Fan Duel Toronto Raptors

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Dwane Casey: ‘We’re not done yet,’ no Valanciunas update, and other notes

This must feel pretty good for a coach who's been through a lot with this team over the past few years.

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The Toronto Raptors are going to the Eastern Conference Finals. Pardon my language, but holy shit.

“I thought the effort, the intensity, the focus, was who we were. At both ends of the floor,” Dwane Casey said after the game. “I thought we started out a little shaky defensively, but I thought as the game went on we got locked in and tied in and did a much better job of guarding the basketball, keeping the ball in front of us. And I thought that was the key.”

We’re going to come at you with as much post-game coverage as we can and then quickly change course to Cavaliers preview stuff in the morning. For this post, double back and we’ll have full quotes, we’re just trying to bring you this stuff quickly.

They’ve done what they set out to do, but…

Casey said that the Raptors have accomplished what they set out to do, and he’s absolutely right. The Raptors have made the East Finals, which is about as far as anyone thought they might get in the best case. At the same time…

“But we’re not done yet,” Casey said. “I know what it’s like to win a championship…This group is hungry.

“Never say never.”

Shoutout to Justin Bieber.

Where they go from here

Casey spoke at length about how important this win was for the program continuing to build and move in the right direction.

“We’re still not a finished product but we’re a step ahead of the process,” Casey said.

What it means to Casey

Here’s Casey on what the win means to him personally. Given how much flack he’s taken over the last five years, this must feel great.

Personally, I’m not a sentimental person. For this program, from where we started to where we are now, it’s very important. I think we’ve done everything that we set out to do. We’re not done yet. I know what it’s like to win a championship. I’m not saying that we can do that, but I think this group is hungry. Never say never. I know one thing, our guys will compete, and that’s all you ask at this time of year: Guys play hard, lay it on the line for 48 minutes, no matter who’s in the game. But personally, it’s rewarding to see, to the coaching staff, but we still have another series to go in the Eastern Conference.

No Valanciunas update

Casey declined to provide a firm update on Jonas Valanciunas, saying only that he’s still limping around (can confirm) and undergoing 24-hour rehab. He is yet to participate in basketball activities. The coach really wouldn’t budge on an update.

“We’ll see,” he repeated.

Other Raptors notes

This is funny:


I would have paid to be in the room for this speech:


Spoelstra and Wade speak, other Heat notes

Erik Spoelstra was terrific in his post-game availability, showing a ton of respect to the Raptors organization and the team they played against. He seemed to thoroughly enjoy being a part of the series. “Maybe not the most elegant series…if you’re a basketball enthusiast, you can see and find joy in a grind like this,” he said.

As for the game itself, Spoelstra thought they had a chance to close the lead when Tyler Johnson hit an open corner three to cut the lead to six. “They wore us down,” he said of the fourth quarter pull-away.

“Toronto beat us. Fair and square. Give them credit,” Spoelstra said when baited to make a tiredness or injury excuse (which made little sense given both teams went 14 games with basically the same schedule.”

Asked if the Heat “maxed out” what they had, Dwyane Wade offered, “Yeah, we did. Today, the better team won. We use no excuses, just like I believe they would have made no excuses…Today, they were the better team.”

Both Spoelstra and Wade spoke about the future of Chris Bosh, too, and here’s hoping he finds himself in good health and happiness soon. Want nothing but the best for CB.

Heading to Cleveland like

This is what my heart feels like right now:

Views from (another) Game 7.

A photo posted by Blake Murphy (@eblakemurphy) on


But…

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