March 14, 2023, 8:19 PM
The Toronto Raptors have been in a slump, but you wouldn’t think so based off their performance in the first quarter Tuesday night.
Facing the West-leading Denver Nuggets, the Raptors came out on fire, scoring 49 points in the opening frame — a franchise record for points in one quarter.
The biggest contributors? Fred VanVleet led the way with 14 points, O.G. Anunoby scored 10 and Scottie Barnes had nine.
Toronto finished the quarter shooting 71.4 per cent from the field and 66.7 per cent from three en route to a 49-30 lead.
The Raptors’ previous record of 48 was set on Jan. 11, 1997 visiting the then-New Jersey Nets.