Kawhi Leonard scored 19 points, Jonas Valanciunas chipped in 16 and Kyle Lowry notched an 11-point, 12-assist double-double as the Raptors defeated the Suns 107-98 in the first of their four-game West Coast road trip. DeAndre Ayton added 17 points and 18 rebounds in a losing effort.
The game began innocently enough, with the Raptors and Suns trading buckets until an 11-4 run by the Suns put Nick Nurse and the Raptors on their heels. It was perhaps at that moment the team realized they have a target on their back — the kind that brings the best out of a young team looking to make a statement.