Last year, the Raptors went a long, long stretch where they didn’t have their full squad. Load management and thumb injuries were mostly to blame, but then everyone got healthy and the team… well, you know what they did.
Last night had that same kinda vibe, right? Finally, the full squad was back together, ready to do something special!
Beating the lowly Timberwolves is hardly special, but the team is definitely in a good spot right now, and with seven of their next eight against losing teams, well… that two-seed is looking very attainable.
On to the thoughts:
Rust? What Rust?
Fred VanVleet made his return last night, and the Raptors were whole once again, finally. Still, it didn’t hurt to keep expectations low, right? There’s probably rust, the team needs to find itself, there are minutes restrictions to consider…
Fred said “nah” and went out there and balled. A game-high 29 points, 7-for-8 from downtown, four boards and four steals. In 28 minutes!
This one had to be my favourite. Just calmly strolls down the court, stops on the dime and drops in the triple. Easy-peasy.
Remember in the preseason when Norman Powell was on fire, and we all wondered, “hmmm, is this the year Norm puts it all together?”
And then the regular season started and Powell was… well, basically, same old Norm?
It looks like preseason Norm might finally be here to stay. Over his past 14 games, a stretch that bridges an 11-game absence, Powell is averaging 20.2 points on 58% shooting, and 46% from three-point range. Heck, even if you just toss out the first seven games of the season — where Norm hit double-figures just once — he’s averaging 17.8 ppg on 53%/43% shooting.
That’s a 24-game sample size of stellar play. This Norm might be here to stay.
On the other hand…
Will the Real OG Please Stand Up
I joked the other day that perhaps OG Anunoby’s true destiny was at the two-guard spot. In his two starts in the backcourt, he shot 16-for-26, scored 39 points, had 11 rebounds, seven steals and seven assists!
Well, he shifted back to the three yesterday and it… did not go well. Two points, 0-for-4 shooting, three boards, no assists, no steals.
Move him back to the two immediately!
I joke of course, I’m certain it’s a one-game blip and he’ll be fine. But I do wonder if OG might be taking over as the “Norman Powell Consistently Inconsistent” Belt holder.
I was a bit disappointed to see that Chris Boucher was relegated to garbage time last night. With Marc Gasol still on a minutes restriction and Serge Ibaka somewhat ineffective, and Minnesota — not a huge team — doing a good job getting to the rim, it seemed like the perfect spot for him.
Alas, it appears there just isn’t room for him with Gasol, Ibaka and Pascal Siakam in the front court. It’s a shame because he played well enough during Gasol and Siakam’s absence to deserve some burn.
As it does every time the Timberwolves and Raptors play, talk arose about Andrew Wiggins’ role with the Canadian national men’s team. As usual, “Maple Jordan” was non-committal.
Last night, of course, was the perfect Wiggins experience — a triple double, but absolutely no impact on the game, in the losing effort.
Does Canada want or need such a player, given all the other talented players who has expressed their desire to play?
Probably not, no.
But — wouldn’t you love to see what Nick Nurse could do for Wiggins? Sure, the international tournaments may not really be long enough for Nurse to make an impact. But Nurse’s creativity and motivational abilities may be just what Wiggins needs, even in a short stint.
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Don’t forget, tomorrow’s game is an afternoon tilt against the Hawks, 2:30 p.m. for Martin Luther King Day. Adjust your schedules accordingly!
LONDON – Canada will meet three-time champion Germany in the Davis Cup quarterfinals in Malaga, Spain this November.
Canada secured a berth in the quarterfinals — also called The Final 8 Knockout Stage — with a 2-1 win over Britain last weekend in Manchester, England.
World No. 21 Felix Auger-Aliassime of Montreal anchored a five-player squad that included Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., Gabriel Diallo of Montreal, Alexis Galarneau of Laval, Que., and Vasek Pospisil of Vernon, B.C.
The eight-team draw for the quarterfinals was completed Thursday at International Tennis Federation headquarters.
Defending champion Italy will play Argentina, the United States will meet Australia and Spain will take on the Netherlands. Schedule specifics have yet to be released but the Final 8 will be played Nov. 19-24.
