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Five numbers to know from Raptors loss to Nuggets

The Toronto Raptors ended a year on a sad note after losing to the Denver Nuggets.
Toronto Raptors forward/guard RJ Barrett reacts after missing a shot against the Denver Nuggets
Toronto Raptors forward/guard RJ Barrett reacts after missing a shot against the Denver Nuggets | Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

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The Toronto Raptors are back in the loss column after falling 106-103 to the Denver Nuggets inside the Scotiabank Arena.

The loss is the first for the Raptors on the five-game homestand after beating the Golden State Warriors and Orlando Magic in close games. It was another close game for the Raptors, and they could have come out on top, but an apparent three-point shot from Brandon Ingram that went in on the buzzer was overturned by the referees, resulting in a Toronto loss.

Here's a look at five numbers to know from the box score between the Nuggets and Raptors.

11 - Ochai Agbaji's minutes

Raptors forward Ochai Agbaji started for the team, but he only played in 11 minutes for the team. Agbaji went 0-for-2 in shooting, but it's getting to a point where it might not make much sense to start him. Rookie forward Collin Murray-Boyles is outperforming him, and he was a +12 in the box score, while Agbaji was at -5.

Toronto Raptors guard Ochai Agbaji drives to the basket against Miami Heat forward Simone Fontecchio
Toronto Raptors guard Ochai Agbaji drives to the basket against Miami Heat forward Simone Fontecchio. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

12 - Raptors' bench points

After scoring 50 points off the bench against the Magic, the Raptors bench did not perform up to par against the Nuggets. The team had just 12 points off the bench, six of which came from Murray-Boyles. Jamison Battle, Jamal Shead and Ja'Kobe Walter each had two points.

It's hard to win basketball games when the bench doesn't show up in the scoring department. That was evident as the Raptors fell to the Nuggets.

27 - Raptors' assists

A positive note from the game was the Raptors' ability to move the ball around. Off of 37 made field goals, the Raptors assisted on 27 of them. Over half of the assists came from Scottie Barnes (10) and Jamal Shead (5), but other players got involved as well in distributing the basketball.

30 - Brandon Ingram's points

For the fourth time this season, Brandon Ingram reached the 30-point threshold. It would have been 33 had his final basket counted, but it's his first 30-point scoring game since the NBA Cup Quarterfinal loss against the New York Knicks.

37 - Raptors' shooting percentage

The Raptors were 37 of 100 from the field, resulting in just a 37 per cent shooting performance. These are numbers that won't cut it in most games, as evidenced by the loss to the Nuggets. The team needs to shoot better if they want a chance to be competitive in the Eastern Conference.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.