 points and eight rebounds. Rockets: Coach Stephen Silas said Green could return Saturday. … Kevin Porter Jr. was out for an 11th consecutive game with a bruised left foot. … Martin had 20 points. … Josh Christopher added 15 points off the bench. UP NEXT Raptors: Wrap up a season-high seven-game road trip when they visit Memphis on Sunday. Rockets: Visit Oklahoma City on Saturday night. – AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports 21-20
