Siakam scores 23 points as Raptors hammer visiting Pistons 142-113
TORONTO - Led by Pascal Siakam's 23 points, the Toronto Raptors scored a season-high point total and had a franchise-record 44 assists in a 142-113 thumping of the dreadful Detroit Pistons on Sunday.
The Raptors (6-7) surpassed the previous season high they scored in their 130-111 win at home against the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 1. Their previous best in assists was 40 against the Charlotte Hornets on Nov. 18, 2019.
Toronto was the latest team to beat up the Pistons (2-12), handing the visitors their 11th loss in a row. The Raptors halted a two-game losing streak and finished their four-game homestand at Scotiabank Arena at 2-2.
The Raptors also extended their streak of 25 assists or more to nine games, one shy of the club record set on Jan. 8-28, 2020.
OG Anunoby returned to Toronto's starting lineup with nine points in 27 minutes after a three-game absence with a lacerated right finger.
The other four Raptors starters hit double digits in points. Besides Siakam's team-leading total in only 29 minutes, Scottie Barnes and Denis Schroder each added 17 points. Jakob Poeltl checked in with a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Stanley Umude led the way for Detroit with 19 points.
With the game out of reach early, the Raptors bench received plenty of playing time. Gary Trent Jr. scored 18 points, Chris Boucher chipped in 14 and Precious Achiuwa added 12.
The Raptors led 32-20 after the first quarter, 69-45 at half-time and 104-72 after three quarters.
Toronto overcame a poor shooting stretch when Achiuwa came off the bench to score 10 points in seven minutes at the end of the first quarter and beginning of the second.
The Raptors opened a 21-point lead early in the second quarter when Achiuwa and Barnes nailed back-to-back three-pointers at the 2:01 and 2:27, respectively.
GETTING A KICK
Jonathan David and his Canadian men's national soccer teammates attended the Raptors game. On Tuesday, they play host to Jamaica at BMO Field in the second leg of their CONCACAF Nation's League quarterfinal.
Canada defeated Jamaica 2-1 on Saturday.
COACH CAFFEINE
First-year Pistons head coach Monty Williams considers first-year Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic a good friend, even though the latter only spent the season on Williams's staff with the 2019-20 Phoenix Suns.
Williams revealed a little about Rajakovic's lifestyle.
“I have yet to run into anyone who can consume that much coffee in one day,” Williams said. “He sweats coffee.”
UP NEXT
The Raptors visit the Orlando Magic on Tuesday and the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday before returning home to host the Chicago Bulls on Friday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 19, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
WATCH LIVE @ 3:30 P.M. Video shows person break into Old Montreal building before fatal fire that killed mother, daughter
The two people who died in a major fire in Old Montreal on Friday were a mother and her seven-year-old daughter, sources told Noovo Info.
Tropical Storm Milton forms in Gulf of Mexico, could intensify as a hurricane threatening Florida
Tropical Storm Milton has formed in the Gulf of Mexico. It is located 220 miles (355 kilometres) north-northeast of Veracruz, Mexico.
'I screamed in shock and horror': Family faces deadly Vancouver hit-and-run driver during sentencing
The sentencing of the man who pleaded guilty in the deadly hit-and-run in Kitsilano two years ago began on Friday.
Frequent drinking of fizzy beverages and fruit juice are linked to an increased risk of stroke: research
New data raises questions about the drinks people consume and the potential risks associated with them, according to researchers at Galway University in Ireland, in partnership with Hamilton’s McMaster University.
Northwestern Ont. woman charged with arson with disregard for human life
A 30-year-old northwestern Ontario woman has been charged with arson following a structure fire Thursday night, police say.
OPP charge driver going 175 km/h on Highway 417 in Ottawa
Ontario Provincial Police have laid stunt charges against a driver caught speeding 75 km/h over the speed limit on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end.
Looking for cheap flights for the holidays? Here are some tips to remember
Travelling on a budget can be stressful, but there are ways you can ensure you're getting the best deal on flights as the holiday season approaches.
A French judge in a shocking rape case allows the public to see some of the video evidence
A French judge in the trial of dozens of men accused of raping an unconscious woman whose now former husband had repeatedly drugged her so that he and others could assault her decided on Friday to allow the public to see some of the video recordings of the alleged rapes.
The Menendez brothers case is not the only one that's been affected by a true crime documentary
Being an armchair detective has turned into an American obsession, fueled by an abundance of true-crime content in podcasts and television series. But some of those projects have sparked actual legal developments.