Raptors score franchise record 49 points in 1st quarter en route to victory over Nuggets

Fred VanVleet's 36-point performance powered the Toronto Raptors past the Denver Nuggets 125-110 on Tuesday.

VanVleet also had seven assists and three steals as Toronto (33-36) snapped a three-game losing skid.

O.G. Anunoby's smothering defence and 24 points helped the Raptors gain a measure of revenge following a controversial ending to a 118-113 loss in Denver on March 6.

MVP candidate Nikola Jokic had 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists as Denver lost its fourth straight.

The Raptors' losing streak began with a loss to the Nuggets last week, as Canadian guard Jamal Murray converted a free throw in the final stretch of that comeback victory after Scottie Barnes was ejected by referee Scott Foster on a controversial technical foul.

Denver beat Toronto in that game despite Anunoby limiting Jokic to a relatively quiet 17 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists.

"We did take away a couple of things that were pretty major," said Raptors head coach Nick Nurse before Tuesday's game. "One of the things [Jokic] likes to do is bring the ball up the floor and we did pressure that early."

WATCH | VanVleet helps Raptors beat Nuggets:

Anunoby picked up where he left off nearly five minutes into Thursday's game, intercepting a bad pass to Jokic at the top of the arc and rushing down the floor for a completely uncontested dunk and a 12-8 Toronto lead.

Toronto's defence effectively pestered Jokic and his teammates throughout the first quarter, building a 49-30 lead after 12 minutes. That's the most the Raptors have ever scored in a single quarter, topping the previous high of 48 set on Jan. 11, 1997 at New Jersey.

VanVleet led the Raptors' offence in the first half, scoring 18 by intermission. Toronto led by as much as 22