Search Results for “Fred VanVleet” – SLAM https://www.slamonline.com Respect the Game. Tue, 15 Oct 2024 18:40:08 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.slamonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/cropped-android-icon-192x192-32x32.png Search Results for “Fred VanVleet” – SLAM https://www.slamonline.com 32 32 From Undiscovered to Unrivaled, AJ Storr Has His Sights Set on the League After Transferring to Kansas https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/251/aj-storr-251-feature/ https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/251/aj-storr-251-feature/#respond Thu, 15 Aug 2024 22:12:46 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=814363 This story appears in SLAM 251. Get your copy now. June 26, 2024. NBA Draft Night. We’re in NYC, where else? AJ Storr is on a Zoom from… Athens, Greece!?! We’ll explain all that in a second. More importantly, he knows the meaning of tonight as a prelude to his future. “Literally one year from […]

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This story appears in SLAM 251. Get your copy now.

June 26, 2024. NBA Draft Night. We’re in NYC, where else? AJ Storr is on a Zoom from… Athens, Greece!?! We’ll explain all that in a second. More importantly, he knows the meaning of tonight as a prelude to his future.

“Literally one year from tonight, is it crazy to think you will be up on the stage…” we say before Storr interjects excitedly, “…in a suit and tie!”

Ten points for honesty with this one. Storr, now a rising junior for the world-famous Kansas Jayhawks and a projected 2025 NBA Draft pick, is not dancing around a topic many college players with eligibility remaining play hot potato with. “Yes,” Storr confirms, “I’m planning to be in the draft next year.”

Now that we have that very logical business decision covered, let’s backtrack and share one of the most unique and thoroughly modern basketball journeys of any high-profile player in the world.

We’ll start with the world business. Storr is in Greece at the moment because the Bahamian national team, of which he recently made the roster (pending some lingering paperwork), is playing a couple of exhibition games before an Olympic qualifying tournament in Spain that will determine if the small island nation with the increasingly outsized basketball talent advances to Paris.

The 6-7 Storr, a smooth-shooting, scoring guard tied to The Bahamas because his father was born there, is excited to be in Greece. Partly for the experience of what he calls his “world tour,” but even more so for the chance to play with folks who have gotten where he wants to go. Bahamas basketball has quietly built an explosive roster featuring current NBA players Deandre Ayton, Eric Gordon, Buddy Hield, Kai Jones and Isaiah Mobley, as well as other talented college and pro players. The squad is coached by longtime Golden State Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco.

“It is a really great experience to be out there with all these pros,” Storr says, a day after scoring 15 points (on 7-9 shooting) in a 93-80 loss to Montenegro. “I played a couple of games with them last summer and then we had training camp in Houston earlier this month, and now I’m playing real games with them. It’s great to be around all this talent.”

Whenever The Bahamas’ run ends, the world is on notice that it’s a program to watch out for in the future, and then Storr will have more time to spend in his latest “home”—Lawrence, KS. And what a home it is. Perhaps the most storied program in all of college basketball—“I hadn’t known that James Naismith founded the program here. That’s who founded basketball!” Storr exclaims—and a program with typically high expectations for the ’24-25 season. As ESPN’s Jeff Borzello put it in his recent “Way-Too-Early Top 25,” the Jayhawks are No. 1 after Bill Self responded to a disappointing ’23-24 “with the most loaded roster in the country. He went into the portal and landed AJ Storr (Wisconsin), Zeke Mayo (South Dakota State) and Rylan Griffen (Alabama); then, All-American big man Hunter Dickinson opted to return for another year.”

It says here that Storr, with a shooting touch that the Jayhawks sorely missed last season, may be the biggest piece of the puzzle. As for all the places he’s been before Kansas, that unfolds like a bit of a puzzle in its own way.

This young man is in the sweet spot for a proper SLAM profile because he’s “big” enough—thanks to playing one year in New York City and another year going viral as the athletic leading scorer for B1G power Wisconsin—to be heard of but without his full story being known because he was not a super high-profile recruit. We’ll tell you the story now so you’ll be in the know when he blows up even more at Kansas and then flies into the NBA in 12 months.

Storr grew up in Rockford, IL, a city of nearly 150,000 about 90 minutes west of Chicago. It’s most relevant in modern hoops as the home of current Houston Rocket Fred VanVleet. AJ came up alongside one older sister, Ambranette, who scored more than 2,900 points in her high school career before playing in college, and five younger brothers, raised primarily by his mother, Annette Brandy—a former Chicago high school star who played in college as well—and his stepfather.

AJ attended Rockford Lutheran as a high school freshman, showing promise as a hooper who was still just 6-1. After that, a ride started that has yet to end. The family moved to the South Chicago suburb of Kankakee when his mom, a teacher, got a better job offer, and AJ spent his sophomore and most of his junior year at Kankakee High. Then Covid hit. As Brandy explains, it was time to make some decisions. “The whole state of Illinois shut down. He had some offers—Chicago State, IUPUI—but he still hadn’t gotten major looks. We knew he was a Power Five kid, he just hadn’t been seen,” she says. “His dad lived in Vegas, and AJ was hesitant about it, but I convinced him to go. Build a relationship with your dad and put yourself out there with basketball.”

It worked. Storr started playing for Vegas Elite and Bishop Gorman High School and his exposure—and ranking—skyrocketed. He was set to play his senior season for Bishop Gorman and then…Clark County, NV (which includes Las Vegas) announced there would be no winter sports due to Covid. “After Vegas shut down, he transferred to AZ Compass and they made it all the way to the GEICO Nationals,” his mom says. “By then he had gotten a lot of offers, but I thought he needed to mature a bit.”

So it was off to renowned IMG Academy in Florida for a post-grad year that went great. In the end, AJ had attended five high schools in five years, albeit for reasons that were outside his control. When the time came to make his official college choice, Storr enrolled at St. John’s, firmly hitting the (admittedly biased) radar of the #SLAMfam’s college fans by putting together a Big East All-Freshman campaign highlighted by 40 percent shooting from three-point range, 9 ppg and an exciting style of play. Alas, the Johnnies fired Mike Anderson and Storr decided to transfer back to the Midwest, putting together an All-B1G Second Team season (17 ppg, 4 rpg, 1 apg) in Madison and establishing himself as a future pro. Storr flirted with entering this year’s draft before instead deciding to transfer one more time. To the best team in the county. 

“Playing for all the different teams has really helped my IQ. I’ve learned different plays, different coaches, different cultures,” Storr says, explaining the benefits of his journey. “Off the court, every school has welcomed me and made it like a family. I’ve got friends from every school.”

In Storr’s mind, the ascension from unknown high schooler to likely first-round NBA pick is not because he recently got good at the sport. For better or worse, exposure still matters. “I’ve been pretty good at basketball my whole life, but I had to get around the right platform and coaches and take advantage of the opportunities,” he says. “St John’s is in a great conference. Then I went to the Big Ten and the Badgers, who have made Final Four runs and are known worldwide. Being there helped me a lot. Now I’m looking forward to taking my game to another level at Kansas.”

Storr describes himself as very coachable and has learned bits and pieces from all the coaches he’s played for, but none of them have been around him consistently enough to have developed a deep mentorship. For daily support as he pursues his dream, Storr points to the people who have been around the longest. “I’ve got a team with my mom, my sister, my management,” he says. “It takes a team to accomplish your dream. You can be the most talented player, but if you don’t have the right people around you, you’re not going to make it.”

For her part, Mom could not be prouder. “I’m so excited for him,” says Brandy, who recently got a new job—and bought a house—back in Rockford. “He has put in so much work to get here.”

And to reiterate, Storr himself views his varied experiences as a positive. “My game translates to a lot of different places,” he says. “I know how to buy into a program. I respect all my coaches. I’m a great teammate. Once you step on that court or in the weight room, you become brothers. Where I’m trying to go, you gotta be prepared. In the NBA, guys get traded all the time. So this could be an advantage.”


Portraits via Missy Minear Kansas Athletics.

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REPORT: Fred VanVleet Drawing Free Agent Interest from Phoenix and Orlando https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-fred-vanvleet-drawing-free-agent-interest-from-phoenix-and-orlando/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-fred-vanvleet-drawing-free-agent-interest-from-phoenix-and-orlando/#respond Tue, 17 Jan 2023 20:38:07 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=771137 Fred VanVleet is reportedly drawing free agent interest from the Phoenix Suns and Orlando Magic, according to NBA insider Shams Charania of the Athletic. It’s important to note that this scenario could play out IF VanVleet decides to opt-out of his player option next summer. VanVleet rose to prominence after signing with the Raptors as […]

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Fred VanVleet is reportedly drawing free agent interest from the Phoenix Suns and Orlando Magic, according to NBA insider Shams Charania of the Athletic.

It’s important to note that this scenario could play out IF VanVleet decides to opt-out of his player option next summer. VanVleet rose to prominence after signing with the Raptors as an undrafted free agent in 2016. As a rookie, he played in Toronto and with their G League affiliate. The following season he came off the bench and played in 76 regular season games with the Raptors.

