It was approaching an hour after the Toronto Raptors’ heart-pounding Game 6 double-overtime victory against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night to force a seventh and decisive finale.
A downtown Toronto neighbourhood basketball court, dimly lit by surrounding street lights, was packed with a bunch of young men, shooting hoops and mulling every detail of the game, discussing with great enthusiasm the awesome Raptors moments — almost too many to recall.
They then took turns recreating Kyle Lowry’s difficult fade-away jumper over Boston’s Kemba Walker with 11 seconds left to secure the win.
It’s a similar scene playing out on driveways and outdoor community courts across Canada for a second-straight postseason of Raptors basketball. The defending champions have captured the hearts and minds of Canadians from coast to coast.
WATCH | CBC Sports’ Devin Heroux recaps Game 6:
CBC Sports’ Devin Heroux joins CBC News Network to talk about the Raptors Game 6 double OT win, and the upcoming Game 7 of the East semifinals. 5:21
And now there’s another Game 7 in the midst of a playoff run that could again send Raptors fans into a stratosphere of fandom.
Remember it was during Game 7 last season against Philadelphia when Kawhi Leonard electrified millions across the country with his bounce-around-the-rim, gravity-defying buzzer-beater. It propelled the Raps into the Eastern Conference Final and then all the way to a first championship.
Here we go again — except this time there’s no Leonard.
But there is Lowry.
He’s playing inspired basketball and putting the team on his back, logging a staggering 53 minutes during Wednesday night’s thriller and scoring 33 points. He took an elbow to the chin; good enough for three stitches. He took charges, which is part of his patented gritty play. And he sank the Celtics with that deadly jumper late in the second overtime frame.
WATCH | Raptors force Game 7 against Celtics:
Norman Powell and Kyle Lowry came up clutch for the Raptors in a double OT 125-22 win for the Raptors to force game seven. 1:25
Fans can’t get enough of Lowry in these past two post-seasons — a far cry from the player who was once harshly criticized for not being able to finish in the playoffs.
The Celtics are learning what the Raptors had to learn the hard way — just how fine the line is between being a good playoff team and being great, and how hard it is to take down a champion.
WATCH | Anunoby’s Game 3 winner reinvigorates Raptors:
OG Anunoby sank a huge three at the buzzer to give the Toronto Raptors a 104-103 victory in Game 3 against the Boston Celtics. 1:50
And while it’s anyone’s guess who will emerge victorious in Friday’s seventh game, there’s something to be said about these Raptors, how they’ve learned from past disappointments and how they’ve remained poised and focused through it all.
All for one, one for all
But it’s obviously not just Lowry. One of the more impressive aspects of this Toronto team is its ability to lean on one another when other players are struggling.
Pascal Siakam has been struggling and that was on full display in Game 6.
But cue Norm “Playoff” Powell to step up in both overtimes to help lead the team.
Marc Gasol finally found his range from beyond the arc.
OG Anunoby has continued to make big shots in pivotal moments. And Serge Ibaka’s three consecutive three-pointers helped swing the momentum in the Raptors’ favour in the second quarter.
They all have each other’s backs and the bigger the pressure, the better these Raptors play.
Perhaps that’s part of what’s fuelling this love affair between the Raps and their rabid fanbase. Sure, people love to hitch their bandwagon to a champion. But more than that, these Raptors are remarkably relatable and resilient, humble to a fault, and have provided joy to die-hards and casual fans along the way.
There were so many times during Game 6 the Raptors could have quit. They trailed by as many as 13 points in the game. They trailed again in both overtimes. But they just kept fighting.
Now they’re preparing to take to the court in one final battle against the Celtics in what’s turned out to be a riveting series full of plot twists and drama.
And in a one-game, winner-takes-all showdown, coaching becomes that much more important.
Cue NBA coach of the year Nick Nurse.
“This is why you coach,” he said at Thursday’s news conference.
“A lot on the line. It’s the crazy love of a coach to be in the middle of this.”
And it’s the crazy love of a basketball-crazed nation that will again be living and dying on every play.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
