So much for Danny Green’s brief slump after such a great start to his Raptors career.
You don’t often see players go into zones the way Green did in that third quarter rampage. Only Kyle Lowry has ever scored more in a quarter as a Raptor and nobody has hit that many threes for Toronto in one quarter. It was the second time Green has nailed eight triples in a game (also Feb. 2013 while with San Antonio vs. Minnesota) and he’s hit seven four times, including against Memphis, a franchise he has deep respect for, having been a part of some classic playoff meetings in the past.
Serge Ibaka went 7-for-8 on contested shot attempts. The rest of the team hit only 11-of-32 when contested. Without Ibaka, maybe this blowout is a lot different? Then again, with three Raptors hitting at least 70% of their uncontested attempts, many of them from three-point range, maybe not.
We’ll couch this with the admission that Kawhi Leonard was banged up against Washington and Boston, so the logic of resting him against a beaten-down Memphis team playing for the second night in a row and without its second-best player was sound. Still, it really stinks for fans who paid a lot of money for a rare Saturday night Raptors game to not see the most talented player to ever wear the uniform. All that matters is how healthy Kawhi is in the playoffs, sure, but not everyone paying top dollar gets that in the moment. Maybe a minutes restriction would have been the better call? Just a thought.
Cool to see Chris Boucher, Jordan Loyd and Malachi Richardson turn the rare doubleheader, suiting up and playing both for Raptors 905 and the Raptors on the same day.
Fred VanVleet has been playing through a variety of ailments and has struggled to find consistency. Considering the rugged way he plays and his size it’s going to be tough for him to ever be 100% healthy and it’s something that will have to be managed. Lowry being back now helps in that the Raptors can keep VanVleet’s minutes down in order to keep him fresher and more effective.
Miles to go, but Raptor might have turned the corner | The Star
Sideline time forced upon him because of a nagging hip injury gave him a chance to refocus, to take his time, to do what he does.
“I think the one thing the injury did, it helped me slow down a little bit,” Miles said Saturday, when he helped the Raptors beat the Grizzlies 119-90. “It helped me clear my head. It allowed me to be in the gym, days I was able to work, and helped me focus on (getting) back to the basics — taking a chance to take a breather and not having to try and figure out how I was going to get out of this. That was the biggest thing.”
The social media reaction to Miles’ slump was at the same time predictable and shocking. It was as if he was personally responsible for the disappearance of thousands of treasured pets rather than just an NBA player struggling with his game.
Fans wanted him traded, cut, run out of town on a rail. It was typically, sadly, overreactive and Miles, an active user of social media, had to feel it. But he is also mature enough, and has been around long enough, to drown out the incessant noise.
“I take a lot of pride in the amount of work that I put in and wanting to play well for my team, and I think a lot of people thought that it was outside stuff that was bothering me,” he said. “That was coming from inside — it’s me. I put a lot of pressure on myself because I want to play well. I want to help my team.”
Success for Raptor 905 future stars and fans | The Medium
Following the game, and short meet and greet where fans could interact with the players, Notice, Kabongo with their mothers, and Dube-Brais with his wife, sat down for an intimate discussion about mentorship and sport.
As one might think, it takes a lot to become that kid on the playground to getting paid to play the game you love. It takes a lot of sacrifice.
“It can be hard. Not being able to go to every party, or to miss that family event or holiday, because you have a practice, or a game, or you’re on the road,” said Notice. Dube-Brais, his wife and two small children under the age of three, have lived in a variety of countries across the world in only three years. That sounds like a lot of work, and a lot stress, but Dube-Brais doesn’t see it that way. “It doesn’t really feel like work, when you love what you do, when you’re passionate about it,” he says.
Obviously, players and coaches sacrifice a lot of time and effort to reach this stage in their professional careers. But we can’t forget the individuals who have helped them, and continue to help them become successful. “I was the only girl in the house,” said Notice’s mom Suzette. “There was always competition. And there was basketball everywhere: outside, the living room, the kitchen, the basement, in the hallways when the boys should be sleeping.” To support him in his goals and in his dream to play basketball, Suzette researched all the best programs and training opportunities for her son. Often spending countless hours on the road driving Duane to practice, games, and the like nationwide.
This week’s ranking: 3
Last week’s ranking: 1Overall record: 35-13
Last week: 2-1 (loss at Celtics, win vs. Suns, win vs. Grizzlies)
This week: vs. Kings, at Pacers, at Rockets, at Mavericks
In a week that started with a tough loss to the Celtics, the Raptors bounced back well.
Kawhi Leonard rested in both the Suns and Grizzlies games, but Toronto got the job done anyway. Pascal Siakam played hero in the Suns win with a clutch buzzer-beater layup, then Danny Green went ballistic in the third quarter to take out the Grizzlies.
Picking the 2019 NBA All-Star Teams – The Ringer
Starters
G: Kyrie Irving, Celtics
G: Ben Simmons, 76ers
F: Joel Embiid, 76ers
F: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
F: Kawhi Leonard, RaptorsReserves
G: Kemba Walker, Hornets
G: Bradley Beal, Wizards
F: Blake Griffin, Pistons
F: Nikola Vucevic, Magic
F: Pascal Siakam, Raptors
WC: Victor Oladipo, Pacers
WC: Eric Bledsoe, BucksThe East starters are mostly simple: All three frontcourt starters are stellar defensive players who enhance their team’s offense through their mere presence. Giannis would be my choice today to win Most Valuable Player by an atom over Harden. I made the case in December for Embiid as a serious MVP contender, and it’s only gotten stronger since. Meanwhile, Leonard is playing out of his mind for the Raptors, who are just beginning to tap into his true skills. Over Leonard’s past 20 games, he’s averaging 30.4 points on 20 shots and a 64.1 true shooting percentage. Games missed (12 so far) will be used against Leonard when the MVP debate heats up later this season, but Leonard is building a stronger and stronger case.