VanVleet eventually played a prominent role in Toronto winning their first-ever title in 2019. In 2022, he became the fifth undrafted player to make the All-Star game in 2021. VanVleet is averaging 18.2 points, 6.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game this season. He’s played in 36 games thus far, missing eight contests due to a back injury.

VanVleet’s four-year deal that he signed in 2020 could expire this offseason if he doesn’t sign his player option. He’s making $21.3 million this season and could make $22.8 million if he does pick up the extra year.

VanVleet and Toronto are set to play the Milwaukee Bucks on the road on Tuesday.

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Raptors Believe Scottie Barnes is Still A Difference Maker https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/raptors-believe-scottie-barnes-is-still-a-difference-maker/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/raptors-believe-scottie-barnes-is-still-a-difference-maker/#respond Sat, 19 Nov 2022 00:34:20 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=766219 What comes with being a top-five pick of an NBA draft may overwhelm a player until he’s considered a bust, or he may make an impact on the floor that can one day consider him a city figure, specifically to Scottie Barnes’ situation, a Toronto hero. The attention. The lights. The adversity. It all happens […]

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What comes with being a top-five pick of an NBA draft may overwhelm a player until he’s considered a bust, or he may make an impact on the floor that can one day consider him a city figure, specifically to Scottie Barnes’ situation, a Toronto hero.

The attention. The lights. The adversity. It all happens throughout a lottery pick’s early years. For Barnes, his play with the Toronto Raptors last season earned him the Rookie of the Year award and strong consideration as one of the best two-way wing players in the League.

This season, Barnes has become a top target of defensive game plans looking to shut down the reigning Rookie of the Year. Despite his ongoing adjustment to how opponents defend him, his teammates and coaches still believe heavily in Barnes’ long-term potential as a featured weapon of Toronto’s offense.

“I said that his biggest challenge going in the year was to have the enthusiasm that he had last year,” head coach Nick Nurse said, per SportsNet. “Every game, he was a kid in a candy store, and that’s part of now you’ve got some attention, you get some focal [point], you get some tough defenders, you get knocked around a little bit. But keep working at it.”

With a 5-4 record in the month of November, the Raptors have seen the highs and lows of Barnes’ second year. From five-point performances to 19-point games, Barnes is currently on a roller coaster run, averaging 12.6 points and 5.3 assists on 21.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

Those numbers certainly don’t matter to a veteran who contributed to the franchise’s first championship in 2019. Fred VanVleet is confident in Barnes’ ability to standout amongst the rest of the young talent around the League, and most importantly, it’s just November.

“Nobody around here is worried about him,” VanVleet said. “We know how great of a player he’s going to be. There’s not any young player I would trade him for. The sky’s the limit for him — I didn’t really even realize [Barnes’ slump] was a narrative until I was sitting at home watching the Detroit game. But yeah, it’s a little overblown.”

The professionalism of the Raptors has been the driving force toward the culture they’re trying to build. They display it again by keeping Barnes accountable and giving their utmost support to their future superstar. If the upcoming games turn out to be strong performances from Barnes, it’ll prove his will to develop and the quality skills he posses as a leader.

“Of course, I’m going to really embrace it, be who I am on the floor,” said Barnes. “…the ball is in my hands a little more when [Fred and Pascal] are out, but I’m just trying to take the game how it is—I feel like that’s a big thing, everybody giving me that confidence from the coaches to the players, having that support staff around me. I feel like that’s helpful.”

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Nikola Jovic Impresses Erik Spoelstra in First Career Start https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nikola-jovic-impresses-erik-spoelstra-in-first-career-start/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nikola-jovic-impresses-erik-spoelstra-in-first-career-start/#respond Fri, 18 Nov 2022 22:10:22 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=766201 No, it’s not the back-to-back MVP of the Denver Nuggets in Nikola Jokic. However, it is another Serbian product that has impressed one of the most successful coaches of all time, Miami’s head coach, Erik Spoelstra. He is Nikola Jovic, the 27th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Though many speculated he was the steal […]

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No, it’s not the back-to-back MVP of the Denver Nuggets in Nikola Jokic. However, it is another Serbian product that has impressed one of the most successful coaches of all time, Miami’s head coach, Erik Spoelstra.

He is Nikola Jovic, the 27th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Though many speculated he was the steal that night, the opportunity to showcase his talents hasn’t been presented enough until last night against the Toronto Raptors.

The absence of Bam Adebayo and Omer Yurtseven made the Heat relatively thin at the front court, and considering their lack of length, Spoelstra had to turn to one of his forwards to fill in the center position. Surely enough, Spoelstra called on the 6’10” rookie out of Serbia for rim protection against Toronto stars like OG Anunoby, Fred VanVleet, and Scottie Barnes.

In the 24 minutes the 19-year-old played, Spoelstra had nothing but positive things to say about Jovic.

“We felt putting him with the starters would give him the best chance to compliment that group,” Spoelstra during a TV interview, per BallySports. “He was terrific, particularly in that first half. He played with a lot of energy. He gave us some relief baskets. His skill level — all of those things are good.”

Although the Heat took another loss, it’s encouraging to see Jovic stride in different positions. His versatility could undoubtedly be used further down the season, but the Heat should strongly consider evaluating him for the starting four spot right now due to their lack of length and offensive firepower.

Jovic’s intentions are where they need to be, stating there’s plenty more he looks to improve upon, specifically on the glass. The Heat is the third-worst rebounding team in the League, and If Spoelstra looks to turn the Heat season around, giving his rookie more minutes may pay dividends to reclaim that top seed in the Eastern Conference.

“I want to be more efficient rebounding,” said Jovic after the 19 rebound margin in favor of the Raptors. “If I’m the biggest guy on the court, someone needs to grab that ball, and it should be me, and I’m going to work on that more.”

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Fred Van Vleet On Jose Alvarado’s Competitiveness: ‘I Remember Being Like That’ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/fred-van-vleet-on-jose-alvarados-competitiveness-i-remember-being-like-that/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/fred-van-vleet-on-jose-alvarados-competitiveness-i-remember-being-like-that/#respond Tue, 15 Nov 2022 00:30:00 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=765819 The New Orleans Pelicans found a pivotal contributor to their group in Jose Alvarado, and his rise to stardom has been nothing short of sweet. From his confidence as a shooter to his pesty defensive motives, Alvarado has rightfully earned himself a roster spot in today’s NBA. Of course, Alvarado’s success doesn’t happen if he […]

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The New Orleans Pelicans found a pivotal contributor to their group in Jose Alvarado, and his rise to stardom has been nothing short of sweet.

From his confidence as a shooter to his pesty defensive motives, Alvarado has rightfully earned himself a roster spot in today’s NBA. Of course, Alvarado’s success doesn’t happen if he didn’t stick with the grind it takes to make it in the toughest League in the world.

Alvarado’s competitive fire was forged in Brooklyn, NY, where he learned that setting himself apart from opponents was essential. He carried those lessons to draft workouts with the Toronto Raptors in 2021; Alvarado had a mental edge that impressed 2019 NBA Finals champion Fred Van-Vleet.

“It was probably the best draft workout I’ve ever seen,” VanVleet recollects from the Raptors 2021 workout with Alvarado and now Portland Trail Blazer guard Trendon Watford. “Just the energy, the spirit, the competitiveness. And I just remember watching him [Alvarado] like, ‘I remember being like that.’ You know what I mean? I could see myself in him. Just the mentality.”

Though the defensive wonder never suited up for the Raptors, it was only a matter of time until a team like the Pelicans would take their chances to build for a playoff push.

In July of 2021, the Pelicans signed Alvarado to a two-way contract, and it paid dividends once they reached the 2022 playoffs as an 8th seed. Though they didn’t win their series against the Phoenix Suns, the Pelicans took the one-seeded Suns to six games behind the pressure Alvarado imposed on Chris Paul.

“There’s no time to take plays off; there’s no time to be emotional,” Van-Vleet said. “You’ve just gotta come in and make a mark. And that’s something I was obviously able to do and something I’m watching Jose do.”

Alvarado has now earned the nickname ‘Grand Theft Alvarado’ and he keeps living up to that reputation because of his steals from the opposing team’s inbound so far this season.

Van-Vleet is noticing the heart Alvarado shows on a nightly basis, and it won’t be long until the rest of the League puts their flowers on the hustle Alvarado provides to the Pels. A defensive anchor like Alvarado may one day see New Orleans basketball at the mountaintop of the NBA.

“You don’t want nobody to go in your house and take something from you and walk out in front of you, right?” Alvarado said. “So that’s how it is. You go play defense.”

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DeMar DeRozan: Fred VanVleet is ‘One of the Best Point Guards in the League’ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/demar-derozan-fred-vanvleet-is-one-of-the-best-point-guards-in-the-league/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/demar-derozan-fred-vanvleet-is-one-of-the-best-point-guards-in-the-league/#respond Mon, 07 Nov 2022 17:15:03 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=765114 Fred VanVleet erupted for 30 points and 11 assists as he helped to lead the Toronto Raptors to a 113-104 win over the visiting Chicago Bulls on Sunday. VanVleet is in his seventh season with the Raptors, and after initially going undrafted, VanVleet has turned himself into a franchise player within the Raptors organization. VanVleet’s […]

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Fred VanVleet erupted for 30 points and 11 assists as he helped to lead the Toronto Raptors to a 113-104 win over the visiting Chicago Bulls on Sunday. VanVleet is in his seventh season with the Raptors, and after initially going undrafted, VanVleet has turned himself into a franchise player within the Raptors organization.

