Raptors barely beat Blazers, home unbeaten streak at eight

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The Raptors suffered a brief scare in the first half of their 121-118 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday when Brandon Ingram rolled his right ankle. Ingram was ushered into the locker room, where team officials recorded the incident on video.

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A left ankle injury Ingram suffered last December effectively sidelined him for the rest of the season, a setback that prevented Ingram from appearing in any games for the Raptors.

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There was justifiable relief when Ingram returned to the game.

Ingram's play has been lackluster lately, as evidenced by a rare offensive foul, but on this night it was Scottie Barnes who took his game to the next level.

The problem was that Portland refused to go away, fighting back from a double-digit deficit in the second half as the Raptors were hit by an offensive drought.

The Trail Blazers suffered from missed free throws, but the evening was both entertaining and competitive.

It was a two-possession game with three minutes left, then a one-possession game with two minutes left got really exciting.

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Defensively and offensively, the Raptors played the winning game to the end.

In both cases, Barnes was the better player as he flirted with a triple-double while wanting the Raptors to win.

Below are three takeaways from the night the Raptors won their eighth straight home game as Toronto opened an extended series at home.

1. Be afraid of Shed

Sophomore point guard Jamal Sheed doesn't need to score a single point to make his mark on the game.

He has shown the ability to knock down shots, but Sheed has struggled with his shot in recent games.

That carried over into the first half against Portland, when he shot 1 of 4 from the field.

Fellow sophomore Ja'Coby Walter, who got the start again due to the injured RJ Barrett (knee), was 0-for-4.

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But these two energy bodies rely on their protection.

The two combined for six interceptions in the first half, including Sheed's five, the most in a single game, let alone a half.

Sheed had four interceptions on Sunday in New York.

Sheed was on the floor late in Tuesday's game when the Raptors went with two point guards.

You have to admire his aggressive forays into the hole, but Sheed should finish at the rim.

He couldn't get a basket against the Blazers.

However, his defense never wavered.

Sheed assisted on Ingram's key basket to give the Raptors a 119-115 lead.

2. Disappearance of D

How ironic that on the day Barnes was named the Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month for October/November, the Raptors defense was out for most of the first quarter until the team's second unit began to defend.

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Toronto wasn't so weak on Sunday when it played the host New York Knicks, who lit up the Raptors for 42 points in the first quarter en route to a lopsided defeat.

Poor throws, an inability to keep Portland in the paint and just open looks allowed the visitors to pounce on the Raptors.

When the bench was given an extended opportunity, the defensive momentum improved significantly, as did the team's intensity.

The starting lineup was a big reason why Portland was able to score 39 points and take a two-point lead after the first 12 minutes.

Both teams were, in truth, offense-oriented, with a fast pace conducive to scoring, with the Raptors leading 65-59 at the break.

3. The man in the Sharp suit

The last time Canada's Shadon Sharp faced the Raptors in Toronto, he scored 36 points in a 112-103 win over Portland.

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Shortly after the final bell rang, Sharpe was told that he had just scored the most points by a Canadian against the Raptors.

Athletic was born in London, Ontario and was selected seventh overall by the Blazers in the 2022 draft.

Sharpe had immediate success early in Tuesday's game, hitting a pull-up jumper, hitting a game-winning dunk and hitting an open jumper after using a dribble to get the defense's attention.

Sharpe's athleticism is off the charts.

In the second quarter, he made a personal effort to help Portland take advantage of Toronto.

Sharpe scored 15 points in 15 minutes.

He finished the night with 23 points.

The only thing Sharpe needs to improve is his three-point shooting.

Portland began its five-game road trip to Toronto with a depleted roster.

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Former Raptors guard Chauncey Billups, whom Sharpe praised for his improved play last season, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of money laundering and wire fraud conspiracy after the Hall of Famer was accused of profiting from rigged mob-run poker games.

In October, the Blazers placed Billups on leave and named former NBA champion Thiago Splitter as interim head coach.

Portland isn't playing well, although it entered the game having won its last four games against the Raptors.

Next

Toronto's five-game season-long home run continues Thursday night with the Los Angeles Lakers heading into the Game of the Year alone before the NBA Cup quarterfinals against the Knicks next Tuesday.

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