The Toronto Raptors went up against the Charlotte Hornets in a back-and-forth, exciting game. The Raptors came into the game winning four of their last five games, having a record of 22-15. The Hornets came into the game beating the defending champs, the Oklahoma City Thunder, in dominating fashion. They beat them 124-97, shocking the league with the upset.
Raptors' star players injured
Both teams came into the game with plenty of momentum. On the Raptors side, however, Brandon Ingram left the game in the first half with a sprained right thumb and did not return. Although the X-rays came back negative, it’s possible he could miss the next game for injury management.
To make matters worse, Scottie Barnes appeared to have suffered some type of right knee injury in the fourth quarter. However, he returned to the game to help the Raptors pull off the victory. The main star of the show is Immanuel Quickley and his game-winner.
After the go-ahead layup by Hornets’ star Lamelo Ball to put them up 94-96, the Raptors called a quick timeout to advance to the halfcourt. They would run a play where Scottie Barnes sets a screen on Quickley’s man. The ball would get inbounded to Quickley as he shoots a catch-and-shoot three-pointer at the top key as time expires, nailing the shot.
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The Raptors would win 97-96 and improve their record to 23-15, being ranked 4th in the Eastern Conference. The Hornets now have a record of 13-24 and are ranked 12th in the East. The Raptors will monitor both the statuses of Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram before their next game against the Boston Celtics on January 9th.
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