Toronto Raptors’ Fred VanVleet (23) talks with teammate Serge Ibaka (9) after Ibaka was called for a technical foul during the second half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game against the Boston Celtics, on Sept. 7, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Mark J. Terrill/The Associated Press
The Toronto Raptors may not have a healthy Serge Ibaka when they face the Boston Celtics in a win-or-go-home Game 6 on Wednesday.
The Raptors centre arrived to his virtual media session with reporters on Tuesday wearing a walking boot on his left foot, saying he twisted the ankle in Monday night’s Game 5 loss. He said he was unsure about his status for Game 6.
“I will see how I wake up [Wednesday], because it’s different. When it happened last night, I felt like I could still play,” Ibaka said. “Then today, this morning, it changed a little bit. So let’s see [game day] when I wake up.”
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If Ibaka is limited – or can’t play it all – it’s a serious blow to the Raptors’ chances of staving off elimination in their roller-coaster best-of-seven series inside the NBA’s Orlando bubble. The defending NBA champions trail 3-2 after a lopsided 111-89 Monday night loss, in which they looked lethargic and struggled to score – other concerns the Raps must address before tip-off.
Others within the Raptors sounded optimistic that Ibaka will be in the lineup when his team battles to keep its season alive.
“Obviously we need him out there. I haven’t spoken to him about how he’s feeling or anything, but just knowing him personally I would be surprised if he wasn’t out there,” Fred VanVleet said on Tuesday. “Serge is probably the best I’ve ever seen at taking care of his body, recovering, following his routine. So hopefully he can get back feeling good today and be ready for us tomorrow.”
In this Eastern Conference semifinal series, Ibaka has averaged 11.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots in 23.3 minutes off the bench. Through their nine playoff games, Ibaka has been the Raps’ leading rebounder with an average 8.2 for each contest.
Ibaka fell awkwardly under the basket early in Monday’s fourth quarter as the Raps tried to defend Brad Wanamaker driving to the hoop. The 30-year-old centre winced and grabbed at his foot while labouring to get up, but played for a few minutes longer. When head coach Nick Nurse subbed him out, cameras caught him leaving the gym for the training room.
“If he’s there, we’ll play him. I think there’s a good chance of that,” Nurse said of Ibaka. “If he’s not, then we’ll move on to the next guy, and see if we can get him ready to go.”
Nurse did not say for certain how the Raptors would fill Ibaka’s minutes if the big man from Republic of Congo is limited or can’t play at all.
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“I think we’ll certainly wait and see there. But just like always, we go to the next guy. Don’t know who that is yet,” Nurse said. “We’ve obviously played Chris Boucher some in this series. Could be Rondae [Hollis-Jefferson], could be somebody else, but we’ll just wait and see on that.”
It once again spotlights the need for more scoring from Raps starting centre Marc Gasol, who has averaged 5.4 points to go with his 4.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 0.4 blocked shots in 22.6 minutes in this series. Nurse said the coaching staff has discussed that with Gasol and highlighted for him in film study more chances to score.
“We don’t need a tonne. It’s not like we need 25 from him. But we need him to chip in with some, just because there’s opportunities there for him,” Nurse said. “Yeah, we certainly point ’em out, talk about ’em, show him on the film – just got out of the film session – and continue to encourage him and tell him those are shots he needs to take.”
The Raptors must solve the bizarre lack of energy they showed in two of the five games versus Boston. Unlike in a regular playoff series outside the bubble, they won’t get a spark from the crowd, or a change in city. Now the Raps also face the psychological twister associated with losing out in the bubble: the lure of getting to go home for the first time since mid-June.
“We know that we’re good enough to win and advance, but we’ve got to go out there and play and perform and prove it,” VanVleet said. “Can’t just rest on our laurels and feel like we’re a championship team. You’ve got to go out there and perform like one every night.”
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.
