The Raptors beat LeBron and Anthony Davis in LA missing Lowry & Ibaka. They play .500 missing four of their top 7 players. The Leafs lose to the Canes while playing the Marlies Zamboni driver in net. Got shut out in the third. Canes playing on the second night of a back-to-back.

The Leafs and their woes and foibles can wait a day, this night has to be about the 42-year-old Zamboni driver

And sports is effing amazing, ain’t it?

That’s beyond embarrassing for the Leafs, but what an ending. What a crazy night. Incredible story. That’s why sports is undefeated.

I’m out of jokes. This is a tragedy. How much passion the Canes have playing in front of a goalie they met at the intermission vs. how much the Leafs showed playing for each other. Sad.

Leafs should pull the goalie. It has worked brilliantly for Carolina.

The Leafs: pic.twitter.com/LUnjpmPIKk

Ayers has the fastest chest in the league.

If it should come to pass — that the Leafs lose playing half the game against the Marlies Zamboni driver — would it be the worst loss in franchise history?

Anderson has struggled lately, sure, but it appears he has the edge in this goalie matchup.

My wife is INCENSED that the Leafs are daring to score on the Zamboni goalie. She has scared the dog away.

I'm not a Leaf fan...but...that's not a charge -- minor OR major. 👎

Raptors blog. A little Lowry, a little OG, shot blocking and more: torontosun.com/sports/basketb…

I'll be at Raptors-Pacers for what feels like the 12th time this season tomorrow. But tomorrow's big event is the return of Better Call Saul. pic.twitter.com/bw3SJn5ska

Glad to be back 🙏🏾💯❤️
#humblehustle🙏🏾👏🏾 #doingitforyou🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/pgj5vMeRts

How rare was Toronto's block part against Phoenix, which saw three Raptors notch at least three blocks? No Raptors team has done it since March of 2018, when four (including Bebe in seven minutes!) did it against Denver. Can't imagine they've ever blocked that many threes.

The Raptors want to get Pascal Siakam more crunch-time reps. Technically, they didn't get the chance tonight, thanks in large part to how well he played in the 1st half, but we did get a look at what his expanded offensive role might look like: tsn.ca/raptors-plan-t… pic.twitter.com/02KD2iBvv6

"The game lost its rhythm and every ounce of enjoyability their in the third quarter." - Nurse

On refs seeing him to give him tech but not challenge call: "Selective vision."

TOR (41-15) shoots 52.5% and beats the Suns 118-101. Toronto had 7 players in double figures...

Siakam with 37p & 12r

All of that in spite of a season high 25 Raptor turnovers.

Thanks for tuning in on @FAN590

#smithandjones

‘Topes win! 118-101. Suns shoot horribly! Siakam goes 37-12 to lead 7 in double digits. Raps have won 16 of 17.

The Toronto Raptors have won 1 (one) game in a row.

The Raptors have won 16 of their last 17 games, with 12 of those wins coming against teams under .500. Really interesting 2-game stretch (vs Indiana Sunday, vs Milwaukee Tuesday) coming up.

Raptors up 14 after Lowry FTs with 1:50 left
We're done here
Pacers in town Sunday at 6

Lowry throws himself into Oubre, hooks his arm, gets shooting foul.

Siakam's at 35 points now, Raptors re-energized when Ibaka comes back

Raptors 111, Suns 97 with 2:44 to to

That oughta do it.

Suns miss a WIDE OPEN 3, Raptors score, Suns miss a contested 3, Ibaka banks in a 3

Makes total sense, right?

Raptors up 12 with 4:04 left

I’d say a banked-in Ibaka 3 from above the break is fair karmic payback for some of the foul calls on him tonight.

Ibaka banks in a 3 from the elbow. Now THAT's art. Raptors back up by 12.

Seven point game with 5:13 left, might be time for Serge and his 5 PFs to reappear

Nick Nurse challenging offensive foul call. VanVleet fouled him, but I’d say Booker put his palm on FVV’s chest first.

Raptors to 21 turnovers but, wait!
A Nick Nurse challenge, the one he didn't get to take in that third quarter idiocy

Kelly Oubre with the Terrence Ross memorial uncontested one-handed rebound.

The job Hollis-Jefferson is doing on Ayton despite giving up like 7 inches or so has been tremendous

Hometown advantage on getting game ops to show controversial replays on potential challenges is a real thing.

Raptors are up to 19 turnovers and lead's down to 7 with 8:36 to go

Suns within 7, and VanVleet will at least get an honest chance at the triple double. Gotta think Ibaka will be back soonish.

Another Boucher corner closeout blocked 3

Did they not teach on single solitary Sun what a pump fake is?!?!?!?!?!?

Kyle Lowry hat trick is definitely: charge drawn, technical foul, rebound stolen underneath opposing bucket from big man.

Toronto up 26...
Up 24 at half...
Suns cut it to 13 in q3...
Raps push it back to 25...
10-0 Phx run to close q3...

93-78 raptors

Q4 next on @FAN590

Join us! #smithandjones

Raps up 93-78 after three on the Suns. Slight wobble there to start the third but Raps have lead back up to 15. Raps still over 50% from the field while Suns three-point shooting is definitely off. Just 5-for-26.

Raptors 93, Suns 78 after 3
Five guys in double figures and VanVleet's got 12-7-7 in your triple double watch, which is about all we've got left, frankly

Raps up 93-78 after 3. Terence Davis II has 14 points in 20 minutes.

VanVleet on another triple-double watch, with 12-8-7. Lowry has recorded the last 14 triple-doubles by a Raptor.

Aron Baynes vs. Davis Bertans would be a three-point shooting contest I would watch

After about a 5-minute hiccup, Raptors back up 22 with 2 left in 3rd

These officials must have wanted to see Trae Young or Jimmy Butler close the All-Star Game.

The plus side of a Trump/Bloomberg election is it would be a great, great opportunity for the “Don’t blame me, I voted for Kodos” clip.

Lowry gets T'd up at end of entire Lowry Moments

Draws charge
Hits 3
Makes turnover
Kinda takes his time getting back
Takes court length pass while cherry-picking
Dishes to RHJ for layup
Gets tech

Suns have switched Ayton on to Siakam. Interesting. Spacing is more cramped with RHJ, who just predictably missed a corner 3, in for Ibaka.

So, challenge actually denied 'cause the FT was taken but the lose a timeout and this challenge rule is absolutely utterly ridiculous

Oh, and Ibaka's got 5 fouls

Nurse loses challenge, Raps have lost half of their 24-point halftime lead, Ibaka has five fouls, and this game just got interesting-adjacent.