Raptors Fall to Heat in Historic Quebec City Debut
AI-generated image · Bay Street Wire
Toronto's defensive lapses overshadowed a sellout atmosphere in the first-ever NBA game held in Quebec City.
The Toronto Raptors saw their six-game winning streak in Quebec end Saturday night with a 129-105 loss to the Miami Heat, as Global News Toronto first reported. The contest marked the first NBA game ever played in Quebec City, drawing a sellout crowd of 18,474 to the Centre Vidéotron as part of the NBA Canada Series.
While the atmosphere was electric, Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic highlighted significant defensive concerns following the defeat. Rajakovic noted that while the team forced 25 turnovers, the squad lacked discipline in transitioning back on defense. He further emphasized the need for improvement in securing defensive rebounds, as Miami recorded 13 offensive rebounds during the game.
On the court, R.J. Barrett and Tyreke Key tied for the team lead with 15 points each for Toronto. The Heat were led by Tim Hardaway Jr., who scored 14 points. Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra started Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was acquired from the Milwaukee Bucks; Antetokounmpo finished the night with nine points.
Rajakovic also expressed dissatisfaction with the Raptors' offensive output, noting the team shot only 29 percent from the three-point line despite taking a high volume of shots. He attributed some of the struggles to a lack of experience, as several players were making their professional debuts.
Star forward Kawhi Leonard did not dress for the game due to an injury. Rajakovic confirmed that Leonard will also be sidelined for the next NBA Canada Series game on Oct. 10 in Vancouver against the Los Angeles Clippers.