Kawhi Leonard
Raptors Exhibit Veteran Poise in Crucial Game 5 Win
On Tuesday night in Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena the Raptors came to play, embarrassing the Philadelphia 76ers in a 125-89 win. On a night when a lot of things were working for the Raptors, and not many for the 76ers, it was the veteran poise of the Raptors that stood out, helping them take an early…
Kawh-I, Robot: Leonard continues to dominate Sixers in mechanical fashion
“Soldiers… Don’t give yourselves to the unnatural men – machine men with machine minds and machine hearts! You are not machines! You are not cattle! You are men! You have the love of humanity in your hearts!” This is an excerpt of Charlie Chaplin’s famous speech in ‘The Great Dictator’, one of the greatest soliloquies…
Kawhi Leonard erupts for 39, Raptors even series at 2-2
Kyle Lowry’s disappointing performance, Gasol’s hesitancy to make an offensive play, Nick Nurse’s head-scratching lineup decisions and everyone not named Kawhi’s inability to knock down an open jump shot. There were many unflattering narratives surrounding Toronto since their Game 3 dismantling at the hands of Joel Embiid and company. But as the Liberty bell rung…
Game 4 is the Biggest of Nick Nurse’s Career
When Nick Nurse took the job as head coach of the Toronto Raptors in the summer of 2018, he knew it wasn’t going to be easy. He was replacing the former Coach of the Year in Dwane Casey and inheriting arguably the most skilled team in franchise history with the best player to ever wear…
The Raptors’ bench concerns
Thursday night was about the Raptors starters. In game three, the Sixers starting group soundly beat them for the first time in the series. That was where the Raptors lost the game, and that’s where the focus should be, right? If the starters, who had dominated throughout the playoffs, couldn’t get the job done, then…
Gameday: Raptors @ 76ers – Game 3, May 2
Here we are, looking Game 3 dead in the face. The 76ers made the Raptors uncomfortable in Game 2, and the Raptors missed a chunk of make-able shots. The Raptors did a great job of taking the wind out of the 76ers respective offensive sails as well, but the series still sits at 1-1 before…
Landing the Counterpunch: How the Raptors can respond to Philadelphia’s new defensive approach
Last year I had a university professor that lived for tricking his students. Maybe I should have just studied more – most likely the real moral of this story – but I had diligently gone through his study guide prior to his famously dreaded final exam. Once I sat down that fateful morning and turned…
Just a couple things (please do them), it’ll help
The Raptors lost Game 2. They had their worst performance from downtown since January. One of the NBA’s resident marksmen, Danny Green went 1-6 on threes and five attempts were wide-open. He even missed the shot that would’ve given the Raptors the lead and thrown this series into a frenzy. The 76ers threw a wrench…
Stuck in the mud: Raptors rally late, unable to overcome first half woes in home loss to Sixers
The Toronto Raptors have made their bread this postseason by forcing turnovers and stymieing their opponent’s offensive flow with a heightened defensive tenacity. On Monday night, the shoe was firmly placed on the other foot as the Sixers jumped on Toronto early in a chippy 94-89 loss at Scotiabank Arena. The Raptors, who entered the…
Lean on me, when you’re not strong (or like, whenever) – Raptors Stars Dominate Game 1
Lots of conversations were had, “experts” were consulted, analysts chimed in, and former players deliberated. Any talk before this series usually ended up at the same conclusion: The Raptors are going to win, and they’ll do it handily. Because they have Kawhi Leonard, and Marc Gasol is a great matchup for Joel Embiid. Well, jeez,…