Raptors’ sturdy roots trace back to Coach Mac | The Star
Isiah Thomas knew this when he became the team’s first president and public face, and he wanted it fixed.
That’s how John McLendon, a trailblazing coach credited with promoting a fast-paced game and, more important, race relations in the sport, became a Raptors consultant.
And the learning began.
“Having that kind of knowledge around and listening to him tell stories was very important,” Thomas said in a telephone interview. “His belief, his saying, was: You play as you live. If you live right, you eat right, you play right. He was a big believer in teaching that philosophy.
“His storytelling was amazing. I would always have the guys just sit down and have him talk basketball and talk life, talk about the way the game is supposed to be played and how you should handle yourself in life.”
The Raptors, from Thomas’s time right up until today, can be rightfully proud of the way they handle themselves in both promoting the game, teaching its history and advancing its most important causes.
Thomas knew that and, in many ways, McLendon was to the infancy of the Raptors what Wayne Embry is currently, a tie to an important past.
Endless march for equality drives Raptors’ Embry | The Star
Embry — along with ex-Raptor Chris Bosh, WNBA icon Candace Parker and NBA great Bill Walton — will be honoured Monday in Memphis with the National Civil Rights Museum’s Sports Legacy award for “their dedicated and significant contributions to civil and human rights and for laying the foundation for future leaders through their career in sports in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”
It will be a poignant moment for the 81-year-old Embry, given his close association with King and the 1960s movement.“Anything associated with Martin Luther King is very significant to me,” Embry said. “Of course, growing up in the ’40s and ’50s, it wasn’t easy and when Dr. King started his movement. It changed things and made the world a better place. It’s truly a great honour to receive this.”
Ever since he joined the Raptors organization in 2005, Embry has been a voice, a presence, a resource, a friend and a connection to the past. His basketball knowledge is vast. His real-life knowledge is more important.
He grew up unable to do the routine things that players are able to do today. The current Raptors should pay homage to him every time they see him.“One of the best hires the Raptors have ever made,” said Richard Peddie, who was president of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment when Embry was brought aboard. “A giant of a man, all-star, hall of fame, champion, NBA trailblazer and, importantly, a very genuine good friend. They don’t make them any better.”
Toronto Raptors in the running for hot ticket Bradley Beal
Now we could be facetious and ask why Beal would want to stay with the Wizards, if he’s serious about winning? Wouldn’t a move to Toronto put him in a better position to compete?
However, there is something to be said for loyalty in professional sports, especially into today’s climate. If the 2012 third overall draft pick doesn’t want to be traded, this will theoretically count for something. (Although not if you were to ask DeRozan.)
In any event, as things stand, the Wizards are denying Beal is available. However, if the team finds itself falling out of the playoff race between now and Feb. 7, this could change.
At that point, the Raptors will still face a challenge to secure the services of Beal, who would undoubtedly be one of the NBA’s hottest tickets. Speculation indicates the likes of the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and Indiana Pacers would all apparently be interested.
Miles wants this to be the start of something more than you know | Toronto Sun
Pre-season was an mishmash of up and down games but once the regular season started the good nights got more and more scarce.
Worse, every good one seemed to be followed by a very rough one which makes it tough for a guy to build any confidence.
In October he had a decent night at home in a win over Dallas shooting 4-for-6 and a perfect 2-for-2 from distance. Three nights later in Milwaukee he was 1-for-7, all of them from behind the arc.
In early November he had a nice game against the Phoenix Suns going 3-for-7 from the field and 3-of-5 from long range. He followed that up with an 0-for-6 night in Los Angles.
By mid-December when things were looking rather bleak for the three-point specialist he seemed to find something in Portland going 5-for-10 from the field and 3-for-4 from behind the arc. After this one even his head coach was envisioning this being the start of something for a guy in the locker room everyone was pulling for. Two nights later in Denver he was 2-for-12 from the field, both makes from distance but seven others from long range missing the mark.
Over the next 14 games, he sat out seven (some due to a hip injury, others a coaches DNP) and in those contests he did play, he didn’t have more than a make in any game.
The injury played a part, no question, but bottom line, and Miles admits this, he was just trying to do too much to make up for the bad nights.
An easy night for the Raptors and a full mailbag for you | The Star
The way that Danny Green has fit here has been impressive. I think the fans see a guy with little ego who goes and does his work in a professional manner and well and they appreciate it. I think too many people would have known exactly what the Raptors were getting in Green – some did, no question, but not all – and the way he’s handled things has endeared him to the populace for sure.
Then he goes out and goes berserk in the third quarter and the love flows. Trust me, he knew.
“When your team is trying to get you the ball it was kind of like a first for me. It was kind of weird. They were running plays for me, trying to get the ball in my hands. I was like ‘Let’s just play basketball’ but it was fun and the fans made it even better,” he said.
It seemed like every shot was more open than the last one, which got mentioned in the post-game wrap-up but you still gotta make ‘em and he did.
“It wasn’t like they were tough, contested or difficult shots. Just run the floor, get to the corner, get to (open) space, get some offensive rebounds and kickouts and I just happen to be the guy that was open.”
Drake dooms all remaining NFL playoff teams with the ‘Drake Curse’
Alabama fans were quick to blame Drake for ruining their season after the Crimson Tide lost to Clemson in the College Football Playoff final.
