No Demarcus Cousins, No DeMar DeRozan. Which means that this game had to be in the hands of Rudy Gay & Kyle Lowry and their supporting casts. Although this game was up and down, the Toronto Raptors controlled the momentum and everyone pitched in for a 117-109 victory. Terrence Ross started off the Raptors momentum scoring 15 of his 20 points in the first quarter. Kyle Lowry had 27 points and 13 assist, while Rudy Gay had 20 points and 10 assists. The Sacramento Kings just could not stop Lowry when the game was winding down, and with a few possessions to go, Kyle Lowry stuck them with a dagger.
Analysis: Sacramento has now lost 4 games in a row, and Demarcus Cousins has been the reason. They are missing their big man in the middle that dominates the paint, and allows for shooters to get open. Once he comes back, look for the Sacramento Kings to begin competing again in these games, showing how crucial his interior play is to the Kings. The Raptors are now in their second game after missing DeMar DeRozan and they played exceptionally well tonight, and realistically that is the kind of effort they need every night without him. The entire team pitched in everyone played their parts, James Johnson came off the bench to score 19 points and Greivis Vasquez scored 12 points to solidify the win for the Raptors.
