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Five thoughts recap: Toronto Raptors 111, Charlotte Hornets 100 – RaptorsHQ

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Ready or not, the 2020-21 NBA Season is here!

Well, the preseason is, anyway. It feels like just yesterday we were bidding the 2019-20 season farewell. Still, in what has been a pretty dang miserable year, it is nice to have the Raptors back in our lives, isn’t it?

And lucky for us, our first preseason action showed us that this year’s Toronto Raptors team, despite the new faces, might be just as fun as last year’s, as they spent the middle two quarters of last night’s game just steamrolling the Charlotte Hornets on their way to an easy 111-100 win.

Let’s quickly run down a few thoughts:

Let the Malachi Flynn Hype Begin

Last night saw the debut of a much-herlanded rookie point guard who ran the show and played both ends like a seasoned vet.

It also saw LaMelo Ball play his first NBA minutes.

I kid! LaMelo throw some highlight-worthy passes in his debut, and hauled in 10 boards (though he was shut out of the scoring column).

But how about Malachi Flynn!?

I’ll be honest, I had no expectations for Flynn coming in. For all the draft reports that said he was a perfect fit in Toronto, he was still the second-last pick in the first round. Guys picked that low rarely find roles early on.

But if one preseason game is any indication (it’s probably not! but) I may have to readjust my thinking. Flynn looked great out there, playing in control, making smart decisions, shooting the ball well… and, perhaps most importantly, he looked like a great fit on the defensive end. He was in the right spots, kept himself wide, and didn’t reach or gamble.

Perhaps my favourite Flynn moment came early in the fourth quarter, when, after he missed a layup, Flynn immediately jumped back into the play and knocked the rebound away from Hornets centre Nick Richards as the teams went the other way. Flynn then gathered the ball and dished it to Deandre’ Bembry for a layup.

It was positively Lowry-esque! I’m still not sure Flynn will be a contributor this season, but he’s off to a great start.

More Matt Thomas

Speaking of great starts, how good did Matt Thomas look? He was featured in the offense much more last night than we’d seen in the past, coming off screens and curls and popping threes. He finished with 16 points on nine shots.

He also looked to be moving at a more natural pace; even though Thomas was an “old” rookie, players always say it takes some time in the NBA before things start to slow down for them.

If things are slowing down for Thomas, and he can play decent defies, he should get consistent minutes this year (and maybe challenge for the league lead in three-point percentage).

Extension-Ready OG

OG Anunoby had a solid game too, perhaps sending a message to Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster that wants that contract extension. I don’t think that’s in the cards just yet but regardless, it was great to see him playing inside-outside and flashing a little juice with the around-the-back dribble leading to the slam:

I have no idea if OG is ready to take that leap we’ve all been waiting for, but if he plays like that all season, that next contract — whether it comes now or later — will take care of itself.

Rust, Shake Thyself

It sure didn’t look pretty early, did it? I guess we all know what to expect in preseason games, but because it wasn’t so long ago that we last saw the Raptors, it didn’t quite have the same feel going in.

Didn’t take long to acquire that feel though, as the Raptors looked like they’d never seen each other before in the first six minutes, falling behind by as many as 19 points.

Fred VanVleet in particular looked a bit rusty, as he couldn’t break anyone down off the dribble (including Bismack Biyombo) and needed to bank in his only three pointer of the night. He also looked, maybe, kinda sort… a bit out of shape? Not that I would blame him — besides the short offseason, trying to manage two young kids in a pandemic makes maintaning healthy eating and exercise habits tough for anyone, even NBA players! Pascal Siakam’s jump shot looked nice and smooth, but he still seems a bit off around the rim. Chris Boucher looked exactly the same as the last time we saw him— flying all over the place and causing chaos, in both good and bad ways. Aron Baynes and Norman Powell both looked lost most of the night.

With a short preseason there’s not a lot of margin of error here, so let’s hope everyone gets on track soon.

Enough with the Fake Crowd Noise

The crowd noise from the Charlotte arena last night was horrendous. Way too loud, and not at all dynamic/reacting to the action — it was just a din. It sounded awful and made the broadcast noticeably worse.

I have to ask.. who is this for? Does anyone actually want fake crowd noise? It’s clearly not for the fans — I haven’t seen anyone say how good it sounds or how natural it is — everyone is complaining about how bad it is and how much they’d rather just have the actual sound. Is it for the broadcasters themselves? Do they feel more comfortable with the noise?

I really don’t get it.

******

So after that one… who’s excited for more Raps-Hornets!? Let’s do it all again on Monday.

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Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

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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.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

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.

___

AP cricket:

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Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

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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.

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Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

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Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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