this sequence from fred vanvleet. bottles up beal the first time, swipes pokes it free on the second attempt, wins the loose ball vs porzingis, gets the corner 3 pic.twitter.com/OXy3FAoyCR
— William Lou (@william_lou) March 5, 2023
Important win (if for no other reasons than the alternative would've been a disaster). Raptors split a 2-game set in Washington to maintain a slim lead on the Wizards for 9th place. The Mar. 26 meeting in Toronto will decide the season series/tiebreaker.
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) March 5, 2023
Revisiting our early concerns for NBA teams: How do things look now? – The Athletic
Early concern: Scottie Barnes’ sophomore slump
Where things stand now: Things have improved, although there is a lot less clarity in terms of Barnes’ place within the current version of the team. Since the beginning of 2023, Barnes is averaging 16.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game, developing as a handler and screener in the pick-and-roll. However, his on-ball defense remains a concern, as does the overall fit of him offensively with both Pascal Siakam and newly acquired Jakob Poeltl. Saying that, Barnes has been way more impactful than many of his peers, and his overall performance dwarfs that of many of his fellow 2021 lottery draftees.
TSN Edge: Resurgent Raptors gaining ground in the playoff race
The resurgent Raptors continue their five-game road trip out west as they look to stay in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. With the help of FanDuel, SportsCentre examines the odds of Toronto making the postseason.
Ye Olde Mailbag: Balancing life and ball, new baseball rules and Nick Nurse’s future | The Star
Q: Do you think Nick Nurse is on his way out the door to coach the Lakers?
I just feel that he is not engaged with the players and they don’t seem engaged with him.
We all heard the rumors of L.A. wanting Nurse and his recent absence would have been the perfect time for an interview.
What do you think?
Wendy Balshin
A: Those Lakers rumours ended when L.A. settled on Darvin Ham. I cannot see how they’d change course now.
That said, when the summer arrives every facet of the Raptors organization will be up for review, including coaching, as it is every single off-season.
What happens then cannot be foretold.
