The Raptors 905 finally got the bounce-back they were looking for.
After a four-game road skid that saw their once-stout defense spring leaks, the 905 returned to Mississauga and reminded everyone why they’ve been one of the G League’s most dangerous teams at home. They dismantled the Grand Rapids Gold 137-109 on Thursday, snapping their losing streak in emphatic fashion and improving to 8-1 at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre this season.
This one wasn’t just a win - it was a statement.
A.J. Lawson Leads the Charge
A.J. Lawson, the Brampton native, wasted no time setting the tone.
He poured in 29 points on 10-of-16 shooting, attacking with confidence and playing with the kind of energy that radiated throughout the roster. Whether he was slashing to the rim or knocking down jumpers, Lawson looked like a man on a mission - and the 905 fed off it.
But this wasn’t a one-man show.
Seven players hit double figures for the 905, a balanced scoring effort that underscored just how deep and versatile this group can be when it’s clicking. David Roddy was right behind Lawson with 22 points, eight boards and seven assists, showing off his all-around game and doing a little bit of everything to keep the offense humming.
Jarkel Joiner added 19, Alijah Martin chipped in 18, and Olivier Sarr rounded out the starting five with 13. Off the bench, Tyson Degenhart and Julian Reese brought the energy, combining for 24 points and giving the 905 a spark whenever they stepped on the floor.
A Shaky First Half - Then a Takeover
Don’t let the final score fool you - this game had its moments of tension, especially in the first half.
The 905 came out hot, jumping to a 16-point lead in the first quarter. But Grand Rapids adjusted, throwing a zone defense at them that completely stalled the 905 offense.
For nearly five minutes in the second quarter, the Raptors 905 couldn’t buy a bucket. In that stretch, the Gold rattled off a 14-0 run, flipping the game on its head.
Joiner finally stopped the bleeding with a tough, contested three, but the damage was done. Grand Rapids outscored the 905 by 14 in the second quarter and took a 61-57 lead into halftime. It was a flashback to the issues that plagued the 905 during their losing streak: defensive lapses, offensive stagnation, and an inability to respond when things got tight.
James Akinjo was a major problem for the 905 in that first half. He came off the bench and torched them for 17 points by halftime, finishing with a game-high 34. The Gold shot a blistering 68.4% in the second quarter alone - a number that would give any coach nightmares.
Flipping the Script in the Third
Then came the third quarter, and with it, the version of Raptors 905 that had been missing during the road trip.
The defense locked in. Grand Rapids was held to just 19 points in the frame and coughed up seven turnovers, which the 905 turned into nine quick points. The offense, meanwhile, exploded for 42 points in the quarter - their highest-scoring frame of the game - and used an 18-2 run to break things wide open.
Joiner was at the heart of the surge, scoring 10 in the quarter and drilling a pair of threes. The team hit five triples in the third, while the Gold went 0-for-5 from deep. Just like that, the 905 turned a four-point halftime deficit into a 19-point lead heading into the fourth.
And they didn’t let up.
The 905 outscored Grand Rapids 38-29 in the final frame, closing the game with authority and finishing the second half with a +32 margin. Lawson capped off his big night with a blow-by layup that set a new season-high in points for the team - a fitting exclamation point in front of a raucous crowd of 4,701 kids on School Day.
Julian Reese Does the Dirty Work
While the scoring was impressive, the 905’s success in this one was also built on second-chance opportunities - and that’s where Julian Reese made his mark.
The rookie forward continues to show why he’s becoming a key piece for this squad. Reese finished with 10 points and nine rebounds, including a whopping seven on the offensive glass. That effort helped the 905 dominate the offensive rebounding battle 18-7 and rack up 33 second-chance points - a +24 advantage in that category alone.
That kind of hustle has been missing during the losing streak. The 905 had slipped from being one of the league’s best at limiting opponents’ offensive boards to one of the worst over the last four games. Reese helped flip that script.
His highlight of the night came in the third quarter, when he found himself switched onto Cole Hawkins on the perimeter. Instead of backing off, Reese stayed with him, poked the ball loose, and forced a shot-clock violation - a textbook example of his motor and defensive versatility.
At 6-foot-9 and 230 pounds, Reese isn’t the biggest big man out there, but he plays with a relentless energy that jumps off the screen. He’s now scored 10 points in three straight games, and his activity on both ends continues to give the 905 a lift.
Back on Track
This was the kind of performance the Raptors 905 needed - not just to get back in the win column, but to remind themselves of what they’re capable of when they play their brand of basketball.
The defense was sharp, the offense was unselfish and balanced, and the energy - especially in that second half - was contagious. They looked like the team that had been leading the league in opponent scoring earlier this season, not the one that had slipped to 12th during the recent slide.
There’s still work to be done, but Thursday’s win was a big step in the right direction. And if A.J.
Lawson, David Roddy, and Julian Reese keep playing like this? The 905 might just be heating up at the right time.