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Raptors top the Nets in a strange, disheveled game of basketball – Raptors Republic

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4 years ago

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One night at my pool hall in Halifax, where I grew up, two regulars started hurling pool balls at each other from relatively close distances. That night was approximately half as chaotic as the Toronto Raptors’ 123-117 win over the Brooklyn Nets.

This is one of those where to start situations. Perhaps with Kevin Durant. His night was allegorical, perhaps, in terms of the NBA’s malleable reaction to the pandemic in general. First Durant was held out of the game due to being placed in the health and safety protocols, though he was never officially ruled out. Then Durant checked into the game in the first quarter (and promptly set to torching the Raptors — he finished a team-high +10 in the loss) as the league insisted he was cleared to play. Finally, after being whistled for a fifth foul, which was overturned in a challenge, Durant was forced to leave the building by being placed back into the health and safety protocols.

Durant made his thoughts public via twitter, saying that he should have been allowed to play.

Apparently, Durant had been in contact with someone whose tests were inconclusive, so he was allowed to play.(Why not start, though, nobody knows.) Then during the game, one of that unnamed person’s tests came back positive, so Durant was withdrawn immediately. Durant has continued to test negative leading up to the game. And several Nets, most notably James Harden, questioned the protocols after the game, wondering why the game was even played, as Durant’s teammates were clearly in contact with him before and during the game. The Nets were furious after the game about the situation.

So, more COVID scares for the Raptors. This has become a regular occurrence in the NBA, and world at large, and the Raptors have been on the fortunate side this season in terms of avoiding the virus. It is currently unclear if they will play the Atlanta Hawks tomorrow, although Nick Nurse said post-game that he hasn’t heard anything about a postponement, and the team did travel to Atlanta last night.

By the way, the last time Durant played against the Raptors? He didn’t start the game, but when he checked in, he immediately shifted the texture of the game. Then after dominating for a few minutes, Durant was forced out again. That was game five of the 2018-19 NBA finals. Pascal Siakam noted after the game the similarities in his perspective.

Beyond the Durant situation, the Raptors spent another night voicing their disagreement with the referees. Fred VanVleet and Nurse picked up a pair of technical fouls in the second quarter, which Nurse described afterwards as “a really unpleasant portion of the game.” The Nets ended up attempting more than double the number of free throws that the Raptors attempted, 29 to 14. Toronto was shaken by the officiating, and they responded poorly in that second quarter. They had some cause, though; Kyle Lowry and Norm Powell both received bloody faces from fouls that went uncalled. 

Despite it all — and this may be burying the lede somewhat — the Raptors pulled off what is probably their win of the season to this point.

Siakam had a historically dominant game in the post, albeit against Brooklyn’s malnourished defense. He finished with 33 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, and zero turnovers. Those numbers perhaps understate his contributions. He was fantastic with his back to the basket. When the Nets allowed him to work against a single defender, he scored with absolute ease, no matter his defender. He hit fadeaways, drop-step layups, spinning hooks, and floaters. He use his time and was patient, staying on-balance. When the Nets sent a second defender, Siakam was fantastic at making the correct pass and hurting the Nets in other ways. His offensive output was immaculate.

Lowry was no slouch himself. He scored 30 points with 7 assists, and he took over in the fourth quarter. When the game was tight, and the Nets even took a lead with a few minutes remaining, Lowry was the best player on the court. He hit triples in transition and out of the pick-and-roll. He connected on mid-range pull-ups. He drove and dished to Siakam for multiple layups. Lowry focused on a spinning and distracting game, and he closed the door on the Nets.

That’s what it’s going to take to win basketball games this season. Focus, when so many disparate elements are screaming at players to pay attention to factors beyond basketball. Toronto didn’t cave. Their defensive game-plan was well-crafted and well-executed, as they blitzed Kyrie Irving and James Harden and forced turnovers from their teammates. Their offense was patient, putting pressure on the rim when Brooklyn had not a soul to defend it. The Nets are not a flawless team by any means, but they are a dangerous one, with three Hall of Famers, even if one was only available for half of the game. Toronto was the team whose foundations held strongest under the wave of weirdness. They earned a win on a bizarre night.

That bizarreness could, of course, impact the Raptors going forward. They will, as usual, have multiple COVID tests today before playing the Hawks, and if everything goes as planned, then great, the safety protocols are working effectively. But the Durant yo-yo was more than a distraction; his playing constituted a possible breach in the membrane of the bubble that the league attempts to create to separate its players from any exposure to the virus.

“It is what it is,” was the response of a few different Raptors after the game, most literally Lowry. But they seem to accept their realities.

That’s what this season is going to be, beyond just this night. And the Raptors won, despite it all. They now sit at 10-12, at sixth place in the East, and 8-4 over their last 12 games. They currently have a better offense, both in terms of absolute rating and relative positioning to the rest of the league, than they did last season. All basketball signs are pointing up.

Very little happened to the two regulars who tussled in the pool hall that night. I remember them both continuing to play there, if a little less often, in the following weeks and months. Remarkably, no one was seriously hurt. It was just a strange night. That has to be the hope for the Raptors. Take the basketball win and continue to build on it. Ignore the uncontrollables. That’s what a winning team has to do in this day and age.

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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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November 8, 2024

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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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November 8, 2024

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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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November 8, 2024

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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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