Tim Puetz and Kevin Krawietz were unbeaten in doubles play last week to help Germany reach the quarterfinals. The country’s top singles player — second-ranked Alex Zverev — did not play.
The Canadians defeated Germany in the quarterfinals en route to their lone Davis Cup title in 2022. Germany won titles in 1988, ’89 and ’93.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
HOUSTON (AP) — Brian White scored in the second half to rally the Vancouver Whitecaps to a 1-1 draw with the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday night.
Houston (12-9-8) took a 1-0 lead into halftime after Ezequiel Ponce scored on a penalty kick in the seventh minute of stoppage time. Ponce’s third goal this season came after Amine Bassi drew a foul on Whitecaps midfielder Pedro Vite following a video review. It was Ponce’s sixth career appearance, all starts.
Vancouver (13-8-7) scored the equalizer in the 73rd minute when White, who entered in the 60th, used assists from Fafá Picault and Ryan Gauld to find the net for the 13th time this season. Picault’s assist was his fifth, matching his career high for a single season. Gauld’s assist gives him a career-best 13 on the season.
Yohei Takaoka, who had clean sheets in his last three starts, finished with one save in goal for the Whitecaps.
Steve Clark saved three shots for the Dynamo, who remain one point behind Vancouver in the Western Conference standings.
Houston, which was coming off a 4-1 victory over Real Salt Lake, has allowed just 33 goals this season.
Vancouver — 6-2-2 in its last 10 matches overall — leads the all-time series 10-9-6.
The Whitecaps remain on the road to play the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday. The Dynamo travel to play Austin FC on Saturday.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Tom Pearce and Nathan Saliba scored in the second half — the first goals of their careers — and CF Montreal rallied for a 2-2 draw with the New England Revolution on Wednesday night.
“In the second half, the guys came out a little more ambitious and above all, more connected,” Montreal head coach Laurent Courtois said. “It was a great second half of resilience and fighting spirit. Nathan and Sam were impressive.
“Impressive in covering the gaps and compensating for the teammates, and the individual defending – yes it’s true, it is a lot of weight on their shoulders, but that’s the job.”
New England (8-16-4) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 24th minute on Bobby Wood’s third goal of the season. Teenage defender Peyton Miller notched his first assist in his fourth career start and sixth appearance and Carles Gil picked up his ninth of the season. Peyton, at 16 years, 315 days old, is the eighth youngest player in league history to record his first assist.
The Revolution took a two-goal lead in the 35th minute and held it through halftime when 19-year-old Esmir Bajraktarevic took a pass from Gil and scored his third goal of the season and career in his first full season in the league. It was the 73rd regular-season assist in Gil’s career, tying him with Steve Ralston for the most in club history.
Montreal (7-12-10) pulled within a goal in the 54th minute when Pearce scored off a free kick after defender George Campbell drew a foul on New England’s Mark-Anthony Kaye. It was the first goal for Pearce in his third career start and fourth appearance.
“Playoffs are the goal. Maybe it wasn’t in the best form, but in the end, we are picking up a point,” Pearce said. “We came into this game confident, ready to play our own game. Everyone tries their best, whenever the players are called on, we are always ready, and we are always giving it our best.”
Montreal scored the equalizer in the 68th minute on the first career goal by Saliba, a 20-year-old midfielder. Saliba has made 34 starts and 48 appearances with Montreal in his two seasons in the league. Campbell snagged his second assist of the season and the third of his career.
“It’s an incredible feeling, it’s a goal I’ve been waiting for a long time. I’m extremely happy that I was able to score it and that it can help the team take this important point on the road,” Saliba said. “Pearce’s first goal gave us really good momentum and we kept up the pressure to go for a second goal. We got more solid defensively, and we came back ready after halftime, to push for these 3 points.”
Aljaz Ivacic finished with four saves in goal for the Revolution.
Jonathan Sirois stopped four shots for Montreal.
New England beat Montreal 5-0 on the road on Aug. 24.
New England leads the all-time series 16-13-4. Montreal improves to 5-8-2 on the road against the Revs.
The Revolution travel to take on Charlotte FC on Saturday. Montreal returns home to host the Chicago Fire on Saturday.
