The Kings got off to a nice defensive start holding the Raptors scoreless for the first three minutes of the game. Hot 3-point shooting carried the Kings’ offense for the first 5 or so minutes, but you knew the Raptors were going to go on a run. That’s exactly what they did, and it wasn’t Pascal Siakam or Kyle Lowry doing the damage. Yet.
OG Anunoby and Fred VanVleet combined for 12 of the Raptors’ first 16 points before the rest of the defending champions joined the party. The Kings’ defensive intensity slipped considerably over the course of the quarter as the Raptors passed the ball around long enough to cause the Kings defense to over-rotate and under-rotate possession after possession.