Raptors’ offense stalls in the fourth, fall to the Kings 107-122

The Toronto Raptors could not keep up with DeMar DeRozan and the Sacramento Kings in the final period.

The Toronto Raptors couldn’t find their offense in the fourth quarter, losing to the Sacramento Kings on the road, 107-122. After three competitive three quarters, DeMar DeRozan and the Kings shifted gears in the fourth, while coach Darko Rajakovic and his Raptors’ wheels fell off in the final frame.

RJ Barrett led the Raptors with 23 points and got off to a hot start with nine quick points, but he could not generate enough offense for the team for the most part. Davion Mitchell had his best game as a Raptor, scoring 20 points and six dimes, including two trifectas. Chris Boucher provided a spark off the bench with 17 points on 7-for-11 shooting.

DeMar DeRozan led all scorers with 27 points, showcasing his vintage game in the fourth. Keegan Murray feasted however he wanted, adding 22 points and 12 boards. DeAaron Fox shook off a bad shooting night and put up 21 points.

Gradey Dick had an off night, finishing with seven points on a 3-10 shooting. Gradey was in foul trouble for most of the game, as the Kings hunted him often. Perhaps the baffling part was Gradey sitting seven straight minutes between his first and second shifts, and that sandwiches the break between quarters, so he could very well have sat for at least 20 minutes. Worse, he returned for his second shift, picked up two quick fouls, and did not see the floor for another 30 or so real-time minutes with the halftime included. He never got his rhythm back for the rest of the game.

While the Raptors got demolished by the Kings in the fourth, 14-33, some of the Raptors’ issues were self-inflicted. The Raptors conceded 23 points off their 10 turnovers — with several of them unforced. As one of the worst rebounding teams in the league, the Raptors were predictably destroyed on the boards by the Kings, 34-47.

The Raptors opened the game with a pretty play to get Gradey Dick to go downhill for a dunk. Coach Rajakovic leaned on Gradey in the half-court offense, and everybody else chipped in defensively, giving the Raptors an early 16-11 lead. The Kings clawed back and even managed to get a lead behind Keegan Murray, but Chris Boucher and the Raptors hustled their way back to take a 33-30 lead after the first intermission.

The Chris Boucher show bled into the second period, giving the Raptors a 13-2 run that started late in the first quarter, forcing the Kings to call for time after building a 39-30 lead. Unfortunately, Gradey picked up two quick fouls a minute into his second shift of the night, giving him three fouls early in the second frame and earning a quick trip back to the bench after a few plays. The Kings tightened their defense and took advantage of the Raptors’ mistakes and offensive futility without Gradey. The Kings held the Raptors to 5-for-13 shooting and forced three turnovers over the last eight minutes of the quarter, with all five buckets coming from point-blank range, giving the Kings a 57-54 lead at the half.

Neither team came out of halftime with guns blazing, showcasing. Despite the Raptors’ inability to get Gradey going again, the Kings failed to capitalize, allowing Barrett to keep the Raptors afloat. Unfortunately, Gradey drew his fourth foul trying to get a charge from DeRozan, earning a quick trip to the bench. The Raptors got the lead back to 71-66 off Agbaji and Jamison Battle’s back-to-back trifectas, forcing a Kings timeout. Poeltl came alive with three consecutive buckets, but the momentum quickly shifted as the Raptors coughed up a couple of quick pick-sixes, forcing an angry coach Rajakovic to call for time.

Mitchell’s coast-to-coast and-1 layup snapped the Kings’ 8-0 run to give the Raptors the lead back, 80-77. Walter appeared to injure his shoulder as he ran into Sabonis’ screen and promptly returned to the locker room. The Raptors continued to get beat up on the boards, but the Kings couldn’t capitalize, allowing Barrett + bench to hold serve and take a 93-89 lead into the final period.

Gradey opened up the final frame with a fake+pullup combo that would make DeRozan proud, but the Kings responded with a 9-0 run by targeting Gradey on every possession. DeRozan’s set up shop in the middy, as the Kings got off to a 24-9 to start the quarter, giving the home team a 113-102 with five minutes left in the game, prompting coach Rajakovic to call for time to stop the bleeding. Unfortunately, Gradey and Barrett could not muster any semblance of offense, and the Kings coasted to their second straight win.

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The Raptors and the Kings split their season series. The Raptors fall to 2-7 and remain winless on the road. The banged-up Raptors will make a short trip to LA to face the Clippers this Saturday.