VanVleet’s toughness, dependable offense, and leadership on and off the court are just a few of the qualities that make him one of the most respected players in the league. It is also a massive part of what helped the Raptors secure their first NBA title in 2019.

VanVleet dropped 30 points, five rebounds, and 11 assists on 9-22 shooting from the field (5-13 from beyond the arc) to lead the Raptors to a 113-114 win over the Bulls. Following the loss, former teammate and Raptors icon DeMar DeRozan shared his thoughts on VanVleet’s electrifying performance per ESPN;

“Hell of a player, one of the best point guards in this League,” said DeRozan. “I didn’t expect anything less from him. That’s who he is, aggressive, changes the dynamic of the game.”

VanVleet is averaging 15.7 points, 8.1 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game in just seven games this season. Even though the Raptors currently have a 6-4 record, it is still very early in the season, and the team still has some things to improve upon.

One thing is for sure, though, with VanVleet’s leadership, Pascal Siakam’s craftiness, and SLAM 239 cover athlete Scottie Barnes‘ explosiveness, the Raptors have positioned themselves for a dominant playoff run this season.

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Darius Garland ‘Happy as Hell’ To Rejoin Cavs After Eye Laceration https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/darius-garland-happy-as-hell-to-rejoin-cavs-after-eye-laceration/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/darius-garland-happy-as-hell-to-rejoin-cavs-after-eye-laceration/#respond Thu, 03 Nov 2022 18:23:57 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=764801 Darius Garland took the floor for the first time in two weeks last night. Garland didn’tmissed a beat despite doing no live work since he suffered a laceration on the inside of his eyelid in Cleveland’s season opener against the Raptors. He stepped on the court ready to go and recorded the highest-scoring opening quarter […]

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Darius Garland took the floor for the first time in two weeks last night.

Garland didn’tmissed a beat despite doing no live work since he suffered a laceration on the inside of his eyelid in Cleveland’s season opener against the Raptors. He stepped on the court ready to go and recorded the highest-scoring opening quarter of his career with 14 points on 3-3 shooting from three. 

Garland admitted he was “super scared,” per The Athletic when his injury first happened. 

“I rolled over; I felt blood coming out of my eye. So that’s when I got really nervous. And I was ready for surgery in Toronto. I was expecting that. I was expecting stitches and being out a couple of months. But by the grace of God, I’m here with two eyes now, and I’m back, and I’m healthy.”

The guard “tried to stay high” during his two weeks on the sideline, but he had his struggles.

“Just sitting over there and just have to wait and just seeing everybody get loose warming up and going through full practice and stuff, it was just kinda aggravating. I just tried to stay high. My teammates, they were winning. They was doing well, so I was happy about that. But I just wanted to be on the floor with them. I wanted to feel that energy. But I’m happy to be back now.”

Garland’s backcourt partner Donovan Mitchell doubled down on Garland’s excitement to be back.

He looked “like a little kid” during shootaround, Mitchell said.

“You could tell he was excited, just running around the gym, kinda just happy, a little bit of a different step to him. When you’re out for that long, and I’ve been there, it can kind of take a toll on you.”

Coach J.B Bickerstaff echoed Mitchell. “I mean, like you could feel it. [Garland] was excited this morning at shootaround. He was ready to contribute in a big way. And I mean, like, there was not any shyness to him. It was, I’m going out here, and I’m gonna assert myself on this game, and his teammates followed him.”

The Vanderbilt product led the Cavs to a 114-112 OT win against the Boston Celtics, finishing with 29 points, 12 assists, five rebounds, and three steals. And, of course, the Junkyard Dog Chain.

“Boy, did I,” Mitchell said about missing Garland. “He really set the tone tonight. I can’t speak for everybody else; I just didn’t know what his rhythm was going to be like after being out (two weeks). I think that’s the biggest thing. When you have your legs, when you have your energy, you’re excited, and he came out like he’s been playing with us down this whole stretch. He’s going to score the ball, and his passing, man, he’s creating, finding guys, making the game look easy, and really kind of sparked us, especially in that first half. Always under control. It’s great to have him out there.”

Now that the Cavs have Garland back, the Cleveland quartet of Mitchell, Garland, Jarrett Allen, and Evan Mobley can continue to build their chemistry and solidify their spot atop the Eastern Conference. The Cavs look to extend their record to 7-1 with a win against the Pistons tomorrow night.

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Nick Nurse on ‘the Tone’ Fred VanVleet Sets as the Leader of the Raptors https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/fred-vanvleet-leads-the-raptorsbyexample/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/fred-vanvleet-leads-the-raptorsbyexample/#respond Tue, 18 Oct 2022 18:19:28 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=763006 Fred VanVleet is entering his seventh NBA season for the Toronto Raptors. The Wichita State product is tied for being the longest-tenured Raptor with his All-star teammate, Pascal Siakam. Despite the Raptors roster being home to a deep pool of 6’8 plus multitalented and highly switchable wings, VanVleet is barely 6’0, but he fits right […]

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Fred VanVleet is entering his seventh NBA season for the Toronto Raptors.

The Wichita State product is tied for being the longest-tenured Raptor with his All-star teammate, Pascal Siakam. Despite the Raptors roster being home to a deep pool of 6’8 plus multitalented and highly switchable wings, VanVleet is barely 6’0, but he fits right in with them.

In fact, VanVleet leads the brigade of titans on both offense and defense. He’s determined to get the best out of himself and his teammates. 

“Those are my two secrets. I try to lead by example. And when that doesn’t work, I cuss,” Fred VanVleet said on Monday. 

VanVleet has set a tremendous veteran example for his teammates. Last season, VanVleet averaged 20.3 points, 6.7 assists, and 4.4 rebounds en route to his first All-Star game selection. He made the second most three-pointers per game after Stephen Curry

“He sets (the tone) just because that’s his nature. He competes to win. That’s just who he is. He doesn’t know much better. You guys come to practice tomorrow, and we’ll be playing games that are being scored, and he’ll be out there fighting,” Coach Nick Nurse said about VanVleet’s competitive fire. 

“It’s just kind of my job to make sure we get through a good practice,” VanVleet said. “And when we don’t, I blame myself. I’ve got a pretty good track record.” 

The Raptors made the playoffs last season, and if they look to do better than their first-round appearance, VanVleet will have a lot to do with it. VanVleet may be their smallest player, but he’s their most prominent voice and so much more.

Photos via Getty Images.

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Scottie Barnes Has Everything it Takes to Become Toronto’s Next Star https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/scottie-barnes-slam-239/ https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/scottie-barnes-slam-239/#respond Fri, 29 Jul 2022 15:02:00 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=754216 It was in November, the day before the Toronto Raptors were set to play the Boston Celtics at TD Garden, that the then 20-year-old deemed to be the future of the team and the man who helped set the foundation for the franchise in the mid-’90s coincidentally met at Saks Fifth Avenue in Boston. Scottie […]

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It was in November, the day before the Toronto Raptors were set to play the Boston Celtics at TD Garden, that the then 20-year-old deemed to be the future of the team and the man who helped set the foundation for the franchise in the mid-’90s coincidentally met at Saks Fifth Avenue in Boston. Scottie Barnes was doing “a little shopping” when he ran into none other than Damon Stoudamire. 

At that point, Barnes had yet to fully embark on the entirety of a season that many are now calling perhaps the most impactful rookie season in Raptors’ history. But to have the chance to chop it up with a member of the inaugural Raptors team (Stoudamire won Rookie of the Year that season in Toronto, like Barnes) just seemed like fate. 

“He was just really telling me to try to get Rookie of the Year, keep doing what I got to do and really take over this League,” Barnes says while on set of his SLAM 239 cover shoot.  

That was Stoudamire’s first time meeting Scottie officially; he’d watched him play in high school and at different Nike EYBL and AAU events, but now he was actually seeing what Barnes was capable of doing in the League. Just a month prior to their meeting, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft had dropped a double-double on the Cs—in just the second game of his career. 

“He was a matchup nightmare,” Stoudamire, who’s now an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics, later tells us on the phone. “The good Lord doesn’t bless us with everything, but if [Scottie] figures out a way, and he doesn’t have to be a knockdown guy, but once he figures out his spots on the floor in terms of shooting the ball on a consistent basis, it could be dangerous. He would have cracked the code then because, I mean, everything else he has.” 

SLAM 239 featuring Scottie Barnes is OUT NOW!

Barnes wasn’t even born when the Raptors drafted Stoudamire as their first-ever pick in 1995, or when he graced the cover of SLAM 11 in the spring of ’96 (subscribe here to the SLAM Digital Archive). When he got to Toronto, Stoudamire explains, the team was just trying to grow the game of basketball throughout Canada. But what he didn’t realize back then was that he’d ultimately be able to impact an entire country. Many after him have been just as revered—from Vince Carter and DeMar DeRozan to Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Lowry. All-Stars. Champions. Icons. But in this new era of the game, Scottie Barnes isn’t a glimpse into the future of Toronto. He is the now, and even the legends who came before him see that already.

