With 35 points, winger Gary Trent Jr. helped the Toronto Raptors end their five-game home losing streak en route to a 113-104 win over the Phoenix Suns on Friday at Scotiabank Center.
Trent Jr. picked a good time to go with his best performance of the season. He made 24 of the 42 shots he attempted. His teammate Pascal Siakam, who has been very successful lately, ended his evening with 26 points. The Cameroonian scored at least 25 points in a seventh straight game. The franchise record belongs to Vince Carter, who did it eight times in a row in 2001.
Chris Paul had 20 points and 12 assists, but he was the victim of six of the American squad’s 27 total turnovers. The Suns have thus allowed the troop of Nick Nurse to flee the score.
Montrealer Chris Boucher finished with seven points by hitting 50% of his shots to the basket.
The Suns had to deal with a major absentee. Star player Devin Booker learned Thursday that he will miss at least another four weeks of activities. He had already missed six of his team’s last nine games due to hamstring and then groin pain.
The Raptors’ next game is Monday against Montreal’s Bennedict Mathurin’s Indiana Pacers.
Happy birthday, LeBron
In Atlanta, LeBron James celebrated his 38th birthday in style by scoring 47 points in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 130-121 win over the Hawks.
“King James” proved that he still had the touch by knowing his best individual game of the season. He moved to a triple-double assist, as he also grabbed 10 rebounds.
Center Thomas Bryant also did well with 19 points and 17 rebounds.