OG Anunoby's hot shooting helps Toronto Raptors defeat Denver Nuggets, snap losing streak

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The losing streak comes to an end.

On Wednesday, the Toronto Raptors defeated the Denver Nuggets by a final score of 135-111 to snap their nine-game losing streak.

Pascal Siakam scored a game-high 27 points to go along with eight rebounds and six assists. OG Anunoby (23) and Norman Powell (22) weren't far behind Siakam in the scoring column while Kyle Lowry flirted with a double-double, posting eight points and a game-high nine assists.

The Raptors outscored the Nuggets by 42 points in the 33 minutes Lowry was on the court. According to StatMuse, it's the highest plus/minus of any player this season and the second-highest in franchise history.

For more on the game, some takeaways at the buzzer...

1. A historic night

Women held every on-air role on the TSN broadcast of this game, marking the NBA's first-ever all-female broadcasting team.

Meghan McPeak handled play-by-play duties, Kia Nurse of the Canadian National Team and WNBA's Phoenix Mercury joined her in the booth, Kayla Grey handled sideline duties while Kate Beirness and Amy Audibert hosted the pregame, halftime and postgame show.

2. Basically everyone is interested in Norm

Marc Stein of The New York Times provided an update on the Powell sweepstakes during the first quarter, tweeting that the number of teams that have expressed interest in the Raptors guard ahead of Thursday's trade deadline is "in the teens."

The next 18-or-so hours are going to be veeeeeeeeery interesting.

3. Starting out strong

Led by Siakam and Fred VanVleet, the Raptors came out of the gates strong, but they took control of the game in the second quarter when they outscored the Nuggets 34-24 to take an 18-point lead going into the half.

Anunoby stole the show in the second quarter with 13 of the team's 34 points. He shot 5-for-8 from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 from 3-point range.

Anunoby also came up with a big-time block on Will Barton.

Anunoby had 18 points at the half, making for his highest-scoring game since Jan. 24, when he scored a season-high 30 points against the Indiana Pacers. The Raptors are a different team when he has it rolling.

4. Norman Powell back at it again

Powell scored his 22nd point of the game with a 3-pointer off of some beautiful ball movement in the middle of the third quarter.

Powell now has 21 20-point games on the season. Not only is that the most 20-point games he's ever had in a single season — his previous career-high was 18, set last season — it's the most on the Raptors this season.

Powell finished with 22 points on 8-for-12 shooting from the field in 25 minutes of play. He continues his incredible play this season.

5. Getting fancy with it

DeAndre' Bembry opened the fourth quarter with a slick layup that was so nice, you have to see it twice.

6. Shooting the lights out

The Raptors made a grand total of 24 3-pointers in this one, setting a new franchise record.

Almost everyone got in on the action. Anunoby and VanVleet both went 5-for-9 from 3-point range, Siakam went 3-for-7, Powell went 3-for-4, Lowry went 2-for-3, Paul Watson went 4-for-7 and Matt Thomas went 2-for-2.

7. What's next

The Raptors are back in action on Friday when they host the Phoenix Suns. Between now and then? The trade deadline. Should be an interesting one. Buckle up.

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Scott Rafferty is a Senior NBA Editor for The Sporting News