“He has [an] opportunity to lead Toronto, but then be the face of a country,” says Stoudamire.

Excitement has been buzzing all around T-Dot about their superstar-in-the-making. His SLAM 239 cover shoot feels like a momentous occasion, from the Drake tracks blaring over the speakers (Honestly, Nevermind had dropped just a few days before) to Scottie singing along in between takes while he rocks a black and gold Swingman uniform and an icy, blinged-out chain that has an even icier “SB” for the camera. It’s the crowning of a new star in the North. 

After all, it’s been three years since the Raptors won that historic, first-ever championship in 2019, and since then, the team has been well-equipped with an arsenal of All-Stars and bucket-getters who helped them make the playoffs every year except one. The arrival of Scottie has had the place boomin’ with hype around what’s to come, especially since the Raptors exceeded any and all expectations last season when they finished fifth in the East. 

“I feel like I have the defensive tools, I really just want to put on the offensive end,” Scottie says. “Make my game more all-around. I’m just working on being able to get to the basket, being unstoppable on the floor. Scoring, being in the midrange area and just being a consistent shooter. Being able to knock down shots consistently, being able to carry myself in that way as being one of those top people in the League.” 

He’d look at those goals every single day. Winning ROY was a major moment not only for him, but for his family. It’s one of the reasons why he surprised his mom, Kathalyn, with the news. He had watched her relentlessly sacrifice for him and his siblings growing up, working late nights to put food on the table and get them school clothes. “[She tried] to get a few pairs of shoes to go to school, try to have some swag going to school so we could carry ourselves with that confidence. She made a bunch of sacrifices for us. Even though we didn’t have that much, we were still some spoiled little kids, [wanting] everything, trying to flex.”

Winning ROY also meant something for Toronto, as Barnes became just the third Raptor ever to win the award, joining the company of Stoudamire and Vince Carter. “That award meant everything to me. Everything. All the hard work, effort I put in since I was a kid. It meant everything for the city of West Palm Beach, for the country of Canada, city of Toronto. Masai [Ujiri], Bobby [Webster]. They put their faith in me, and I put in the work. So, every single day, I try to carry that with me.”

Now, his Rookie of the Year trophy sits on a stand, right next to two Rookie of the Month awards, inside his game room at his house. Since the season wrapped up, he’s been mainly spending his offseason in his native Florida, while going back and forth to Toronto. It’s a place he’s now calling home, and he’s already found his go-to spots to eat at, too. “I got a couple. Harbour 60, Cactus Club. I just love the city. It’s beautiful.”

A few days before our shoot, Barnes was livestreaming when he raved about how hyped he was to be a Toronto Raptor. When we asked him about it, he didn’t hold back in letting us know how much he’s been embracing the city. 

“It’s a blessing for me to get drafted to Toronto. I felt like it was just the best thing for me and the program,” he says. “I felt like I found the right home, with them being able to draft me…I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. I feel like it was just a big thing that happened to me. It’s amazing. I feel like Toronto, they always support me, even the whole country of Canada supports me, shows me love. And it just feels like we’re all family.”

Scottie reveals he’s already on a text message/IG story-reply basis with Drake (“It’s really small talk, but we can tell that we’re brodies”). When he first arrived in Toronto after the draft, he even hung out with him at his mansion.

“His house is humongous. He got a lot of things that’s going on in there, it’s a dope house. He got the basketball court as soon as you walk inside, where he plays his league basketball. You know, he be killing ’em, but his house is fire. I think we put up like a couple of shots, but we were just getting to know each other. Just really chatting it up.”

According to Scottie, Drizzy let him know then that he had to put on for the city. “He just told [me] that the city’s gonna love [me], just really put on for the city. Do what we got to do.”  

In his rookie debut against the Wizards, Scottie showed glimpses of exactly what he could do, from a lefty sky hook for his first bucket to dishing out an elite bounce pass to Chris Boucher in the fourth. Nick Nurse called his performance “OK,” but also pointed out, “I think we see a really good player there.” 

For Barnes, the mindset early on was to do what it takes to win by making the right plays and putting in the effort, whether it’s rebounding, passing or guarding the best player on the court. When asked about what he expected for himself early on in the season, “winning” is the one word he mentions over and over again. “I felt like coming into the season, I really just tried to focus on winning, try and do whatever it takes to win…I really tried to focus on those little things, and then I knew everything else would carry on to the court with me.”

Scottie’s always been competitive. Growing up, he’d compete with his older brother in school and try to get better grades than him so he could show it to his mom, hoping she’d give him a few dollars. He wanted to play on his brother’s basketball and football teams, too, even though everyone was a few years older. He started playing organized basketball in third grade at the Salvation Army on a team that was mainly made up of fourth graders. Scottie then went on to become a five-star product in high school—he played at the University School alongside Vernon Carey Jr and then with Cade Cunningham at Montverde before suiting up at Florida State, where he earned ACC Freshman of the Year honors.

Now he’s channeling that same drive into everything he does, from video games (“[I’m] the best out of all my friends in [NBA] 2K, top three in [Call of Duty]”) to whatever challenges were thrown at him on the court this past season—from guarding all five positions against the Bulls, Celtics and Wizards in October, including superstars like Jayson Tatum and Bradley Beal. By November, he was logging 35 minutes a game, but as Nurse previously said, “one of the first things to instill” is playing the “full 48.” 

When asked about his early season performances, Scottie points out that for him, it was a matter of maintaining the energy. “I would say in the beginning, I showed a lot of energy, but you got to really try to find those ways of channeling it [differently] because sometimes you can express way too much energy and then that next possession, you get really tired…Being at Florida State, I played a good three, four minutes, and then I would get subbed if I was too tired. But now, it’s just like, you got to be able to maintain that energy throughout the whole entire game for however long you’re playing.”  

On a team full of different personalities—from “chill vibe types” like Fred VanVleet and Isaac [Bonga] to “funny guys” like himself, Justin Champagnie and Dalano Banton, according to Barnes—it also helped that the team fully embraced him and allowed him to be himself on the court, especially OG Anunoby. “He was really telling me to be me on the floor, each and every single time. That really [gave] me that confidence when I stepped on the floor to be who I am, keep being aggressive, attacking.”

In December, Barnes dropped a double-double against the Knicks, was a defensive ace with those five blocks against Sacramento a few nights later, and then followed that up with a 23/12/5 stat line against Brooklyn, while being matched up against Kevin Durant, making him the youngest Raptor ever since Tracy McGrady to put up at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and 5 dimes. By January, Bradley Beal was already calling him a “special” talent and saying he “looked like a star” after Barnes put up 27 against the Wizards. 

The Raptors went on an eight-game winning streak going into February, and after the All-Star break, Scottie was averaging just under 20 points per game. When he dropped a 31-piece on the Lakers in March, even the King let everyone know what was up. 

“I saw Scottie Barnes for the first time in seventh grade and I told one of my good friends that this kid is going to be special,” LeBron James said after the game. “It’s a beautiful thing to watch.” 

Looking back on the season, Barnes says he’s started processing the game quicker, too. “I felt like on the court I really know where I could get to my spots, can score the ball at [and] how I can just set my presence throughout the game, on both ends of the floor. I feel like I’ll be able to make more of an impact on the game because I really just found ways to really just attack the game. I got smarter throughout the year, and I just really realized how the NBA works with the calls and all the little things about the game.”

This same team that had missed the playoffs the year prior soon found themselves in a first-round matchup against Philly. Barnes nearly had a triple-double in his playoff debut—15 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists—and despite missing Games 2 and 3 with an ankle injury, another SLAM 11 cover star, Magic Johnson, saw that the promise was all there. “There’s definitely a lot of ‘Showtime’ in him,” Johnson told the Toronto Star.

While the Raptors lost that series, it’s clear that things are really looking up in the 6ix. Their 48-34 record was a vast improvement from the previous year, and Barnes is making it clear that his past season was really just the beginning. “This is just us getting our footing together, but I feel like we’re gonna take that next step to try to make a deep playoff run and be one of those top teams in the League.”

And as for his own goals, this offseason has been all about prepping his body for the demand of the 82-game regular season (Barnes started all 74 games he played in), while also sharpening the tools he’s well-equipped with. You might’ve already seen recent videos of his “revamped jumper” circling around the internet, too. Scottie’s already looking ahead at the type of player he wants to evolve into. Him adding to his already extensive bag? Dangerous. 

“Be who I am on the floor [and] be able to keep developing my playmaking [and] really just improve my scoring,” Barnes says of what will take him to the next level. “Keep [doing] what I do on defense, but just amping it up to another level where I can change the impact of a game throughout the court. Really taking over on the defensive end where I can get multiple stops, being able to be so active on the floor where I can just alter shots, change shots, just give teams different looks where I can have that presence. Talking, communicating and kind of just step up my role of being a leader on this team. I feel like that’s really what’s going to take me to that next level.” 


Deyscha Smith is an associated editor at SLAM. Follow her on Twitter and IG, @deyschasmith.

