The Toronto Raptors guard scored six points in nine minutes of action as part of Team LeBron’s 163-160 victory Sunday over Team Durant.
But while VanVleet didn’t get too great of a chance to show what he could do, he feels like his time knocking boots with the NBA’s elite, past and present, was worthwhile.
“It was probably being in the locker room and just being around the guys and hear some of the stories and share stories,” VanVleet said over video conference of what the best part of the weekend was for him. “I think that’s probably the best part, just to be a part of the brotherhood of (what this) elite level is.”
VanVleet, 27, was a first-time all-star in his sixth NBA season. He is the eighth different Raptors player to be named an all-star and is just the fourth undrafted player in the NBA’s modern era to be selected to the league’s prestigious showcase.
This season, he’s averaging 21.6 points and seven assists per game while shooting 40.1 per cent from three-point range on 10 attempts per game — second only to Stephen Curry’s 12.3 per contest.
VanVleet also averages a league-leading 38.4 minutes per game, so playing the sparse nine minutes he got was actually a welcome turn of events for him.
“I’m happy with the way the night went,” said VanVleet. “We won, I got out there and made a couple shots, got some cardio in. That’s it. I’m good.”
VanVleet likely would’ve played more Sunday, but he was likely asked to sit out to make way for Curry’s brilliant performance.
The Golden State Warriors star delivered the greatest shooting performance in all-star game history, making a record 16 three-pointers in the game on his way to 50 points, just two shy of the all-star game record.
For his spectacular play, Curry was awarded the inaugural Kobe Bryant MVP Trophy.
VanVleet looked to be a casualty on the way to Curry winning the all-star game MVP award, but he took it all in stride and, like most people watching, was just enjoying the show.
“(I) was just enjoying it. I had pretty good seats to watch the show,” said VanVleet. “He was locked in and it was fun.”
For the game, VanVleet finished 2-for-4 from the floor, with all of his shots coming from three-point range. A better showing than just the 16 points he managed to put up in the three-point shooting contest on Saturday night.
In that contest, he began his competition by bricking a ball off the side of the backboard in the left corner.
The first shot he made on Sunday was from that same spot and he splashed it home without any problems.
Up next for VanVleet will be some rest and relaxation with his family before he gets back to work with the Raptors.
Toronto will resume its season on Feb. 25 in Charlotte to take on the Hornets.
The Raptors begin the unofficial start to the second half of the season in seventh place in the Eastern Conference with a 32-25 record.
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.
