The Toronto Raptors are frustrated after a 128-109 loss against the Denver Nuggets inside Ball Arena.
The Raptors held a lead in the first half but surrendered 41 points in the third quarter, going down by 23 points going into the fourth quarter. The Raptors trailed by as much as 27, and it cost them dearly . Here's a look at one winner and three losers from the game against the Nuggets.
Toronto Raptors forward Collin Murray-Boyles looks to pass against the Los Angeles Clippers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Overall, this was a pretty disappointing effort from the entire Raptors roster, but second-year pro Collin Murray-Boyles deserves some praise. He scored 13 points in 23 minutes of action while shooting 6 of 10 from the floor.
He started for the second consecutive game and proved that it was a decision worth making. He was able to keep the Nuggets at bay on the defensive side of the floor, and his efforts helped keep Toronto out in front during the first half.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic passes the ball as he is defended by Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
On the flip side, Jakob Poeltl continued to struggle for the Raptors. Defensively, he really struggled against Nikola Jokic, who had a 32-point triple-double with 10 rebounds and 11 assists. Poeltl was -11 in the 19 minutes he played, and it is becoming more clear that he is not someone who can play in a playoff rotation for the team.
It's unfortunate because he already has a 3-year extension lined up for the end of the season, which could put Toronto in a really precarious position moving forward.
Denver Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson looks to pass the ball as he is defended by Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
After a strong offensive performance in the team's comeback against the Los Angeles Clippers, Quickley could not repeat that effort against the Nuggets. He managed to score just 13 points in 32 minutes and was -29 for the game. Defensively, Quickley really struggled in the matchup against the Nuggets, and it doesn't breed a lot of confidence in him moving forward.
Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic questions a call with referee Karl Lane. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Raptors began the third quarter with a 3-point lead but ended with a 23-point deficit. They were outscored 41-15 during those 12 minutes, and nothing on the offensive or defensive side of the ball was going right. Nikola Jokic was simply too much for them, and the team had no answer for Denver's in-game adjustments.
This was the perfect example of how a game can go from one extreme to the other and how quickly teams can change their tune. The Nuggets didn't even really utilize their three-point shot to completely swing the game in their favour, but they took advantage of some Raptors miscues and scored 24 points off the team's 15 turnovers. The Nuggets smelled blood in the water, and that was bad news for the Raptors.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/raptors/onsi as 1 Winner, 3 Losers in Raptors Loss vs. Nikola Jokic, Nuggets .