Portraits by Gabe Pineda/Victory Creative, follow them on Instagram @gabepineda/@victory. Styling by Ian Pierno, follow him on Instagram @ianpierno.

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Nick Nurse Expects Breakout Season From Precious Achiuwa: ‘He Is On A Mission’ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nick-nurse-expects-breakout-season-from-precious-achiuwa-he-is-on-a-mission/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nick-nurse-expects-breakout-season-from-precious-achiuwa-he-is-on-a-mission/#respond Thu, 28 Jul 2022 22:36:03 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=754240 Raptors coach Nick Nurse has always had an eye for potential, and he sees that in Precious Achiuwa. The coach who helped shape the All-Star careers of Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet spoke highly of the 22-year-old big man during an appearance on Hungarian-based basketball podcast Rapcity Keleten-Nyugaton. “Wait till this year because every time […]

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Raptors coach Nick Nurse has always had an eye for potential, and he sees that in Precious Achiuwa. The coach who helped shape the All-Star careers of Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet spoke highly of the 22-year-old big man during an appearance on Hungarian-based basketball podcast Rapcity Keleten-Nyugaton.

“Wait till this year because every time I see him this summer on the court, it’s total focus, total intensity,” Nurse said. “I mean, something happened to him where he now understands what playing in the NBA is about, and he is on a mission.”

Nurse went on to say that Achiuwa “is really gonna take a step up” next season.

Over the summer, Achiuwa’s been seen training with his teammates in Las Vegas and hosting his own basketball camp in Nigeria (where he’s been throwing down some ridiculous slams). Nurse clearly loves what he’s seeing.

Achiuwa’s game took an impressive jump from year one to year two, as the Nigeria native averaged 9.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game last season, considerable improvements from his 5-point, 3.4-rebound, and .5-assist averages the year prior. He also showed off his shooting stroke (35.9 percent from deep last season) after never attempting a three-pointer during his rookie year.

Achiuwa hit three or more three-pointers eight times last season and is now an inside-out scoring threat for Toronto. The former five-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American has found his footing in The 6 after being traded from Miami in a sign-and-trade for Kyle Lowry last summer.

With Nurse’s recent comments and his ability to develop talent, don’t be surprised if Achiuwa’s numbers increase yet again this upcoming season.

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Fred VanVleet Sounds off on Being a Toronto Raptor Lifer https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/fred-vanvleet-sounds-off-on-being-a-toronto-raptor-lifer/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/fred-vanvleet-sounds-off-on-being-a-toronto-raptor-lifer/#respond Wed, 15 Jun 2022 19:15:58 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=749888 Fred VanVleet has spent his entire NBA career up north with the Toronto Raptor, winning a title in 2019 and becoming the first undrafted free agent to earn an All-Star bid this past season. The Wichita State product has two years remaining in his four-year deal (player option for the fourth year) and is eligible […]

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Fred VanVleet has spent his entire NBA career up north with the Toronto Raptor, winning a title in 2019 and becoming the first undrafted free agent to earn an All-Star bid this past season.

The Wichita State product has two years remaining in his four-year deal (player option for the fourth year) and is eligible to sign a contract extension on July 8. According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Raptors are looking to negotiate a three-four-year max extension. VanVleet himself has made it clear that he wants to stay in Toronto and be a Raptor lifer when he retires.

“I love being a Raptor,” VanVleet said in an interview with Daily Hive. “I would love to spend my entire career here. We have a great relationship with the city, the franchise, ownership, and management — it’s a match made in heaven for me. I love being a Toronto Raptor.”

VavVleet had a career-best year nearly across the board, posting 20.3 points. 4.4 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game on 40.3 percent shooting from the field and 37.7 percent from beyond the arc. The strong numbers came from VanVleet thriving in a more significant role following the departure of Kyle Lowry, who was sent to Miami in a sign-and-trade deal last summer.

With that being said, the feeling is mutual for VanVleet and the Raptors to continue their relationship. In fact, VanVleet is confident his team and the Raptors can agree to an extension.

“I’m not really too worried about contract discussions or anything like that,” VanVleet said. “That’s just the business aspect of it. And I’m confident that we’ll figure it out.”

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SLAM’s TOP 75 NBA Teams of All Time: No. 66-75 https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/slam-top-75-nba-teams-of-all-time-66-75/ https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/slam-top-75-nba-teams-of-all-time-66-75/#respond Mon, 23 May 2022 21:04:14 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=747658 As the League continues to celebrate its 75th season, we’ve dedicated an entire special issue, SLAM Presents TOP 75 NBA Teams of All Time (shop here), to ranking the best 75 individual season teams ever. We argued and shouted at each other for a while, eventually deciding that our north star in these debates would […]

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As the League continues to celebrate its 75th season, we’ve dedicated an entire special issue, SLAM Presents TOP 75 NBA Teams of All Time (shop here), to ranking the best 75 individual season teams ever. We argued and shouted at each other for a while, eventually deciding that our north star in these debates would be to look for the squads that dominated whoever it was they were playing against.

We know there will probably be some disgruntled fans out there, but we’ve come up with a list that we’re standing by. Here’s our top 66-75 best teams of all time:


75. 1997-98 Indiana Pacers

Coach: Larry Bird

Record: 58-24

Roster: Travis Best, Etdrick Bohannon, Austin Croshere, Antonio Davis, Dale Davis, Fred Hoiberg, Mark Jackson, Derrick McKey, Reggie Miller, Chris Mullin, Mark Pope, Jalen Rose, Rik Smits, Mark West

Yes, the ’97-98 Pacers lost a seven-game Eastern Conference Finals series to the Bulls, but this was an extremely strong team. Indy was the next-to-last partner in Chicago’s “Last Dance,” but the Pacers won 58 games—second best in the East—and boasted a deep lineup led by the trio of sharpshooter Reggie Miller, 7-4 tower Rik Smits and do-everything forward Chris Mullin. The loss was disappointing, but the Pacers had plenty to be proud of.

74. 1994-95 Orlando Magic

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is GettyImages-470462158-scaled.jpg

Coach: Brian Hill

Record: 57-25

Roster: Nick Anderson, Darrell Armstrong, Anthony Avent, Anthony Bowie, Horace Grant, Geert Hammink, Penny Hardaway, Shaquille O’Neal, Tree Rollins, Donald Royal, Dennis Scott, Brian Shaw, Brooks Thompson, Keith Tower, Jeff Turner

In just their sixth year of existence, the Magic reached the Finals, thanks to the dynamic pairing of Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway. Orlando posted the East’s best record and then outlasted the Pacers to win the conference. Shaq was unstoppable inside, and Hardaway dazzled all over. Add in Nick Anderson and Dennis Scott’s long-range shooting and Horace Grant’s steady interior game, and the Magic were quite strong, even if Houston did sweep them in the Finals.

73. 1986-87 Boston Celtics

Coach: KC Jones

Record: 59-23

Roster: Danny Ainge, Larry Bird, Rick Carlisle, Darren Daye, Conner Henry, Dennis Johnson, Greg Kite, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Fred Roberts, Jerry Sichting, David Thirdkill, Andre Turner, Sam Vincent, Bill Walton, Scott Wedman

A year after domination, the Celtics returned to the Finals once again, but lost to the Showtime Lakers in six. The usual cast was back for the conference title winners. Larry Bird was practically infallible, and Kevin McHale and Robert Parish plundered inside. Dennis Johnson ran the show, while Danny Ainge irritated everybody but Celtics fans. But Boston lacked a strong bench, and that’s why the ’86-87 edition was very good, but not a champion.

72. 2011-12 Oklahoma City Thunder

Coach: Scott Brooks

Record: 47-19

Roster: Cole Aldrich, Nick Collison, Daequan Cook, Kevin Durant, Derek Fisher, James Harden, Lazar Hayward, Serge Ibaka, Royal Ivey, Reggie Jackson, Eric Maynor, Nazr Mohammed, Kendrick Perkins, Ryan Reid, Thabo Sefolosha, Russell Westbrook

This was it. This was the last time the Thunder’s Big Three would be together, and Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden almost got it all done. The Thunder won the West and made it to the Finals. They even won the first game against Miami before dropping four straight. Durant, Westbrook and Harden combined for 70 ppg in the series but couldn’t finish the journey and hoist a trophy.

71. 1992-93 Phoenix Suns

Coach: Paul Westphal

Record: 62-20

Roster: Danny Ainge, Charles Barkley, Cedric Ceballos, Tom Chambers, Richard Dumas, Frank Johnson, Kevin Johnson, Tim Kempton, Negele Knight, Dan Majerle, Oliver Miller, Jerrod Mustaf, Kurt Rambis, Alex Stivrins, Mark West

The Suns had reached the Finals before, in 1976, but fell to Boston. This time would be different, even if they were facing the Bulls. Phoenix had the NBA’s best record, the League’s best offense and Charles Barkley, acquired from Philly in a blockbuster. The Suns were deep and fast and fun. But when they lost Game 4 of the Finals to Chicago to fall behind 3-1, you knew it was over. And it was.

