TORONTO – Last season, the Raptors had to overcome obstacles that no other team had on their way, obstacles so great that Nick Nurse compared them to “concrete walls”.
Access to the playoffs this year, confirmed by Tuesday’s victory, therefore looks like a fair reward, after a 2020-21 season that “seriously damaged the morale” of everyone on the team, said Fred VanVleet.
“It means a lot,” VanVleet said after Tuesday’s victory over the Hawks. You have to appreciate it. We had become a little spoiled, a little used to winning and the level of excellence required in the NBA. »
“It simply came to our notice then. Being at home in April, watching the start of the playoffs believing we were capable of being there, hurt a little. »
Scotiabank Arena has not hosted a playoff match since the 5th match of the 2019 Finals, against Golden State. The Raptors lost by one point but triumphed in the next game in California.
We may have to wait until Sunday to find out who Toronto’s opponents will be in the first round.
Last season, the Raptors were exiled to Tampa due to border regulations and health measures in Ontario.
No other NBA club had a headquarters anywhere other than its market.
The Raptors set up a rehearsal space in a Marriott ballroom.
“It simply came to our notice then. Even how we sat on the bench, VanVleet said. We could not touch anyone, we even hesitated to encourage each other by slapping our fists. It was weird. »
“It simply came to our notice then. This season, things seem a little more normal. »
Last season, the Raptors could be in the playoffs until an outbreak of COVID-19 knocked out more than half of the coaching staff in March. The club went 1-14 that month, finishing 12th in the East. Toronto had not lost the playoffs since 2013.
Point guard star Kyle Lowry left for Miami during the offseason, and few observers expected good results for this new version of the team.
“We have our place in the playoffs and we think we deserve it,” VanVleet said. Now is the time to see how far we can go. »
One of the positive aspects of last season’s miserable record was the opportunity to enter the draft Scotty Barnes, who is a candidate for the NBA rookie of the year.
Fifth in the East, the Raptors (46-33) have won six of their last seven games.
“We have built an identity that is (first and foremost) playing hard,” Nurse said. We had several victories to get to this point (abstention in the playoffs). »
The Raptors’ first opponents in the playoffs should be the Celtics, the Bucks or the 76ers – by the way, the latter play in Toronto on Thursday.
The Raptors will also host Houston on Friday before finishing the regular season on Sunday night in New York against the Knicks.
Sophia Jhon is a sports journalist and author. He has worked as a news editor for Sportish and is now a sport columnist for the same publication. Alberta’s professional interests lie largely in sports news, with an emphasis on English football. He has also written articles on other sporting topics.
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo He gave a harsh response to the question about a possible trade to another NBA club:
“I’m here. Don’t ask me that question. It’s disrespectful to me and my teammates. I wear this jersey every day.
To say I don’t want to be here is disrespectful to the organization, the coaching staff, myself and everyone who worked hard to get me on the field. Don’t ask me this question. I am her. I’m going out in this uniform. And as long as I’m here, I’ll give it my all until the last second of the match.”
On the night of December 27-28, Antetokounmpo returned to the field after his calf muscle injury and became the most productive player of the game with the Chicago Bulls – 112:103.
I am a sports journalist who has written for various websites and magazines. I currently work as an author at Sportish, a news website that covers sports news. My main focus is writing about soccer, rugby and other sports in the world.
Nine games were played in the NBA regular season on the night of December 27-28.
“San Antonio” hosted “Utah” and suffered a sensational defeat.
Spurs had a good first quarter, during which they made a 15:2 spurt to take an 11-point lead at 30:19, but failed to build on it or at least maintain it. In the second quarter, the Jazz responded with a 25:5 attack and took the lead 62:51 with the same 11 points. Utah then kept the opponent at bay for more than 10 points until the middle of the fourth quarter, when Spurs equalized the score – 106:106, thanks to a 14:2 breakthrough. However, the home team could not achieve this success and failed at the end of the match. In the last three minutes of the game, San Antonio scored 2 points and lost them with a score of 2:11 and had a score of 114:127 throughout the match.
Svyatoslav Mikhayyuk He was in Utah’s starting five and stayed on the field for 14 minutes, during which time he scored 3 points (1/1 three-pointers), also made 1 rebound and 1 assist with 1 loss and 1 foul.
The most productive player of the match was Vembanyama, who brought 32 points to Spurs, but this did not help them achieve positive results. Jazz has 29 points from Markkanen and 28 points from George.
“Chicago” lost at home to “Milwaukee”, where Giannis Antetokounmpo returned.
The Bucks gained a minimal advantage in the first quarter and then gradually increased it, eventually winning all quarters of the match and winning with a score of 103:112.
In this game, Antetokounmpo returned to the field after his calf muscle injury and became the most productive player, scoring 29 points for Milwaukee. Portis also scored a double-double for the guest team with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
NBA. Regular season, December 28
San Antonio – Utah – 114:127 (40:32, 20:38, 27:28, 27:29)
I am a sports journalist who has written for various websites and magazines. I currently work as an author at Sportish, a news website that covers sports news. My main focus is writing about soccer, rugby and other sports in the world.
Nine regular season games took place in the NBA on the night of December 26-27.
Utah hosted the Eastern Conference leader and won a sensational victory.
The first half of the match was spent with a small lead for the Pistons, who kept their opponent one or two shots away most of the time and entered the long break with a 1-point lead at 68:67. The decisive factor in the match was the third quarter; In this quarter, Jazz made a 16:3 move and took the lead by 12 points, 90:78. The home team had the advantage in the score, but Detroit gradually reduced the gap and 19 seconds before the siren, after two free throws by Cunningham, they equalized the score – 129:129. However, the match did not go to overtime – Utah took advantage of the remaining time with the efforts of George, who scored a two-pointer 3 seconds before the siren – 131:129.
Svyatoslav Mikhayyuk He stayed on the field for 21 minutes and recorded 9 points (3/4 two-pointers, 1/2 three-pointers), as well as 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal.
The most productive player was George, who scored 31 points for Utah, while Nurkic had a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
orlando: Black (24), Carter (16 + 8 rebounds), Bane (15 + 10 rebounds), Banchero (13), Jones (8) – start; Richardson (14) and Silva (8), Kane (5), Isaac (2), Howard (0), Penda (0), O. Robinson (0).
Charlotte: Ball (22 + 7 rebounds + 6 for loss), Knippel (16), Bridges (16 + 11 rebounds), Miller (15), Diabate (10 + 13 rebounds) – start; Hall (14 + 8 rebounds), Sexton (13), Hall (7), Green (6), Connaughton (1), James (0), Mann (0).
Chicago – Philadelphia – 109:102 (30:28, 19:24, 32:33, 28:17)
I am a sports journalist who has written for various websites and magazines. I currently work as an author at Sportish, a news website that covers sports news. My main focus is writing about soccer, rugby and other sports in the world.
