Rookie forward Gradey Dick is proving he can score in the NBA, but he’d be happier if his Toronto Raptors could get a win.
Dick scored a career-high 23 points as Toronto was defeated by the New York Knicks 145-101 on Wednesday in the Raptors’ 12th straight loss.
The 44-point difference was the worst home loss in franchise history, surpassing the 139-98 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on March 5 in the first game of Toronto’s losing streak.
“It’s not so much about points when we take a tough loss like this,” said Dick, whose previous high was 22 points in New Orleans on Feb. 5. “But you take away the loss in the game and think about me as a rookie, and what I’ve been trying to achieve as my dream when I was a little kid, it’s cool to think about, that I was able to score some points.
“At the same time, without a victory, it means nothing.”
Center Kelly Olynyk of Kamloops, BC, scored 13 points, eight assists and seven rebounds in a game in which Toronto (23-50) never held the lead.
The already depleted Raptors lost guard Ochai Agbaji to injury in the first six minutes of the game.
Agbaji was injured while trying to convert an alley-oop pass from Olynyk. The 23-year-old guard missed the dunk and landed hard on his tailbone, immediately putting his hand on the small of his back as he writhed on the ground in obvious pain.
He had to be helped to the locker room and did not return to the game due to a bruise on his right hip. A spokeswoman said Agbaji’s X-rays came back negative, but team doctors would continue to monitor him.
“For a second it was really scary because he couldn’t move at all,” Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic said. “It was great to see him being able to get up off the court and I hope it’s nothing serious.”
Agbaji’s injury added to Toronto’s long list of inactives.
Star forward Scottie Barnes (broken left hand), center Jakob Poeltl (torn ligament in left hand), forward RJ Barrett (personal reasons), guard Immanuel Quickley (personal reasons), forward Chris Boucher ( partial tear of the medial collateral ligament), point guard DJ Carton (sprained right ankle) and Jontay Porter (personal reasons) were already out.
“I’m learning a lot this whole year. I’m learning a lot. Just different situations that we face night in and night out,” said Rajakovic, who is in his first year as an NBA head coach. “We didn’t plan for Ochai to get injured in the first quarter.
“It’s like the most important thing for me is to stay competitive in those games. And find ways to improve.”
Miles McBride scored 29 points and seven assists as New York (44-28) won its third straight. Jalen Brunson added 26 points and seven assists.
“You can’t waste time with (Brunson) because if you look away for a second, he could be running around you,” Dick, 20, said. “But in my situation, it’s amazing for me and I need it.
“I always talk about my age, but at my age, that’s what I need as a rookie.”
Former Raptors forward Precious Achiuwa had a double-double off the bench for 19 points and 13 rebounds in his first game in Toronto since being traded to the Knicks on December 30.
New York head coach Tom Thibodeau has played Achiuwa at both power forward and center. He already has seven-foot Mitchell Robinson, seven-foot-one Isaiah Hartenstein and six-foot-10 Jericho Sims available to play with the five.
“Precious has played both positions very well,” Thibodeau said. “So that’s been an added bonus.”
ANUNOBY & ACHIUWA – OG Anunoby and Achiuwa were honored with video tributes in the first quarter. Toronto traded the pair on Dec. 30 to the Knicks for Barrett of Mississauga, Ont., and Quickley. Only Achiuwa played on Wednesday. Anunoby was recovering from elbow surgery and both Barrett and Quickley were inactive for personal reasons.
UNTIL NEXT TIME
The Raptors continue their homestand on Sunday when they host the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Knicks travel to San Antonio to face the Spurs on Friday night.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 27, 2024.