Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic approved of his team’s response Wednesday night.
Pascal Siakam scored a game-high 26 points, Dennis Schroder had 24 points and 11 assists, and Toronto handily defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 130-111. The Raptors snapped a three-game losing skid that led to Siakam referring to the upcoming schedule as “must-win games” at practice Tuesday.
“It really feels like when you make shots, it’s the right way, and when you’re missing shots, it’s the wrong way,” Rajakovic said. “It’s (so) easy to have that bias, you know, just based on that.
“But 35 assists tonight is definitely something that we are looking for and that we want. I thought that the guys really responded tonight. Commitment on defensive end was really high level, as well. And when we do that, and we get stops, and we get out in transition, makes everything easier for us.
“Real difference for us tonight was actually our defensive rebounding. Keeping them to seven offensive rebounds, and having 20 rebounds more than them, is something that gives you opportunity in games.”
However, Rajakovic was unwilling to call the performance anything near perfect.
“Not even close. Not even close,” he said.
Siakam attributed the team’s energy and discipline on defence as a factor in the win. Bucks superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard were stifled to the tune of 31 combined points and only 13 by halftime.
“I thought we had better energy overall, which for us, I feel like it’s going to be crucial,” Siakam said. “Because of the length and all the things that we have as a team, we just have got to come out with a lot of energy.
“We can’t be flat out there. We got to use that to our advantage most nights.”
Toronto entered the contest coming off a dismal 4-for-29 three-point shooting performance in its loss to Portland on Monday. The Raptors bounced back Wednesday, hitting 15-of-39 from distance.
“No matter what, you have to continue to shoot them and shoot them with confidence,” said forward Scottie Barnes. “That’s what we’re going to continue to preach and that’s what we’re going to continue to do.”
Barnes added 21 points and 12 rebounds for Toronto (2-3). Jakob Poeltl had 14 points and 11 rebounds, with O.G. Anunoby chipping in 16 points.
The Raptors were missing forward Precious Achiuwa for a second consecutive game with a left groin strain.
Malik Beasley scored a team-high 20 points for Milwaukee (2-2).
“This is good because you get to learn,” said Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin, who was a Raptors assistant from 2018-2023. “Sometimes getting embarrassed is good because it forces you to focus on doing the right things consistently, and this is what this league is about.”
The Raptors used impressive play on both ends to jump out to a 22-8 lead 7:13 into the first quarter, going 4-for-5 from three-point range and 9-for-13 overall.
Barnes highlighted the stretch with a laser of a cross-court bounce pass on a fastbreak to get Anunoby a dunk before hitting a 26-foot stepback three on the ensuing possession. Paced by Siakam’s nine, Toronto led by as many as 17 and held a 31-18 edge after one.
The Raptors pushed their lead to 21 with a 10-2 run in the first 2:58 of the second quarter. Barnes capped it with a layup for two of his five points in the run before the Bucks called timeout.
After a missed fastbreak layup by Jae Crowder, Siakam drove on the other end and made a drop-off pass, while airborne, to Poeltl, whose dunk made it 58-32 with 2:59 left.
Toronto had four players with 10-plus points, led by Barnes’s 16, entering halftime with a 66-44 lead.
The Bucks, however, picked it up in the third quarter, going on an 8-0 run to make it 75-60 with 7:11 left.
But it turned out to be short-lived momentum. Toronto immediately answered with a 6-0 run across a 50-second span, punctuated by consecutive fastbreak dunks by Anunoby off defensive stops.
Milwaukee trimmed the deficit to as little as 13, but a Barnes three with 0.2 seconds left allowed the Raptors to close the frame up 95-79.
The early part of the fourth quarter belonged to Siakam. Despite the Bucks’ best efforts to inch closer, Siakam scored 11 points in the first 3:35, capped by a three to keep Milwaukee behind 110-88.
Toronto never relinquished that momentum en route to the dominant victory.
UP NEXT
The Raptors open a four-game road trip on Thursday against the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Bucks make a one-game stop in Milwaukee to play the New York Knicks on Friday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 1, 2023.
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.
