In Salt Lake City, the Toronto Raptors secured a victory against the Utah Jazz with a final score of 126-118 on Friday night. The Raptors were led by Scottie Barnes, who contributed significantly with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Immanuel Quickley matched Barnes’s scoring output, also netting 20 points to help steer the team to win. Meanwhile, A.J. Lawson chipped in with 18 points, RJ Barrett scored 17, and Orlando Robinson added 14 points alongside his 10 rebounds and five assists.
A crucial moment in the game came when Quickley sunk a 3-pointer with just 43 seconds remaining, which gave Toronto a lead it would hold onto firmly at 90-88. This basket also initiated a decisive 16-2 run that ultimately widened their lead to 15 points—the largest lead by any team that night—with just over eight minutes still to be played.
On the other side, Jordan Clarkson led the Jazz, who have now faced eight consecutive losses, by scoring 19 points. Additionally, Kyle Filipowski made a significant contribution, recording 18 points and pulling down 11 rebounds. In a shift, KJ Martin started the second half for Utah, replacing Lauri Markkanen. Though Markkanen did return later and ended his night with 16 points.
The victory marked a key accomplishment for the Raptors as it ended their four-game losing streak against the Jazz at the Delta Center. Previously, Toronto had also defeated Utah at home with a score of 118-109. The Jazz faced a setback with Walker Kessler’s absence; he had been a commanding presence in their previous matchup with 18 points, 25 rebounds, and eight blocks, but did not appear in the recent game and wasn’t listed with an injury status.
A highlight from the game featured Clarkson making an incredible play by intercepting a pass from Lawson, threading the ball between Lawson’s legs to himself near midcourt, and then delivering a lob to Martin for a spectacular alley-oop layup late in the third quarter.
The Jazz showed early promise, converting half of their 3-point attempts in the first half, going 10-for-20, which allowed them a narrow halftime lead of 58-56. However, their accuracy dropped in the second half as they only managed to make 6 of 18 attempts from beyond the arc.
Looking ahead, both teams are set to play on Sunday. The Raptors will face off against Portland, while the Jazz will travel to Minnesota.
