Siakam posts triple-double as Raptors dominate Spurs for largest win of season
Trent Jr. leads Toronto with 24 points in 143-100 victory
Pascal Siakam had 22 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in just 28 minutes, and the Toronto Raptors beat depleted San Antonio 143-100 on Wednesday night, the Spurs' worst home loss in franchise history.
"I think we just played really hard," Toronto forward O.G. Anunoby said. "No matter what we see, we just try to go out there and play hard."
San Antonio was without starters Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell, and reserves Isaiah Roby and Blake Wesley. The Spurs also sat rookie forward Jeremy Sochan early in the second quarter due to restricted minutes after a one-game absence with flulike symptoms.
Gary Trent Jr. scored 24 points for the Raptors, who were without all-star guard Fred VanVleet but had plenty left for their largest margin of victory, a season high in points and a season-high 23 turnovers forced.
WATCH | Siakam's 2nd triple-double of season leads Raptors past Spurs:
"They are really good at that [defensive pressure]," Spurs forward Keita Bates-Diop said. "They switch 1 through 5 and get in the passing lanes. We've got to get better at moving off the ball. That's a really good veteran team. That was a good test for us. That is probably the best team we have played all season."
Bates-Diop had 17 points. He was the only Spurs starter in double figures.
The Raptors' length and athleticism disrupted the Spurs from tipoff. Toronto opened the game with a pair of breakaway, one-handed dunks by Anunoby and Scottie Barnes off a steal and a defensive rebound.
The Spurs had four turnovers in the opening three minutes and the Raptors had five dunks in the first seven minutes.
After trailing by 11 points, the Spurs rallied to cut the Raptors' lead to 32-31 at the close of the first quarter. San Antonio took its first lead 27 seconds into the second on Jakob Poeltl's layup.
Siakam was 10 for 19 from the field while sitting out the final quarter.
"Pascal has a great command of what he's seeing and what he's doing," Toronto coach Nick Nurse said. "He's into plays and he's creating a lot of easy opportunities for himself. He's making the move to get really clear of shots."
The Raptors had 76 points in the paint and 39 fast-break points.
Toronto's previous season high was a 30-point victory against Atlanta on Oct. 31.
Toronto will next the Mavericks in Dallas on Friday.
