The Toronto Raptors earned a key victory on Friday after rallying to beat the Phoenix Suns 122 to 115, powered by a strong fourth quarter from RJ Barrett.
Barrett, a native of Mississauga, Ontario, scored 22 points and added six rebounds and five assists. Nine of his points came in the final quarter as Toronto completed the comeback.
The win improves the Raptors’ record to 37 and 29 and strengthens their position in the Eastern Conference standings.
All-star forward Brandon Ingram led all scorers with 36 points and also grabbed seven rebounds. Raptors forward Scottie Barnes finished with 14 points and six rebounds.
Phoenix was led by Jalen Green, who scored 34 points and tied a career high with eight 3-pointers. Devin Booker added 31 points for the Suns, whose four-game winning streak came to an end.
Barrett delivered the decisive moment late in the fourth quarter, making a 10-foot 3-pointer with 3 minutes, 35 seconds left, giving Toronto its first lead since the opening period.
The Raptors dominated the scoring, outscoring Phoenix 60 to 32. Phoenix’s bench players outscored Toronto’s substitutes 39 to 27 and the Suns attempted 15 more shots from three-point range.