70. 1988-89 Los Angeles Lakers

Coach: Pat Riley

Record: 57-25

Roster: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tony Campbell, Michael Cooper, AC Green, Magic Johnson, Jeff Lamp, Mark McNamara, David Rivers, Byron Scott, Mychal Thompson, Orlando Woolridge, James Worthy

There would be one more last gasp for Showtime, but this really felt like the end of an era. Sure, the Lakers won the Pacific, put up the most wins in the conference and reached the Finals after posting a perfect 11-0 playoff record. But the usual suspects—Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, Byron Scott, Michael Cooper, etc.—were beat up by the same Detroit Bad Boys they had defeated a year earlier.

69. 2018-19 Toronto Raptors

Coach Nick Nurse

Record: 58-24

Roster: OG Anunoby, Chris Boucher, Lorenzo Brown, Marc Gasol, Danny Green, Serge Ibaka, Kawhi Leonard, Jeremy Lin, Kyle Lowry, Jordan Loyd, Patrick McCaw, Jodie Meeks, CJ Miles, Malcolm Miller, Greg Monroe, Eric Moreland, Norman Powell, Malachi Richardson, Pascal Siakam, Jonas Valanciunas, Fred VanVleet, Delon Wright

In Canada for just one year, Kawhi Leonard proved his absolute greatness. The Raptors had been good, but they weren’t championship good. No way. Then Leonard averaged 26.6. He hit a quadruple-doink jumper to beat the Sixers in the Eastern Semis. And Kyle Lowry brought the toughness, while Serge Ibaka and Pascal Siakam bumped and banged inside. The Trophy had never been north of the border, but Leonard made sure it got there.

68. 1961-62 Boston Celtics

Coach: Red Auerbach

Record: 60-20

Roster: Carl Braun, Al Butler, Bob Cousy, Gene Guarilia, Tom Heinsohn, KC Jones, Sam Jones, Jim Loscutoff, Gary Phillips, Frank Ramsey, Bill Russell, Tom Sanders

Bill Russell didn’t lead the NBA in points, rebounds or assists, but he earned his third MVP award for leading the Celtics to a League-best 60 regular-season wins and his (and Boston’s) fifth title. It was arguably his best statistical season—a career-best 18.9 ppg, along with 23.6 rpg—and he upped those averages to 22.9 points and 27 boards in the Finals to lift Boston from a 3-2 deficit to a 4-3 victory over the Lakers.

67. 1980-81 Philadelphia 76ers

Coach: Billy Cunningham

Record: 62-20

Roster: Maurice Cheeks, Doug Collins, Earl Cureton, Monti Davis, Darryl Dawkins, Julius Erving, Lionel Hollins, Ollie Johnson, Bobby Jones, Caldwell Jones, Steve Mix, Clint Richardson, Andrew Toney

It’s easy to forget how close the early ’80s Sixers came to dynasty status. There were Finals losses to L.A. in ’80 and ’82, and of course, before their eventual revenge in ’83. But the ’80-81 squad, led by Dr. J in his only NBA MVP season, was right there: They matched Boston’s 62 regular-season wins and took a 3-1 lead on the Celtics in the ECF before an epic Larry Bird-led comeback carried the Cs to the Finals.

66. 1984-85 Boston Celtics

Coach: KC Jones

Record: 63-19

Roster: Danny Ainge, Larry Bird, Quinn Buckner, Rick Carlisle, ML Carr, Carlos Clark, Dennis Johnson, Greg Kite, Cedric Maxwell, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Scott Wedman, Ray Williams

The ninth Celtics-Lakers Finals matchup would be the first from which Boston did not emerge victorious. You could almost call it an upset. Larry Bird claimed his second straight MVP award, and the Cs won a League-best 63 games, then cruised through the Eastern Conference playoff bracket before stomping the Lakers by 34 in Game 1. Kevin McHale averaged 26 points and 10.7 rebounds for the series, but Boston couldn’t slow the Kareem-Magic-Worthy trio and fell 4-2 to L.A.


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Photos via Getty Images.

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Joel Embiid on James Harden: ‘He Needs to Be Aggressive and He Needs to Be Himself’ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/joel-embiid-on-james-harden-he-needs-to-be-aggressive-and-he-needs-to-be-himself/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/joel-embiid-on-james-harden-he-needs-to-be-aggressive-and-he-needs-to-be-himself/#respond Tue, 26 Apr 2022 19:42:11 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=745020 The 76ers have lost two straight in their first-round series with the Raptors but still hold a 3-2 lead going into Game 6 on Thursday. With Joel Embiid somewhat hampered by a torn thumb on his shooting hand, his former MVP teammate, James Harden, had a chance to carry the Sixers to a Game 5 […]

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The 76ers have lost two straight in their first-round series with the Raptors but still hold a 3-2 lead going into Game 6 on Thursday.

With Joel Embiid somewhat hampered by a torn thumb on his shooting hand, his former MVP teammate, James Harden, had a chance to carry the Sixers to a Game 5 win to close out the series.

It looked that Harden had every intention to do so, scoring the first four points and giving the Sixers their only lead of the day when he sank a midrange jumper 18 seconds into the game and slammed home a fast-break dunk. Harden went 2-for-9 over the final 46 minutes, finishing Game 6 with 15 points (4-11 shooting, 2-6 from three-point territory), seven assists against five turnovers on 36 percent shooting from the field.

Freshly minted Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes led a stingy defensive effort as he stepped in at point guard while Fred VanVleet sat Game 5 out due to a strained hip flexor. Against the Raptors’ athletic, lengthy defense headlined by Barnes, Philly shot just 38 percent shooting from the field and shot 10-37 from long distance. Toronto also forced the 76ers into 16 turnovers; the Raptors scored 20 points off those turnovers.

Postgame, Embiid put the onus on Harden and Coach Doc Rivers to create a game plan where Harden can be more aggressive with the ball in his hands.

“I’ve been saying all season since he got here, he needs to be aggressive, and he needs to be himself,” Embiid said. “That’s not really my job. That’s probably on Coach to talk to him and tell him to take more shots, especially if they’re going to guard me the way they’ve been guarding. But that’s really not my job.”

Embiid also took accountability for the tough loss to the Raptors as the Sixers faced mounting pressure to close out their first-round matchup. Whoever wins the 76ers-Raptors series will take on the winner of the Heat-Hawks series in the second round.

“But we all need to be better offensively. We missed a bunch of wide-open shots. At times, I just felt like we just invited; when I was getting doubled, we were not aggressive attacking the ball. We just kept moving the ball around the perimeter, and that gave them time to recover, and that’s why we’re not able to get anything out of it.”

“So if that’s what they want to keep doing, we’ve got to take advantage of it.”

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REPORT: OG Anunoby to Miss Two Weeks With Fractured Finger https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-og-anunoby-to-miss-two-weeks-with-fractured-finger/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-og-anunoby-to-miss-two-weeks-with-fractured-finger/#respond Fri, 04 Mar 2022 15:35:45 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=739901 As the race for the playoffs in the Eastern Conference heats up, the Toronto Raptors were dealt a tough bit of news as the season hits its final months. On Thursday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that OG Anunoby would miss the next two weeks of the season due to a fractured finger. Raptors Coach Nick […]

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As the race for the playoffs in the Eastern Conference heats up, the Toronto Raptors were dealt a tough bit of news as the season hits its final months.

On Thursday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that OG Anunoby would miss the next two weeks of the season due to a fractured finger.

Raptors Coach Nick Nurse told Wojnarowski that after the two weeks, Anunoby would be re-evaluated to determine when he would return to play. If Anunoby remains out just two weeks, he will still miss seven games, including matchups with some of the NBA’s best like the Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Denver Nuggets.

He will join another important Raptor, Fred VanVleet, on Toronto’s injury list, as VanVleet is recovering from a knee injury and has missed the past three games.

Anunoby is a big part of the Raptors’ success so far this season, as he is averaging 17.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game, all career-highs for the fifth-year NBA player.

The timing of the injury isn’t great for the Raptors, as they currently are in the thick of a playoff race, sitting at seventh-place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 34-28, just 2.0 games back of the sixth-seeded Boston Celtics.

The Raptors will go again on Friday night when they play host to the Orlando Magic (15-48) at 7:30 p.m.

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NBA All-Star Teams Set, Giannis Antetokounmpo Selected First Overall https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nba-all-star-teams-set-giannis-antetokounmpo-selected-first-overall/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nba-all-star-teams-set-giannis-antetokounmpo-selected-first-overall/#respond Fri, 11 Feb 2022 14:46:21 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=737990 The NBA’s All-Star teams have been selected ahead of the upcoming All-Star Game, but it wasn’t without a bit of drama. On Thursday night, LeBron James and Kevin Durant – the two captains for the All-Star game – selected their teams for the All-Star Game taking place in just under two weeks. Each captain had […]

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The NBA’s All-Star teams have been selected ahead of the upcoming All-Star Game, but it wasn’t without a bit of drama.

On Thursday night, LeBron James and Kevin Durant – the two captains for the All-Star game – selected their teams for the All-Star Game taking place in just under two weeks.

Each captain had to select their starting lineups first and then select their reserves. Because Durant is injured and will not be playing in the game, nine players were available to be drafted instead of eight, with Jayson Tatum replacing Durant as a starter.

James opened the draft up by selecting Giannis Antetokounmpo first overall, with Durant using his first pick to draft Joel Embiid.

James rounded off his starting lineup by selecting Stephen Curry, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Jokic. Durant’s starting lineup will consist of Embiid, Tatum, Ja Morant, Andrew Wiggins, and Trae Young. Wiggins and Young were the final two starters selected in the draft.

Between the two, Durant has the least experienced starting lineup with Wiggins and Morant, both first-time All-Stars and Young just in his second All-Star Game.

Durant got the first pick to open up the reserves section of the draft and used the pick to select Devin Booker, and James used his first pick to draft Luka Doncic.

Durant filled out his reserves by selecting Karl Anthony-Towns, Zach LaVine, Dejounte Murray, Khris Middleton, LaMelo Ball, and Rudy Gobert.

James reserves will be Darius Garland, Chris Paul, Jimmy Butler, Donovan Mitchell, Fred VanVleet, and James Harden.

Harden was the last pick of the All-Star Draft, with Durant creating a funny moment where he opted against drafting his former teammate, who was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, to take Gobert instead.

The All-Star Game is scheduled to occur in Cleveland on Sunday, Feb. 20.

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NBA Announces Three-Point Contest Participants https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nba-announces-three-point-contest-participants/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nba-announces-three-point-contest-participants/#respond Wed, 09 Feb 2022 14:31:10 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=737740 The NBA All-Star weekend is right around the corner, and the announced list of participants for the weekend means fans will be in for a great time. On Tuesday night, the NBA announced the eight players participating in the All-Star weekend three-point contest. It’s a list of participants all seeking a first three-point contest championship, […]

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The NBA All-Star weekend is right around the corner, and the announced list of participants for the weekend means fans will be in for a great time.

On Tuesday night, the NBA announced the eight players participating in the All-Star weekend three-point contest.

It’s a list of participants all seeking a first three-point contest championship, with most of the players participating in the event for the first time in their careers.

CJ McCollum and Zach LaVine are the veterans of the contest, with each having participated in two prior three-point contests. Trae Young is the only other player of the eight to have participated in a previous three-point contest, and this will be his second.

Karl Anthony-Towns, Fred VanVleet, LaVine, and Young, will also be playing in the All-Star Game the following night.

Patty Mills is the oldest player in the group at 33 years old, and there’s no question he can shoot the rock as a career 39.2 percent three-point shooter and is shooting 42.4 percent from distance so far this season. On the flip side, Desmond Bane – who is in his second NBA season – is the contest’s least experienced player but is shooting 42.1 percent from deep over his career.

Luke Kennard, though, maintains the highest three-point percentage of the eight players this season, knocking down 40.8 percent of his shots beyond the arc this season. Every player on the field is shooting better than 38 percent from three this season.

In addition to the three-point contest, the NBA also announced the dunk contest participants and skill challenge participants.

The NBA All-Star weekend begins on Friday, Feb. 18, with the three-point contest taking place on Saturday, Feb. 19, and the All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 20.

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NBA Announces Reserves for 2022 All-Star Game https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nba-announces-reserves-for-2022-all-star-game/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nba-announces-reserves-for-2022-all-star-game/#respond Fri, 04 Feb 2022 01:34:01 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=737311 The NBA All-Star roster has been announced in full, with some exciting names set to take the floor in a few weeks. On Thursday, during a broadcast on TNT, the NBA announced the reserves for the upcoming 2022 All-Star game, a week after the starters had been announced. In the West, the Phoenix Suns and […]

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The NBA All-Star roster has been announced in full, with some exciting names set to take the floor in a few weeks.

On Thursday, during a broadcast on TNT, the NBA announced the reserves for the upcoming 2022 All-Star game, a week after the starters had been announced.

In the West, the Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz had two players named: Chris Paul and Devin Booker for the Suns and Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell for the Jazz. The roster comprises Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl Anthony-Towns, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, and Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic.

The West will have to add one additional player before the All-Star game, as Green won’t be active for the festivities. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will name Green’s replacement before the All-Star Game draft.

The remaining West All-Stars are made up by the five starters, Nikola Jokic, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins, and Ja Morant.

In the East, Zach LaVine, Jimmy Butler, Darius Garland, James Harden, Fred VanVleet, Jayson Tatum, and Khris Middleton all got the nod, representing different teams from each other. They’ll be joining the East’s five starters of Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, DeMar DeRozan, Joel Embiid, and Trae Young.

While there is a boatload of talent in this year’s All-Star game, some names that arguably deserved consideration were left off. Dejounte Murray and Deandre Ayton are putting together excellent seasons in the West but were not named to the All-Star team. Paul George was having another All-Star-caliber season but hasn’t played in over a month due to an elbow injury.

In the East, Jarrett Allen, Jrue Holiday, and Jaylen Brown have seasons potentially worthy of the All-Star distinction.

All-Star captains James and Durant will draft their teams live on TNT on Feb. 10 at 7:00 p.m. EST. The NBA All-Star Game is on Sunday, Feb. 20.

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REPORT: The Clippers Make Multiple Players Available For Point Guard Help https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-the-clippers-make-multiple-players-available-for-point-guard-help/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-the-clippers-make-multiple-players-available-for-point-guard-help/#respond Wed, 02 Feb 2022 23:07:25 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=737212 The Los Angeles Clippers are one of the more unique teams in the Western Conference approaching the All-Star break. Despite not having the services of superstar Kawhi Leonard this season and losing Paul George in December to an elbow injury, they now stand at seventh place in the West with a 26-26 record. The team […]

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The Los Angeles Clippers are one of the more unique teams in the Western Conference approaching the All-Star break.

Despite not having the services of superstar Kawhi Leonard this season and losing Paul George in December to an elbow injury, they now stand at seventh place in the West with a 26-26 record. The team hasn’t closed the door on either player being shut down for the season and is looking for point guard help just in case.

According to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, the Clippers are in the market for a point guard in a trade with possibly six players being targets.

“If the Clippers dip below .500, it should come as no big surprise. But this isn’t a lost season without Leonard and George. Not at all. In fact, the Clippers found their identity on defense by examining their roster and trying to find out who will fit with their stars in the years to come.”

Despite all the good vibes on the court this season, no team is ever fully complete. Change is inevitable. And the next step for the Clippers is to find a new point guard.

While Reggie Jackson currently covers the position, the Clippers see him as more of a scorer. What they want by his side is a playmaker. Someone like Fred VanVleet or Kyle Lowry for Leonard in Toronto, or even George Hill was for a young PG-13 in Indiana. L.A. wants a point guard on that level, someone who can manage the game or provide a spark depending on the situation.

So, what kind of point guard can the Clippers reasonably obtain? Over the past few weeks, numerous reports have cited names like Jalen Brunson, Dennis Schröder, Kemba Walker, Goran Dragic, Spencer Dinwiddie, and John Wall as targets.”

The team plan’s on moving potential expiring contracts such as Serge Ibaka, Ivica Zubac (team option for 2022-23 season), or Nicolas Batum (player option for 2022-23)

The Los Angeles Clippers made team history by making Western Conference Finals last season before falling to the eventual conference champion, Phoenix Suns.

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Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant Lead NBA All-Star Fan Vote Returns https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/stephen-curry-kevin-durant-current-leaders-of-nba-all-star-fan-vote/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/stephen-curry-kevin-durant-current-leaders-of-nba-all-star-fan-vote/#respond Fri, 07 Jan 2022 16:14:31 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=735237 The NBA All-Star game is just over a month away, and for the first time this season, we have an idea of who may partake in action. On Thursday, the NBA released its first returns on All-Star fan voting, and there are a few surprises sprinkled throughout. Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry leads the […]

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The NBA All-Star game is just over a month away, and for the first time this season, we have an idea of who may partake in action.

On Thursday, the NBA released its first returns on All-Star fan voting, and there are a few surprises sprinkled throughout.

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry leads the way in voting, who has accumulated nearly 2.6 million votes, almost around 200,000 more than the second-place vote-getter, Kevin Durant. A familiar face rounds out the position leaders in LeBron James, the top vote-getter among forwards in the Western Conference and an unusual but deserved face in DeMar DeRozan, the top vote-getter among guards in the Eastern Conference.

DeRozan’s lead and now expected All-Star appearance is much deserved, as he is having a career year for the Chicago Bulls, averaging 26.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game.

Other players to accumulate over one million votes thus far include Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, and Paul George. Andrew Wiggins just missed out at 933,355 votes.

Every year, a few unexpected names pop up and receive hundreds of thousands of votes, and this year is no different. Klay Thompson has yet to play a game this season for the Warriors, but he is still the fourth-highest vote-getter among Western Conference guards. Kyrie Irving is sixth amongst guards in the East, despite just making his season debut on Wednesday.

Derrick Rose is averaging just 12.0 points per game for the New York Knicks coming off the bench and has received nearly double the votes of Darius Garland and Fred VanVleet. Two other vets coming off the bench received a hefty number of votes: LaMarcus Aldridge and Carmelo Anthony, who have started a combined 13 games between them.

