By Joel Bartilotta
The No. 16-seed Portland Trail Blazers upset the top-seeded Toronto Raptors, 91-85, in the second round of the Las Vegas Summer League playoffs at Cox Pavilion on Thursday.
The game was close throughout, with eight ties and 12 lead changes. The Blazers (3-2) took the lead for good on a Nick Johnson 20-foot jumper that made it 72-71 with 8:32 remaining, increasing their margin to 10 points with 4:35 to play. The Raptors (3-1) went on a 9-0 run, pulling to within one, 83-82, on a Fred VanVleet layup with two minutes left, but that’s as close as they would get.
Three-point shooting was decisive, as Portland shot 8-of-17 from long range while Toronto was just 7-of-35. The Blazers shot 49 percent from the field.
Johnson led the Trail Blazers with 17 points off the bench on 6-of-9 shooting from the field. Fellow reserve Jarnell Stokes totaled 13 points and five rebounds. Caleb Swanigan also had 13 points, adding 11 rebounds. Jake Layman and R.J. Hunter scored 12 and 11 points, respectively.
VanVleet carried Toronto with 31 points, six rebounds and two steals. Jordan Loyd finished with 17 points and Alfonzo McKinnie had 11 points and nine rebounds.
Portland plays the No. 8-seed San Antonio Spurs on Saturday in the quarterfinals.
