TORONTO — Tuesday night — Wednesday morning, actually — as the Toronto Raptors landed in Charlotte following a demoralizing, dying-seconds loss to the Portland Trail Blazers and what had to be the worst evening of Terence Davis’s young NBA career, Norman Powell grabbed the rookie guard and told him they’d be having a film session the next day.
Well, yeah, the Raptors watch film every day. And as they were playing the latter half of a back-to-back on the road, film would take place Wednesday morning at the team hotel ahead of that evening’s tip-off against the Charlotte Hornets. But Powell wasn’t talking about the team film session. This would be a private study.
“He said, ‘I know you’ve seen what Nurse said — we’ve all seen it,’” Davis remembered. “Now, it’s how you respond to it.”
A long-simmering rookie slump had hit a nadir against Portland for Davis, who blew a couple of defensive coverages, committed a turnover, and missed both shots he took in eight ineffective minutes the Raptors lost by three points. When Toronto head coach Nick Nurse was asked after the game why Davis, who was averaging 17 minutes per game coming into the night, had played only eight, he went straight to the neck: “He’s not playing very well — it was probably five too many.”
What Davis hadn’t realized over the preceding weeks was that he’d grown complacent. As an undrafted college senior signed during summer league, Davis had blown the doors off Raptors training camp and stepped right into a regular, 15-minutes-a-night rotation role for the defending NBA champions. It’s not supposed to happen like that. But it speaks to the former football star’s athleticism, relentlessness, and talent that a coach as demanding as Nurse gained faith in him that quickly. Davis’s minutes were earned, not given.
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But then he came to expect them, and his aggressiveness waned, which is where the slump started. It set in deep. Davis didn’t notice this either, but he’d stopped being as gregarious as he normally was off the court. He wasn’t smiling as much; he was moving differently. That’s what Powell picked up on, and it’s part of the reason why the fifth-year Raptor sat down with Davis one-on-one on Wednesday for nearly an hour to closely watch every second of those eight minutes he played against Portland in fine detail. And to lift his young teammate’s spirits.
“As a rookie, you don’t really understand the small things that go into the game. And how fast the pace of it goes. And how quickly you have to think on both defence and offence,” Davis said. “So, we went over some of those things. He broke down the whole eight minutes, man. He told me what I had to do better, gave me pointers. It really uplifted me, man. He was like, ‘Man, I used to be the same way.’ Picking up my dribble, not carrying out with an edge, things of that sort. He said, ‘I see a lot in you that I’ve seen in myself when I was young.’”
It was crazy for Davis to hear that, because when he was a sophomore starter at Ole Miss three years ago, it was Powell’s game tape he was studying. A Rebels coach thought the two guards had a lot of similarities in their games and urged Davis to closely watch Powell, a four-year college grad himself who was in his second season with the Raptors. And Davis did. All year long.
Davis wanted to mimic Powell’s aggressiveness, remaining a willing and unhesitant shooter when opportunities presented themselves, no matter how well or poorly a night was going. He loved how Powell rose to the occasion when thrust into big moments, as he did in the opening round of the playoffs that year against the Milwaukee Bucks, when his barnstorming 34 minutes in Game 4 — after he didn’t get off the bench in Game 2 — turned that series on its head.
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“He was ready when his time came. It’s the grit he plays with. The way he grinds. Just his whole work ethic, the way he approaches it,” Davis said. “I need to get back to some of those things. I definitely do. I got relaxed. The playing time was already coming to me, so, I got relaxed. And that can’t happen, man. Especially as a young guy. I can never relax.”
Davis’s response Wednesday night in Charlotte was to play the best game of his career. Having challenged Davis to be better a night earlier, Nurse put his name in the starting lineup, giving his rookie runway to prove him wrong. And Davis’s impact was immediate, as he paced all scorers with 13 points in the first quarter, including a couple of three-pointers and a ballistic finish at the rim demonstrating exactly the edge Powell was emphasizing during their film session:
He played hounding defence on Charlotte’s two primary options, holding Terry Rozier to four points on 1-of-5 shooting and Devonte Graham to three on 1-of-4 during the possessions Davis guarded them according to NBA.com’s matchup data. As the Hornets took a three-point lead two minutes into overtime, Davis knocked down back-to-back threes to swing the game in his team’s favour:
He finished plus-20 with 23 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists in 37 minutes. A night after he’d played Davis five minutes too many, Nurse couldn’t take him off the floor.
“In a guy’s first season, there are a lot of learning curves and a lot of growth. And it’s pretty drastic, right? There’s some really up-there highs and really down-there lows,” Nurse said. “He’s got some guts. He’s got some heart. He’s not afraid. And I think that’s huge. I think that’s why he came into this season taking and making shots. He had the guts and confidence to take them.
“And it takes that same thing coming back off a couple bad games in a row. So, that was good to see. He really bailed us out the other night.”
It’s worth remembering that the most games Davis ever played in a season prior to this one was 36 during his sophomore year at Ole Miss. Sunday will be his 39th at a more physical and competitive level, with more extreme travel demands, and more incalculable yet profound mental stresses to process.
That’s no different than the experience of any NBA rookie, mind you. But it’s something that has to be considered, particularly as Davis’s play slumped right around the 35-game mark when, for the last four years, his season would typically be ending. This year, he isn’t even halfway through.
“It’s true. For him, his 30 games means he’s putting his shoes away — or at least his real shoes,” Nurse said. “We’re just getting started here. We’re just getting loose.”
What it means is Davis can be forgiven for the rut he fell into, the complacency that crept in, the body language that made a teammate want to sit him down and watch film. It’s just part of his development. Powell went through it when he was young(er), and now Davis is going through it, too.
It’s even the little things. Davis says he’s learning to pound fluids and electrolytes after games, and optimize his diet between them so he doesn’t feel so lousy after back-to-backs like the one earlier this week. On the flight back from Charlotte, he picked up a cramp he was still feeling on Friday. He sits next to Serge Ibaka on those flights, and learned early on not to bring any junk food with him lest he endure the 12-year veteran’s wrath.
“I’m scared to bring it around him,” Davis said. “I’m afraid of what he’s going to say, man. He’s just going to look at me crazy.”
Just another night in the league. Davis has been hearing it from all angles lately — whether it’s old veterans like Ibaka, young ones like Powell, or a head coach putting him on blast after a poor performance. But he’ll take all the tough love he can get.
“Just call it straight out. Be straightforward. If you’re not playing right, they’ll definitely let you know,” he said. “I love it, man. I understand that. Who wants someone sugar coating things, you know? I’m an honest guy. I’ll be honest to you. And I want the same in return.
“My play was terrible. It’s just them wanting me to play better. Obviously, I accepted the challenge. And that’s what I like. I’m into it. All my coaches have been that way — straightforward. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
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.
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.
