Immanuel Quickley's game-winner helps Raptors overcome poor performance

Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley. Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Immanuel Quickley's game-winner helps Raptors overcome poor shooting performance

By Andrew Wright | Last updated Jan 7, 2026 10:23 PM ET

On a night where they missed 19 consecutive three-pointers, the Toronto Raptors made the one that counted the most.

Not how you start, but how you finish

Toronto shot an atrocious 7-of-34 (21%) from three-point range, but it was only the last three-pointer that meant anything. That one came from the hands of Immanuel Quickley, and it was a major one.

Quickley's three-point shot was a game-winner, giving the Raptors an unexpected 97-96 win over the Charlotte Hornets.

The win for Toronto snapped Charlotte's brief hot streak of two wins in a row and kept the Hornets from securing their first winning streak of the season.

IMMANUEL QUICKLEY LADIES AND GENTLEMEN‼️ pic.twitter.com/Od4TxWiK0j
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) January 8, 2026

Toronto has RJ Barrett is to thank for even being in the game

Without a dominant fourth-quarter performance from R.J. Barrett, the Raptors would not have been in a position to win the game at the buzzer.

Barrett finished the game with 28 points, 16 of which came in the fourth quarter. Before Quickley's game-winner, Barrett had scored 14 of the previous 16 points for Toronto, giving his squad a chance to steal a game on the road.

RJ Barrett has taken over this game.

11 points in the fourth quarter and counting! pic.twitter.com/jCJL3wb12I
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) January 8, 2026

Charlotte remains one of the most confusing teams in the league

Are the Hornets good or bad? It's become very hard to figure that out in recent weeks. Just two nights ago, Charlotte blew out the defending champions on the road. Fast forward 48 hours, and they're only scoring 96 points and losing out at home.

The absence of Brandon Miller in Wednesday's game was evident. It would appear that unless Charlotte is at absolute 100% full strength, it will not be able to string together three or four straight wins like other teams are able to do.

It'll be a quick turnaround on Thursday with the second game of a back-to-back against the Indiana Pacers, losers of 13 straight games.

Andrew Wright

Andrew "Dew" Wright graduated from Charleston Southern University with a degree in Communication Studies. He is a lifelong Chicago Cubs and Washington Commanders fan.

More must-reads: