NBA Hoosiers (Sept. 11): OG Anunoby's Season Ends With Quiet Night in Game 7 Loss
For the entirety of their season-round series with the Boston Celtics, it seemed like OG Anunoby and the Toronto Raptors were constantly trying to swim upstream. In the end, it got to be too much.
The Raptors' season ended with a 92-87 loss in the NBA bubble in Orlando, and it ended on a night where they had too many turnovers (18), didn't hit enough three-pointers (8-for-28, just 28 percent) and came up short with every rally. They made a game of it — scrapping as they have to make a series of it — but came up short.
"It's tough. It’s tough to lose a game like that," Raptors guard Kyle Lowry said. "You'd rather get blown out, I mean. But we were right there. ... The small little things, the intangible things, the minute things. You've got to continue to harp on and continue to do through a whole NBA season, and mistakes are made, but it's just tough. It's just really tough."
The Raptors seemed out of synch on offense most of the night. Anunoby, who had been averaging 12.5 points per game in this series and won Game 3 with a buzzer-beater, scored only four points on the night. He was just 1-for-3 shooting from the field and made two free throws. He had seven rebounds.
"Uncharacteristic turnovers tonight were the story of the game for sure," Toronto coach Nick Nurse said. "We gave them way too many cheapies, easy buckets off of steals. You can’t do that in the playoffs, you can’t do it in a game like this but it was happening."
Boston rookie Romeo Langford dressed for the game but did not play. He appeared in only two games in the series, logging a total of seven minutes and scoring two points.
Anunoby had a solid season for the Raptors. He averaged 10.6 points and 5.3 rebounds during the regular season and filled the void at small forward left by the departure of NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard. The Raptors surprised the league by finished 53-19 and earning the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Anunoby just finished the third year of his original four-year rookie contract. He made nearly $2.3 million this season, and will make almost $3.9 million next year. His fifth-year option is for $5.6 million.
Friday's other NBA game
- Denver Nuggets 111, Los Angeles Clippers 105: Denver kept its season alive with a thrilling Game 5 victory, rallying from a 15-point deficit to knock off the Clippers. The Clippers lead the series 3-2, with Game 6 set for Sunday. Former Hoosier Noah Vonleh is on the Nuggets' roster, but he didn't dress for the game.
Saturday's NBA game
- Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 8 p.m. ET (TV: ESPN): Former Hoosier Eric Gordon and his Rockets need a win in Game 5 to stay alive in their second-round series with the Lakers. The Rockets won the series opener but have lost three straight games since. Gordon has averaged 18.5 points per game so far in the playoffs.
Best NBA Story of the Day
- CELTICS, HEAT RENEW RIVALRY: The Eastern Conference finals matchup is set, and here's a look at the bitter rivalry between the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics from Sports Illustrated's Shandel Richardson. CLICK HERE
