Deadspin | Raptors hope long-range scoring punch continues against Kings

Deadspin | Raptors hope long-range scoring punch continues against Kings

Jan 20, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram (3) shoots a three-pointer against the Golden State Warriors in the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images

Two teams that found themselves on opposite ends of high-scoring affairs Tuesday night get no break in the schedule when the Toronto Raptors and Sacramento Kings complete back-to-backs with a head-to-head matchup Wednesday night in the California capital.

Unfazed by the league’s worst 3-point shooting percentage entering the game (33.6%), the Raptors rode a brilliant scoring night from Immanuel Quickley and 21-for-34 accuracy from deep to race past the Golden State Warriors 145-127 in San Francisco on Tuesday night.

Ninety miles to the northeast, the Kings watched the visiting Miami Heat put on a long-range shooting display, making 21 of 42, in a 130-117 triumph in Sacramento.

Both the Raptors and Kings were able to spread the minutes rather widely on the first night of the back-to-back, with Toronto using all 12 available players and Sacramento playing 10 for at least 19 minutes each.

Mission accomplished, Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic noted.

“We are at the end of January and we know what those dog days look like before the All-Star break,” he expressed to the media in San Francisco. “We’re trying to be very conscientious about minutes and usage of our guys in those games before All-Star.”

Three Raptors played 34 or more minutes against the Warriors, in large part because they were putting on an entertaining show.

Quickley matched his career high with 40 points in 34 minutes, Scottie Barnes chipped in with 26 points in 39 minutes, and Brandon Ingram had 22 points to show for his 36 minutes as the trio combined to shoot 31-for-48. Toronto scorched Golden State with 59.3% shooting overall and 61.8% accuracy on 3-pointers.

Barnes also found time to dish off a game-high 11 assists in the type of performance that had Rajakovic conjuring up memories of Wilt Chamberlain.

“When I look back at NBA history and see that Wilt Chamberlain was averaging 48.1 minutes in one season and playing all the overtimes, I’m a little bit jealous of those old times,” he admitted. “But the game is different nowadays, and definitely we have that in mind. I’m thinking about Scottie’s usage quite a bit.

“I don’t know if there’s another player in the history of the game that one night plays point guard, the other night he’s a wing, and the fourth night he’s playing (center). Just not for one or two possessions, but it’s a main role in the game, and Scottie’s doing that for us and he’s outstanding trying to manage all of those different roles.”

Interestingly, Kings coach Doug Christie found himself, after Sacramento’s second straight home loss, defending his decision to keep one of his top players, Zach LaVine, on the bench for 17 of the second half’s 24 minutes.

“We’re trying to find a rhythm and find a group that is stopping people at the same time,” Christie explained to reporters afterward. “We didn’t have a problem scoring tonight. We need to stop somebody.”

LaVine finished with 18 points in 22 minutes. Domantas Sabonis, in his third game after a 27-game absence due to a knee injury, got just 17 minutes, keeping the door open for his participation on a second straight night.

Sabonis had six points and 10 rebounds in his stint, which was shorter than either of his previous two comeback games, when he played 21 and 20 minutes.

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Raptors #hope #longrange #scoring #punch #continues #Kings

Here are the players at the top of the Golden Boot standings. Note that we have included just the players with four goals or more. For the full list of scorers at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, you can check FIFA’s official list:

What are the Golden Boot scenarios?

Two players on this list could, theoretically, catch Mbappé.

First is Spanish forward Mikel Oyarzabal, who has enjoyed a tremendous run of form for Spain at the 2026 World Cup. With five goals and an assist, however, he would need to score six goals in the Final to take the outright lead away from Mbappé. If he matched Mbappé’s totals of ten goals and four assists — meaning he scored five goals and added three assists in the World Cup Final — he would have to do so in less total minutes than the 769 Mbappé played at the 2026 World Cup.

But the player with a better chance of catching Mbappé is Messi, but it would still take something special for Messi to catch the French superstar. If he matched Mbappé’s total of ten goals with a brace against Spain — remember he scored two goals in the 2022 World Cup Final against France — he would need to add an assist to beat Mbappé. If he somehow scored a hat trick against Spain, that would move him to the top.

Or, if Messi finishes level with Mbappé on both goals and assists, he would have to do so in just 57 minutes or less, then he would win on the final tiebreaker.

When it comes to the Golden Boot, assists are the first tiebreaker. If two players remain tied on both goals and assists, the player that played the fewest minutes would win the Golden Boot.

If, however, Mbappé holds on and wins the Golden Boot, he would become the first player in the history of the FIFA World Cup to win the Golden Boot twice.

