TITLE: Ingram’s Late Jumper Lifts Raptors to Ninth Straight; Thunder Improve to 18-1; Spoelstra Earns Win No. 800
SLUG: ingram-clutch-raptors-thunder-18-1-spoelstra-800th-win
CONTENT:
Brandon Ingram nailed a go-ahead jumper in the closing seconds to push the Toronto Raptors past the Indiana Pacers, 97-95, on Wednesday night, stretching the club’s winning streak to nine games.
Raptors
Ingram and Scottie Barnes carried Toronto’s offense, combining for 50 points and 18 rebounds. The duo also hit 19 of the team’s 27 free-throw attempts, with Barnes going a perfect 14-for-14 to set a personal best for most makes without a miss. According to reporter Keerthika Uthayakumar, Ingram’s shot marked his fourth career basket that put his team ahead in the final three seconds, becoming only the third such game-winner for the Raptors since Kawhi Leonard’s famous 2019 playoff buzzer-beater.
Thunder
Oklahoma City continued its torrid start, improving to 18-1 with a 10th consecutive victory. The Thunder are now 9-0 at home and 3-0 in NBA Cup play. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander paced the night with 40 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals. Chet Holmgren added 12 points and nine boards, including a key three-pointer late, while Isaiah Hartenstein scored 15 and Ajay Mitchell chipped in 13. Oklahoma City hosts the Phoenix Suns on Friday in a Cup matchup that will determine the winner of Group 1.
Heat
Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra reached 800 career victories as the Heat defeated the Milwaukee Bucks. Spoelstra said he learned of the milestone only when players doused him during the post-game locker-room celebration. “I was calculating that maybe we qualified for the Cup,” he joked. “Then I’m looking around like nobody else is getting water dumped on them. I’m like, man, what’s going on here?”
The Raptors’ dramatic finish, the Thunder’s blistering pace and Spoelstra’s milestone highlighted a busy night across the league.
Source: Hoops Wire
