Suns Stay Hot, Defeat Raptors
Watch out NBA, the Phoenix Suns are hot and ready to take the league by storm. The Toronto Raptors learned this first hand on Sunday night when the Suns defeated them handedly, 125-109.
If I had a dollar for each time Eric Bledsoe led the team to victory, I would be well off. In addition, I would be one dollar richer tonight as Bledsoe led the Suns (20-16) to their 20th victory of the season over a very talented Raptors (24-10) team.
Jan 4, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (right) steals the ball from Toronto Raptors center
Jonas Valanciunasin the second half at US Airways Center. The Suns defeated the Raptors 125-109. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Bledsoe scored 20 points while dishing out eight assists in the process as the Suns’ offense was continuously run through the Kentucky alum.
Bledsoe also received help from the two other guards that make up the three-headed-monster. Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas each chipped in with 18 points a piece in the Suns’ highest scoring regulation game of the season.
Dragic finished with a team high +30 plus/minus in the game as he also tallied six rebounds and three assists in 29 minutes.
The Raptors completed their gruesome six-game road trip in Phoenix in which they lost the last three games on the stretch after winning two of the first three.
As if matters were not already bad enough for the Raptors, Archie Goodwin made matters even worse for Toronto center Jonas Valanciunas with a devestating posterizing dunk late in the fourth quarter…
Other than getting put on a poster and being absolutely humiliated by a 6’5″ guard, Valanciunas had the best game of any Raptor. The third year center racked up 21 points and 10 boards in the loss.
James Johnson played well off the bench for Toronto, shooting 7-9 from the field as he scored 17 points and grabbed seven boards.
The Suns were able to play all 13 active players while maintaining a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter. Only Shavlik Randolph and Tyler Ennis were held off of the scoreboard.
Seven Suns players scored in double-digits with four of the seven coming off of the bench. Phoenix’s starters outscored the bench unit 63-62.
The Suns will be back in action on Tuesday when they take on the Bucks in Milwaukee in the first of four road games.