TORONTO, Ont. (February 4, 2021) - You can count another Chris Boucher career-high as your Canadian NBA highlight this week. Through two Raptors wins and a loss, the Montreal native continues to make an impact on both ends of the floor for Toronto. First, Boucher recorded a new career-high in points with a 29-point, 10-rebound double-double in a 132-121 Raptors loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. Boucher was 10-for-13 from the floor in the loss, while adding two blocked shots and an assist.

Though the team dropped the game, Raptors head coach Nick Nurse was pleased with Boucher’s effort, particularly on the defensive end of the floor. “He played great,” Nurse said after the game. “I think it was that he was just relentless on the glass. I thought he got a piece of a few [shots] blocked-shot wise. He was a big factor. I thought he had a great game. He looked good. He’s getting better and better.”

Boucher followed up Saturday’s performance with a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double to go with two assists, a block and a steal as the Raptors bounced back with a 128-113 road win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Getting back in the wins column was the top priority for the Raptors, but a stop in Memphis also meant a mini reunion for Boucher with former college teammate, fellow Canadian and current Grizzlies shooting guard Dillon Brooks.

“He’s having a wonderful season over there,” Boucher said of Brooks, who scored 22 points in the game. “We’re two people that like to compete and we always go 100 percent, whether we’re practising or playing. We talk a lot of smack and go at each other. It’s been like that since [our first year at] Oregon and it’s still like that now and I think it’s going to be like that forever. I think that’s what makes us such great friends. We know when to compete and when to truly be friends and be there for each other.”

In a 137-115 Raptors win against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, Boucher was at it again with another double-double. This time, he delivered 17 points and 16 rebounds in just 25 minutes off the bench while shooting  5-for-10 from the floor, 1-for-2 from deep and 6-for-7 from the free-throw line while adding an assist and two blocked shots. Wednesday’s game was Toronto’s fifth straight on the road in a stretch where the team will play nine of 10 straight away from this season’s home base in Tampa.

Through 25 games this season, Boucher has nearly doubled his career-scoring average from 7.3 points to 13.8 points per game. His numbers are up across the board. In addition to his 13.8 points, he is also averaging 6.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.9 blocks in 23 minutes per game.

Also of note

• Though Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed Wednesday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers, it was Gilgeous-Alexander who pushed the Lakers into overtime on Monday. L.A. ended up outlasting the Thunder 119-112 in overtime, but the team was at a loss for how to handle Gilgeous-Alexander. The 22-year-old again flirted with a triple-double in the game, finishing with 29 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists in 42 minutes of play. Gilgeous-Alexander was 10-for-25 from the floor, including 4-for-8 from beyond the arc and a perfect 5-for-5 from the free-throw line. This was the sixth time in 21 games this season that he has scored at least 25 points and the 15th time he’s crossed the 20-point threshold. On the season, the Canadian point guard is averaging 22.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists while playing 33.8 minutes per game.

• In Oklahoma City’s second consecutive meeting with the Lakers, the Thunder again dropped a close decision in overtime, falling 114-113 in overtime on Wednesday. With Gilgeous-Alexander sidelined, Lu Dort contributed 17 points for the Thunder, to go along with five rebounds, four assists and two steals. It was his defence that took centre stage though, specifically this video clip of his extremely active defence on LeBron James that made the rounds of social media after the game.

• Kelly Olynk scored a season-high as the Miami Heat recorded a 98-96 victory against the New York Knicks to give the team its first three-game winning streak of the season. The win also gave Miami a sweep of a home-and-home against New York. Olynyk shot 7-for-10 in the win, including 6-for-8 from beyond the arc. Miami was a +19 while he was on the floor. Olynyk scored 15 points In the team’s previous victory against the Knicks on Sunday afternoon.

Game of the Week‍

Oklahoma City Thunder @ Denver Nuggets

Friday, February 11, 9 p.m. ET

The Oklahoma City Thunder will be in Denver on Friday, looking to avenge a 119-101 loss to the Nuggets on Jan. 19. They will also be hoping to bounce back after a pair of overtime road losses to the Los Angeles Lakers. This will be the second of three meetings between the two teams this season. While the Thunder are looking to get back on track, the Nuggets will enter the game looking for their second straight win after snapping a three-game losing streak with a dominant 133-95 blowout victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday that saw six players reach double figures.

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