Gary Trent Jr.'s season-high 42 points help Raptors extend win streak to eight with win over Rockets

Yash Matange

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Gary Trent Jr.'s season-high 42 points help Raptors extend win streak to eight with win over Rockets image

Despite their All-Star starting point guard Fred VanVleet not suiting up, the Raptors took care of business in Houston. 

Behind 42 points from Gary Trent Jr. and 30 from Pascal Siakam, the Raptors comfortably defeated the Rockets 139-120 and extended their season-best win streak to eight games.

This win makes them the league's hottest team at the moment.

For Houston, Kevin Porter Jr. with 30 points was one of six players to score in double figures but it wasn't enough as they slipped to their fourth straight defeat and the eighth loss in their last nine games.

For more on this Raptors' victory, we have you covered with some takeaways below.

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No Fred VanVleet, no problem

VanVleet was ruled out of this game with a sore left groin. This was just sixth missed game this season and the first since Jan. 26.

In his absence, Precious Achiuwa joined the starting line-up. Thus, snapping the team's seven-game streak of fielding a starting line-up of Siakam-Anunoby-Barnes-Trent-VanVleet.

Trent Jr. begins big scoring night early

On the second night of a back-to-back, the Raptors were up against it early. The young rebuilding Rockets poured in 41 points in the first quarter and led by their largest margin of 10 points. 

Toronto, however, remained in the game, courtesy of Gary Trent Jr. The 6-foot-5 guard scored (17) and assisted on 22 of the team's 37 first-quarter points. 

If it wasn't for Trent Jr.'s hot start, the Raptors could have found themselves in a hole too big to climb out of.

Siakam takes over in second

In the second quarter, the Raptors took charge of the game. 

They outscored the hosts 36-23 and Siakam scored (21) or assisted on 23 of those points. 

Siakam and Trent Jr. became the third pair of teammates since 1997-98 to each record 25+ points in the first half of a game, joining the duos of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, as well as James Harden & Chandler Parsons.

Bench steps-up on second night of back-to-back

For the season, the Raptors' bench is ranked 30th and last in scoring with a scoring average of 22.9 prior to this game.

In this one, despite Achiuwa getting the promotion, Toronto's reserves contributed far more than their season average. 

The trio of Chris Boucher (16), Dalano Banton (10) and Malachi Flynn (8) scored 34 of the team's 39 bench points. 

Those contributions helped the Raptors' improve to their record to 8-3 on the second night of back-to-backs this season. 

Trent Jr. finishes with season-high 42 points

By scoring another 17 in the second half, Trent Jr. finished with a season-high tally of 42 points. 

It's just two shy of his career-high 44 and the first 30-point game since Feb. 1, which was the last of his five consecutive games with 30-or more.

In 37 minutes of playing time, he also recorded five steals and four assists. 

"They brought me in with open arms, they showed me nothing but unconditional love, no matter how I'm playing, and I don't wanna be anywhere else." - Trent Jr. said postgame. 

It was during last season's trade deadline that the Raptors acquired Trent Jr. in a trade with the Trail Blazers in exchange for Norman Powell. 

Impact of win on East standings

With this victory, the Raptors improved to 31-23 which is good for sixth in the East. 

They now hold a one-game lead to avoid the Play-In tournament over the seventh-seeded Boston Celtics. On the flip side, they also trail the fifth-seeded Philadelphia 76ers by just one game.

What's next? 

With this three-game road trip wrapped-up, the Raptors head home to face the Nuggets in Toronto on Saturday, Feb. 12 with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m.

The Nuggets game is the first of three remaining for the Raptors before the All-Star break. 

Yash Matange

Yash Matange Photo