Denver Nuggets and defending champion Toronto Raptors will meet in the first game of American Basketball League 2019-20’s final regular-season slate on Friday afternoon.
Team Preview
The Raptors enters Friday’s regular-season finale, securing the second seed in the Eastern Conference behind the Bucks. They won six of their seven games from the bubble in Orlando. After securing the playoff seed, they have nothing to gain from this match and they can rest their key player ahead of the major game against Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the postseason. The Raptors are coming off a 121-125 win against Philadelphia. After half of the game, Toronto was trailing 7-point behind to Sixers following the 30-30 in the second quarter. In the 3rd quarter, they picked the race and took a crucial 2-point lead. With adding 2 more points advantage in the final quarter, Toronto clinched the game 121-125. Chris Boucher and Kyle Lowry scored 19-points each in the win.
Meanwhile, Denver locked into the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference are coming off two straight defeats, the most recent came against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. After half of the game, Nuggets were ahead in the match with an 8-point advantage and going into the final quarter, they still had a 2-point lead over clippers. Denver lost the grip in the 4th quarter with throwing the game 124-111 and Clippers grabbed the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. Jerami Grant led Nuggets with 25 points and six rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench. Nikola Jokic scored 17 points and dished out 13 assists in the loss.
Starting possible lineups
Toronto Raptors
Kyle Lowry (PG), Fred VanVleet (SG), OG Anunoby (SF), Pascal Siakam (SF), Marc Gasol (C)
Denver Nuggets: Jamal Murray (PG), Torrey Craig (SG), Michael Porter Jr. (SF), Paul Millsap (PF), Nikola Jokic (C)
Key Players
Toronto Raptors
Pascal Siakam (SF): 22.9 points, 7.3 rebounds
Kyle Lowry (PG): 19.4 points, 5 rebounds, 7.5 assists
Fred VanVleet (SG): 17.6 points, 6.6 assists
Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokic (C): 20.2 points, 9.9 rebounds
Jamal Murray (PG): 18.6 points, 4.1 rebounds
Paul Millsap (PF): 11.6 points, 5.8 rebounds
