The refereeing in this game was ridiculously imbalanced. 45 fouls against the Blazers but only 28 against the Raptors. Obnoxious. Anyway, Meyers Leonard was the leading scorer. Wait . . . what?
Looking back: 45 fouls, 51 free throws, and a future NBA champion
Historical update (November 2026): This was Portland’s first preseason game of 2018–19, played at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, on September 29, 2018. The Raptors won 122–104. It was also Kawhi Leonard’s preseason debut with Toronto after his blockbuster trade from San Antonio, so there was plenty of attention on a game that didn’t actually count in the standings.
And yes, I checked the box score eight years later. That ridiculous foul disparity I complained about was real: 45 fouls on Portland, 28 on Toronto. The Raptors attempted a whopping 51 free throws, making 42; the Blazers attempted just 25, making 18. A 26-attempt difference in a preseason game! That doesn’t prove every call was wrong, but it certainly explains why I was so irritated watching it.
The other surprise from my original description also holds up: Meyers Leonard led Portland in scoring with 14 points. Caleb Swanigan led the Blazers with eight rebounds, while Wade Baldwin IV and Evan Turner each had three assists. For Toronto, Jonas Valančiūnas scored 17 points and Kawhi Leonard contributed 12 in his Raptors debut. Portland led 33–32 after the first quarter, but Toronto took control of the game from there.
Of course, this is what makes the highlights interesting in hindsight. Both franchises were heading into memorable seasons. Portland finished 53–29 and reached the 2019 Western Conference Finals. Toronto went even further, winning the 2019 NBA championship behind Kawhi Leonard. Not bad for two teams playing an otherwise forgettable September exhibition in Vancouver.
If you want to double-check the wild officiating numbers, here’s the official NBA box score. And for more about Portland’s unexpected leading scorer that night, check out my Meyers Leonard player analysis.