The Toronto Raptors will try to win back-to-back games for the first time in over a month when they face the visiting Washington Wizards on Sunday.
The Raptors (24-53) ended a 15-game losing streak with a 117-111 road victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday. Toronto was two setbacks away from matching a franchise-record 17-game losing streak, recorded during the 1997-98 season.
Washington (15-63) will try to avoid setting a record of its own on Sunday. After falling 108-102 at home to the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, the Wizards matched the franchise record for most losses in a single season. One more and they’ll beat out the 2000-01 and 2008-09 teams, who both dropped 63 games.
The Raptors had not won since March 3, when they defeated the visiting Charlotte Hornets 111-106. They have not won two in a row since a three-game winning streak from Feb. 22-26.
Gary Trent Jr. led the way against Milwaukee on Friday, pouring in 31 points while making 7 of 15 3-pointers. RJ Barrett added 26 points, and Immanuel Quickley flirted with a triple-double (25 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists).
Trent had missed the past two games, Barrett had missed 10 of the past 11 and Quickley was playing in his third since sitting out six straight.
“It’s great when we have our guys coming back and playing,” Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said. “I thought during the whole stretch the team stayed together. It’s good to get a win. Gary is one of the best 3-point shooters in the league, and it shows how much trust as a group we have in him.”
Toronto is still without Scottie Barnes (hand) and Jakob Poeltl (finger).
If Washington wants to avoid making history for the wrong reason, it will have to do so against a Raptors team that is 7-2 in the last nine regular-season meetings with the Wizards.
“We’re all competitors here. Everybody wants to win, but we’re so focused on the process to get to winning,” Washington interim coach Brian Keefe said. “Our group has grown. Our group has gotten better, and we’re going to keep working on that for the remainder of the season.”
Marvin Bagley III (right knee), Kyle Kuzma (right ankle) and Richaun Holmes (left toe) missed Friday’s loss against Portland. Bagley will be out again on Sunday, while Kuzma and Holmes are questionable.
Keefe used Anthony Gill and rookie Tristan Vukcevic down low against the Trail Blazers. Vukcevic was playing in his eighth career game.
Vukcevic scored 17 points on 7-for-16 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds.
“These are great experiences for Tristan,” Keefe said. “He’s learning daily on these guys. I thought (it was) another good game for him (Friday), continuing to grow and develop. So, pleased with his effort.”
The Wizards trailed by eight points in the fourth quarter before tying it. They led by one point with 3:37 remaining, but Portland then regained control.
Deni Avdija had 22 points and 12 rebounds for Washington, while Jordan Poole scored 20 points and dished out nine assists.
Washington shot a season-worst 15.2 percent (5-for-33) from 3-point range.
“I liked the looks,” Keefe said. “We got into what we wanted. We just missed them.”
–Field Level Media