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Matt Thomas impresses against Charlotte as he stakes claim to rotation spot – Raptors Republic

Published

4 years ago

December 13, 2020

Like the state of California, preseason basketball games are for dreaming. And it doesn’t get too much dreamier, at least on the basketball court, than the game Matt Thomas had against the Charlotte Hornets.

He finished with 16 points and five assists, but even more impressive than his numbers was his contribution beyond the shooting. I mean, yes, we should start with the shooting: it’s real, and it’s wonderful.

But Thomas proved himself so much more than a shooter against the Hornets. And only a few nights after saying that the Raptors who won consistent rotation minutes would be all-around players, Nick Nurse acknowledged that Thomas was exactly that.

“He’s a shooter, obviously, but he’s also a good player,” said Nurse of Thomas. “He cuts and he moves. He does the right thing on defense. He’ll get overmatched once in a while size-wise or strength-wise or whatever. But I think for as much as he does at the other end, and his good decision-making at both ends, I’m wanting to lock him into a role this year where he’s a big factor.”

So Thomas seems to have the inside track on a rotation spot. That’s great news for a Raptors team needing offensive punch; it means Thomas should indeed be a big factor. But what specifically did Thomas do so well to earn such high praise?

The passing, first and foremost, was great for Thomas. He had some solid pass-aheads and quick-hitters that earned him assists because shooters made their shots. But he had a few dimes wherein the advantage was created solely on his own merit, like this nifty jump-pass to Yuta Watanabe.

“I came off a quick pindown and my guy was chasing behind me, and the big was up,” said Thomas of the situation. “I’m coming off that, jumping up in the air expecting to shoot. But if the big’s up and there’s two guys on me, it’s a split-second, instant decision to make that read and make that pass.”

Having those instantaneous reads in the bag gives Thomas another way to take advantage when defenses overplay him. The more ways he can hurt defenses by leveraging his shooting, the more effective he will become. And even beyond those passes created by his jumper, so too can he shift into a playmaking role, attack the paint, and see what it does to the defense. He started this play by catching the ball like Manu Ginobili, accelerating into the ball rather than stopping to create the threat of a shot. And he used that momentum to draw help and make the easy, but high-calorie, pass.

Thomas spoke after the game about emerging as a playmaker. He’s shown that ability. But he was a playmaker in other ways; his relocations drew defenders, allowing others to cut into open spaces. He cut into the heart of the defense for layups. His offense was a complete package, creating or at least adding to plays even when he didn’t touch the ball.

Perhaps more important for Thomas’ future in the rotation, his defense was solid. He’s clearly improved from last year, which he and Nurse readily admitted. I asked Thomas after the game how he went about improving his defense.

“A lot of it is just watching film,” explained Thomas. “Learning our schemes and our defensive concepts and principles to the point where they’re second nature.”

“Teams are going to target me, and they’re gonna go at me, so that’s something that I need to hold myself accountable to.”

“If you’re smart, and you know where to be, and you know the rotations, and you know guys’ tendencies that you’re defending, whether you’re forcing right, left, they’re a shooter, close out short, fly them off the line, etcetera,” he said, “if you know all those details, it’s going to help you out.”

And Thomas showed a grasp of the details. He slowed opponents just enough in the post to allow help to come. In fact, he defended in the post three times against Charlotte; the three possessions resulted in one turnover, two missed shots, and zero points total.

Thomas had some trouble at times taking indirect lines around opponents’ screens. But on one occasion he was able to recover and still impact the play, which resulted in a stop; then he ran down to the corner for good measure and hit a triple in transition. Even middling defense is outweighed by his offensive game. But his defense wasn’t middling. When opponents tried to pick on him on the perimeter, he was solid at staying in his stance and contesting. He’s never going to be a stopper, but as he said after the game, smart players can always fit in on the defense end. He’s showing that knack.

And because preseason games are dreams, just wisps of enjoyment rather than real, meaningful basketball games, there were many more positives in Toronto’s win.

Beyond Thomas, there was plenty to love. OG Anunoby was Toronto’s best player on the night, defending like a demon and showing an improved handle and attack. Malachi Flynn looked spectacular and played like a heady veteran, committing no turnovers while orchestrating the attack for much of the night. This may be burying the lede a bit — in that this could be the most significant possible development of all, in terms of impacting Toronto’s future play — but Pascal Siakam’s jumper looks better. He has discarded any echo of a hitch in his three-point stroke, and he’s improved his release speed. After starting slow, Chris Boucher recorded some spectacular blocks in the fourth quarter, finishing with three to his name.

It was almost a perfect game for Toronto, counter-balanced only by the fact that it didn’t matter a bit. Opponents rarely try in preseason. Even for Toronto, Fred VanVleet and the other veterans had little interested on the offensive end; good performances don’t mean much in preseason. But Nurse said that Thomas should have a consistent role this year. All the rest may be a drop in the ocean, but Thomas’ improvement seems real enough to impact Nurse’s evaluation. That matters.

And look: ultimately, very few of these extrapolations will be true and remain that way into the season. It’s preseason. For now, we’re just dreaming.

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Sports

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

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

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.

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AP cricket:

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

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

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

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

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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