Inconsistency plagued the Toronto Raptors all season and it undid them once more with their post-season hopes on the road.
Zach LaVine took over within the second half because the Chicago Bulls rallied previous Toronto 109-105 on Wednesday to win their single elimination play-in sport. LaVine scored 30 of his 39 factors after intermission as Chicago stormed again from an 19-point deficit.
The Raptors solely made 50 per cent of their 36 free-throw makes an attempt, together with two crucial misses by Pascal Siakam that would have tied the sport with 12 seconds left on the clock.
“We did not have our greatest fourth quarter by way of taking part in the way in which that we must always play and we could not get stops, they stored scoring,” stated Siakam, who completed with 32 factors and 9 rebounds.
Fred VanVleet had a double-double with 26 factors, 12 rebounds and eight assists for Toronto, together with seven three-pointers. He stated it will take not less than two weeks for him to course of the loss.
“Any method you slice it, a loss within the play-in goes to be irritating,” he stated. “Whether or not you win otherwise you lose, particularly in the event you lose, you discover no matter purpose it was that you simply misplaced and attempt to make sense of it.”
WATCH l Bulls come from behind to finish Raptors’ season in play-in sport:
Toronto’s season is over with a 109-105 loss to Chicago of their single elimination play-in sport. Zach LaVine scored 30 of his 39 factors within the second half whereas former Raptor DeMar DeRozan added 23. Pascal Siakam had an opportunity to tie the sport with 12 seconds remaining however missed two of his three free throws.
The Raptors hosted the sport after ending the common season with a 41-41 file, good for ninth within the east. That put them simply forward of the 40-42 Bulls within the standings.
“We have undoubtedly proven some good stretches but in addition some stretches the place we weren’t good in any respect,” stated Siakam. “I feel that we will need to be higher, while you take a look at the season, loads of ups and downs.”
Former Toronto guard DeMar DeRozan scored 23 and had seven rebounds for the Bulls. Centre Nikola Vucevic had a double-double with 14 factors and 13 rebounds.
DeRozan visited the Raptors locker-room after the sport and had a prolonged dialog with VanVleet.
“That is simply my brother, man,” stated VanVleet, including that he and DeRozan had not spoken in weeks, anticipating that they might face one another within the play-in.
“It is good to see him, however I am not very proud of him proper now.”
Chicago will face the Warmth in Miami on Friday within the second spherical of the play-in event. The winner of that sport would be the eighth seed within the NBA Jap Convention playoffs, taking part in the No. 1 Milwaukee Bucks within the first spherical.
VanVleet sank a buzzer-beating three-pointer earlier than intermission, bringing the 19,800 followers at Scotiabank Area to their ft and giving the Raptors a 58-47 lead. The Raptors did not let as much as begin the third, occurring a 10-3 run to open up an 18-point lead.
However LaVine got here alive within the remaining three minutes of the third, scoring 11 factors — together with eight in a row — chopping Toronto’s result in 81-72.
An 8-0 Bulls run, with LaVine answerable for six of these factors, minimize Toronto’s benefit to a few early within the fourth.
Alex Caruso quieted the sold-out crowd with a three-pointer to tie it 91-91 with 6:26 left on the clock. Scottie Barnes got here proper again with a layup for Toronto, forcing Chicago to name a timeout. On the following possession, Caruso stole the ball for an uncontested layup.
Patrick Beverly sank a three-pointer on the following Bulls possession for his or her first lead of the sport. Siakam’s dunk gave the followers life however LaVine replied with a jumper to keep up a three-point lead earlier than Barnes and DeRozan exchanged area objectives.
VanVleet missed a deep three-pointer however the rebound got here out to Toronto guard Gary Trent Jr., who handed it again to VanVleet for an additional likelihood to tie the sport. VanVleet did not miss on his second alternative, tying it 100-100 with 3:10 left to play.
![A male basketball player dunks the ball as two players from the opposition team watch on next to him.](https://i0.wp.com/i.cbc.ca/1.6808859.1681354134!/cpImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_780/pascal-siakam-12042023.jpg?ssl=1)
LaVine answered with a two-pointer after which DeRozan grabbed a defensive rebound and scored on the different finish to provide the Bulls a four-point lead with lower than two minutes to go.
Barnes made a free throw on the following Raptors possession. Siakam was fouled by Beverley with 50 seconds left on the clock, making one among his two pictures on the charity stripe to chop Chicago’s result in two.
DeRozan then hit a free throw with 28.7 seconds remaining, forcing a Toronto timeout. On the following possession, Siakam drove to the online for a two-handed dunk and a one-point Raptors deficit.
WATCH l VanVleet hits buzzer-beater 3-pointer from half-court:
With the primary half about to run out, Fred VanVleet hits a 3-point shot from half-court throughout Toronto’s play-in event sport towards Chicago.
LaVine was fouled after Caruso inbounded the ball to him, sending him to the free-throw line. LaVine hit each pictures, giving the Raptors 17.9 seconds to tie the sport.
Feeding the ball to Siakam on the inbound move, Caruso instantly fouled the Toronto all-star ahead for 3 free throws.
Siakam sank his first one, however clanked it along with his second and the ball rolled off the rim along with his third, conserving Chicago forward by two.
Vucevic was fouled on his rebound of Siakam’s remaining free throw and he made each of his free throws for the sport’s remaining scores.
Gilgeous-Alexander lifts Thunder previous Pelicans
Josh Giddey had 31 factors, 10 assists and 9 rebounds for Oklahoma Metropolis, the one Western Convention crew nonetheless taking part in with a shedding file.
The loss eradicated the ninth-seeded Pelicans whereas tenth seed Oklahoma Metropolis superior to play at Minnesota on Friday night time for the precise to enter the NBA playoffs as an eighth seed.
Making performs down the stretch <a href=”https://t.co/xYCHmiJQcp”>pic.twitter.com/xYCHmiJQcp</a>
—@okcthunder
Brandon Ingram scored 20 of his 30 factors within the second half, together with a 3-pointer with 4.3 seconds left to provide the Pelicans a slim likelihood to come back again.
However after Gilgeous-Alexander hit two free throws, Herbert Jones threw away an inbound move, nearly sealing New Orleans’ destiny.