#World #Cup #Golden #Boot #scenarios #Kylian #Mbappé #Lionel #Messi">World Cup 2026: Golden Boot scenarios for Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi  The Final, between Spain and Argentina. Will Argentina become the first nation since Brazil won in 1958 and 1962, or will Spain secure their first title since 2010?However, something else is on the line on Sunday.Thanks to a huge performance in the third-place match against England, where he scored a pair of goals and added an assist, Kylian Mbappé of France currently sits atop the standings. But with one match remaining, Lionel Messi could still catch him and take home the Golden Boot.But it would take something special from him on Sunday to catch Mbappé.Here are the standings, and the scenarios.What are the Golden Boot standings?Here are the players at the top of the Golden Boot standings. Note that we have included just the players with four goals or more. For the full list of scorers at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, you can check FIFA’s official list:What are the Golden Boot scenarios?Two players on this list could, theoretically, catch Mbappé.First is Spanish forward Mikel Oyarzabal, who has enjoyed a tremendous run of form for Spain at the 2026 World Cup. With five goals and an assist, however, he would need to score six goals in the Final to take the outright lead away from Mbappé. If he matched Mbappé’s totals of ten goals and four assists — meaning he scored five goals and added three assists in the World Cup Final — he would have to do so in less total minutes than the 769 Mbappé played at the 2026 World Cup.But the player with a better chance of catching Mbappé is Messi, but it would still take something special for Messi to catch the French superstar. If he matched Mbappé’s total of ten goals with a brace against Spain — remember he scored two goals in the 2022 World Cup Final against France — he would need to add an assist to beat Mbappé. If he somehow scored a hat trick against Spain, that would move him to the top.Or, if Messi finishes level with Mbappé on both goals and assists, he would have to do so in just 57 minutes or less, then he would win on the final tiebreaker.When it comes to the Golden Boot, assists are the first tiebreaker. If two players remain tied on both goals and assists, the player that played the fewest minutes would win the Golden Boot.If, however, Mbappé holds on and wins the Golden Boot, he would become the first player in the history of the FIFA World Cup to win the Golden Boot twice.  #World #Cup #Golden #Boot #scenarios #Kylian #Mbappé #Lionel #Messi

Golden Boot standings. Note that we have included just the players with four goals or more. For the full list of scorers at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, you can check FIFA’s official list:

What are the Golden Boot scenarios?

Two players on this list could, theoretically, catch Mbappé.

First is Spanish forward Mikel Oyarzabal, who has enjoyed a tremendous run of form for Spain at the 2026 World Cup. With five goals and an assist, however, he would need to score six goals in the Final to take the outright lead away from Mbappé. If he matched Mbappé’s totals of ten goals and four assists — meaning he scored five goals and added three assists in the World Cup Final — he would have to do so in less total minutes than the 769 Mbappé played at the 2026 World Cup.

But the player with a better chance of catching Mbappé is Messi, but it would still take something special for Messi to catch the French superstar. If he matched Mbappé’s total of ten goals with a brace against Spain — remember he scored two goals in the 2022 World Cup Final against France — he would need to add an assist to beat Mbappé. If he somehow scored a hat trick against Spain, that would move him to the top.

Or, if Messi finishes level with Mbappé on both goals and assists, he would have to do so in just 57 minutes or less, then he would win on the final tiebreaker.

When it comes to the Golden Boot, assists are the first tiebreaker. If two players remain tied on both goals and assists, the player that played the fewest minutes would win the Golden Boot.

If, however, Mbappé holds on and wins the Golden Boot, he would become the first player in the history of the FIFA World Cup to win the Golden Boot twice.

#World #Cup #Golden #Boot #scenarios #Kylian #Mbappé #Lionel #Messi">World Cup 2026: Golden Boot scenarios for Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi

The Final, between Spain and Argentina. Will Argentina become the first nation since Brazil won in 1958 and 1962, or will Spain secure their first title since 2010?

However, something else is on the line on Sunday.

Thanks to a huge performance in the third-place match against England, where he scored a pair of goals and added an assist, Kylian Mbappé of France currently sits atop the standings. But with one match remaining, Lionel Messi could still catch him and take home the Golden Boot.

But it would take something special from him on Sunday to catch Mbappé.

Here are the standings, and the scenarios.

What are the Golden Boot standings?

Here are the players at the top of the Golden Boot standings. Note that we have included just the players with four goals or more. For the full list of scorers at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, you can check FIFA’s official list:

What are the Golden Boot scenarios?

Two players on this list could, theoretically, catch Mbappé.

First is Spanish forward Mikel Oyarzabal, who has enjoyed a tremendous run of form for Spain at the 2026 World Cup. With five goals and an assist, however, he would need to score six goals in the Final to take the outright lead away from Mbappé. If he matched Mbappé’s totals of ten goals and four assists — meaning he scored five goals and added three assists in the World Cup Final — he would have to do so in less total minutes than the 769 Mbappé played at the 2026 World Cup.

But the player with a better chance of catching Mbappé is Messi, but it would still take something special for Messi to catch the French superstar. If he matched Mbappé’s total of ten goals with a brace against Spain — remember he scored two goals in the 2022 World Cup Final against France — he would need to add an assist to beat Mbappé. If he somehow scored a hat trick against Spain, that would move him to the top.

Or, if Messi finishes level with Mbappé on both goals and assists, he would have to do so in just 57 minutes or less, then he would win on the final tiebreaker.

When it comes to the Golden Boot, assists are the first tiebreaker. If two players remain tied on both goals and assists, the player that played the fewest minutes would win the Golden Boot.

If, however, Mbappé holds on and wins the Golden Boot, he would become the first player in the history of the FIFA World Cup to win the Golden Boot twice.

#World #Cup #Golden #Boot #scenarios #Kylian #Mbappé #Lionel #Messi
ENG vs IND 3rd ODI, Live Score: India 1/0 (1); Rohit batting as India chases 387  Axar. Arm ball, Duckett works it on the leg side for one. Short, Bethell pulls to deep backward point. Misses the sweep, hits Duckett on the pads straight, India appeal loudly for the LBW but no reaction from the umpire!India take the review. Pitching outside leg, good decision by the onfield umpire, Duckett survives. Duckett brings out the reverse sweep, hits his arm and the ball goes in the air and ouch! Kishan lands awkwardly while chasing the ball! He’s holding onto his shoulder and looks in pain, the physio is out to check if he is okay.Good news, he’s taken his position behind the stumps and play resumes. Duckett takes a single on the leg side. Bethell guides it to deep square leg for one.   #ENG #IND #3rd #ODI #Live #Score #India #Rohit #batting #India #chases

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