The Toronto Raptors opened their exhibition season on Sunday by being simply dominant in their Canadian home away from home.
Pre-season or not, holding an NBA team - even one that is in rebuilding mode like the Utah Jazz - to just 33 second-half points is remarkable. And that's what the Raptors did in a 114-82 blowout win at Rogers Place.
The Jazz, a team that is in a rebuilding process after stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell were traded away during the off-season, looked very much like a club starting from scratch, shooting 32.6 per cent from the floor on the night and committing 23 turnovers. “The crowd is into it, it's the one chance they get to see us in their hometown or home area,” said Raptors coach Nick Nurse. “And, they usually bring it. It's cool because, listen, there's a lot of pre-season games that you go through that there is zero energy and almost leaning toward negative energy. We don't have to go through that, and it's fun.”
Raptors' seven-foot rookie Christian Koloko made the most of his time on the floor, bringing the crowd to their feet with a highlight-reel second quarter put-back dunk, and later using his massive wingspan to stuff a dunk attempt.
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