The short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Toronto Raptors for their fifth win in six games on Tuesday night.
Cason Wallance matched his career high with 27 points, six assists, and eight rebounds. Isaiah Joe had 22, Alex Caruso 16, Luguentz Dort 15, and Isaiah Hartenstein with 11 to win three straight in Toronto.
Meanwhile, Canadian star and reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remained sidelined for the Thunder due to abdominal strain. He did not travel with the team on its lone regular-season visit to Canada.
Wallace provided his second straight 20-point game as the Thunder also played without Ajay Mitchell (abdominal strain) and Jalen Williams (strained right hamstring) while Caruso returned after missing Sunday’s home win over Cleveland because of a sprained left ankle.
On the other hand, Raptors’ RJ Barrett dropped 21 points, and Immanuel Quickley and Ja’Kobe Walter each scored 17. Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram each scored 15, and Jamal Shead added 13.
The Thunder led 96-71 with 1:55 remaining in the third before the Raptors battled back, tying it 101-101 on Shead’s three-pointer with 4:06 to play.
Oklahoma City missed 14 of their first 15 field-goal attempts in the fourth, as Wallace responded to Shead’s three by making back-to-back shots, then forcing a steal and feeding Joe a three.
Raptors’ Jakob Poeltl was sidelined on the first night of a back-to-back due to a lower back injury.
Both teams will play on Wednesday night: the Thunder at Detroit, while the Raptors host the Spurs.