If you want your favorite player to be further up the list, you still have some time! NBA All-Star fan voting doesn’t close until Saturday, January 22, and the full rosters will be announced in full on February 3.

The NBA All-Star game will take place in Cleveland at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Saturday, February 20.

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Steve Nash Concerned about Kevin Durant Minutes https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/steve-nash-concerned-about-kevin-durant-minutes/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/steve-nash-concerned-about-kevin-durant-minutes/#respond Fri, 17 Dec 2021 23:08:42 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=734039 Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash has shown some concern for the amount minutes played for All-Star Kevin Durant has logged this season, and the team will monitor him closely as it navigates the next several games. “It’s a really important topic,” Nash said per ESPN. “I don’t know we can continue to lean on him the way we […]

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Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash has shown some concern for the amount minutes played for All-Star Kevin Durant has logged this season, and the team will monitor him closely as it navigates the next several games.

“It’s a really important topic,” Nash said per ESPN. “I don’t know we can continue to lean on him the way we have. It doesn’t feel right.

“I know he’s enjoying it. I know he’s enjoying playing at the rate he’s playing at and trying to bring his teammates along with him and all the responsibility that he’s accepted and crushed, basically. It’s just been incredible. But, at the same time, it’s not safe or sustainable to lean on him like that. There’s gonna be a lot of consideration, and we’ll have to figure out ways to give him breaks.”

Durant is currently averaging 36.9 minutes per game this season, the most he’s logged since his MVP season in the 2013-2014 season when he played 38.5 minutes per night. He currently stands at fourth place in minutes behind Fred VanVleetO.G Annouby, and LeBron James. When asked about the workload, Durant was straightforward with his answer, telling assembled media he wanted to play.

“I just try to do what’s required, man,” Durant said when asked about his minute’s load after Tuesday’s win. “I mean, I want to be out there. I want to play. I want to win. So, it starts there.”

“Whatever I got to do to accomplish those three things, I’m going to do.”

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Fred VanVleet and the University of Toronto Team Up to Create Scholarship https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/fred-vanvleet-and-the-university-of-toronto-team-up-to-create-scholarship/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/fred-vanvleet-and-the-university-of-toronto-team-up-to-create-scholarship/#respond Mon, 13 Dec 2021 17:10:28 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=733593 Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet and the University of Toronto announced Monday the launching of the “Fred VanVleet Scholarship.” The scholarship is the latest of many community initiatives created by VanVleet that includes partnerships with DoorDash, Uninterrupted Canada, which is launching a docuseries highlighting restaurants and small business owners in Canada. According to multiple reports, […]

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Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet and the University of Toronto announced Monday the launching of the “Fred VanVleet Scholarship.”

The scholarship is the latest of many community initiatives created by VanVleet that includes partnerships with DoorDash, Uninterrupted Canada, which is launching a docuseries highlighting restaurants and small business owners in Canada.

According to multiple reports, the scholarship is an award to support an incoming Black and Indigenous student based on financial need who expresses interest in management. The scholarship comes with fully paid tuition and a $1,000 stipend for books each year. The value of the four-year scholarship is more than $60,000.

VanVleet will also be involved in mentoring the scholarship recipient. Like many others, the scholarship will be renewed based on continued enrollment in the Rotman Commerce program and must stay in good academic standing.

“This scholarship is important because it’s going to shine a light on some of those who may be underserved or underprivileged in certain communities and aspects,” VanVleet said in a YouTube video announcing the scholarship.

“We know there’s a selection process to a lot of scholarships and sometimes it counts people out. We’re just trying to make a concerted effort to shine a light on those who may not have gotten a proper opportunity.”

VanVleet emphasizes the importance of mentorship, and why it’s important to have “someone to guide you.” His hope is that the scholarship becomes a “catalyst” in a young person’s career and a platform to access resources to help them succeed.

“Hopefully they go on to do many bright and important things,” he added.

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Raptors Reportedly Turned Down Ben Simmons Trade Offer https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/raptors-reportedly-turned-down-ben-simmons-trade-offer/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/raptors-reportedly-turned-down-ben-simmons-trade-offer/#respond Wed, 28 Jul 2021 11:00:00 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=721139 One of the biggest storylines to follow this summer will be the Ben Simmons situation in Philadelphia. After a disappointing end to the season, the Sixers’ young star could be on the move.  As first reported by Matt Moore of Action Network, the Toronto Raptors are the team most engaged in trade discussions for Simmons […]

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One of the biggest storylines to follow this summer will be the Ben Simmons situation in Philadelphia. After a disappointing end to the season, the Sixers’ young star could be on the move. 

As first reported by Matt Moore of Action Network, the Toronto Raptors are the team most engaged in trade discussions for Simmons at this point. He would go on to say that Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, and the fourth overall pick in Thursday’s draft for Simmons was rejected by Toronto.

For Philadelphia, Kyle Lowry is still at the top of their list of targets this offseason. It appears that for now, the trade framework they’ve originally offered won’t help in landing the veteran point guard. 

Simmons averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game last season for the Sixers and was one of the best defenders in the entire NBA. 

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Fred VanVleet, DeAndre Bembry Face Suspension for Roles in Raptors-Lakers Scuffle https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/fred-vanvleet-deandre-bembry-face-suspension-for-roles-in-raptors-lakers-scuffle/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/fred-vanvleet-deandre-bembry-face-suspension-for-roles-in-raptors-lakers-scuffle/#respond Thu, 08 Apr 2021 20:24:49 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=709350 Toronto Raptors guards Fred VanVleet and DeAndre Bembry face an NBA suspension after leaving the team’s bench on Tuesday amid an on-court altercation between Raptors forward OG Anunoby and Los Angeles Lakers guard Dennis Schroder. VanVleet is set to miss the next regular season game while Bembry will miss tonight’s game against Chicago. Emerging Lakers […]

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Toronto Raptors guards Fred VanVleet and DeAndre Bembry face an NBA suspension after leaving the team’s bench on Tuesday amid an on-court altercation between Raptors forward OG Anunoby and Los Angeles Lakers guard Dennis Schroder.

VanVleet is set to miss the next regular season game while Bembry will miss tonight’s game against Chicago. Emerging Lakers talent Talen-Horton Tucker also faces suspension, while Montrezl Harrell was fined for their involvement in Tuesday night’s debacle.

The Raptors are now operating with a highly limited roster, as Kyle Lowry, Rodney Hood, Jalen Harris, Patrick McCaw and Paul Watson Jr. are all currently out due to COVID-19 protocols or injuries.

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USA Basketball Men’s National Team Announces 57 Finalists for Tokyo Olympics https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/usa-basketball-mens-national-team-announces-57-finalists-for-tokyo-olympics/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/usa-basketball-mens-national-team-announces-57-finalists-for-tokyo-olympics/#respond Fri, 12 Mar 2021 12:47:06 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=705455 On Thursday, the USA Basketball Men’s National Basketball Team announced the full list of 57 finalists that they would be considered for the U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team for the Tokyo Olympic Games. 15 of the finalists were added to the 2021 USA National Team roster on Thursday, with U.S. Men’s National Basketball Team managing […]

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On Thursday, the USA Basketball Men’s National Basketball Team announced the full list of 57 finalists that they would be considered for the U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

15 of the finalists were added to the 2021 USA National Team roster on Thursday, with U.S. Men’s National Basketball Team managing director Jerry Colangelo revealing the rationale for an expanded field of finalists in an official press release:

“With the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics from 2020 to 2021, it’s important that we continue to remain flexible and consider all players who can contribute to our efforts to field the best USA team possible. These additions we are announcing today will help ensure that we are doing that.”

The 15 finalists that were added to the original list of 42 players is as follows:

Center Jarrett Allen (Cleveland Cavaliers); guard Eric Gordon (Houston Rockets); forward Jerami Grant (Detroit Pistons); forward Blake Griffin (Brooklyn Nets); guard Jrue Holiday (Milwaukee Bucks); center DeAndre Jordan (Brooklyn Nets); guard Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls); forward Julius Randle (New York Knicks); forward Duncan Robinson (Miami Heat); center Mitchell Robinson (New York Knicks); Guard Fred VanVleet (Toronto Raptors); guard John Wall (Houston Rockets); forward Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans); center Christian Wood (Houston Rockets); and guard Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks).

Among the 57 finalists, 29 players have participated in international competition, whether it was the Olympic Games or a FIBA World Cup. This includes 11 players who were represented on the 2019 FIBA World Cup roster.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, who remains noncommittal about playing in the upcoming Olympic Games, has the most Olympic appearances in the player pool, appearing on the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympic rosters.

Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul and Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant both have two Olympic appearances each.

Of the 57 players, only two have never represented the United States internationally or participated in a United States Basketball training session: Wood and Robinson.

Meanwhile, only 24 of the NBA’s 30 teams are represented in the player pool, with only the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder not represented.

The U.S. Men’s Olympic Basketball Team will be coached by San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, with Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, Villanova head coach Jay Wright and former Atlanta Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce joining him on the bench as assistants.

The 2021 Olympic Games are scheduled to take place from Jul. 23 – Aug. 8 in Tokyo, Japan.

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Heat, Sixers, Clippers Among Teams Who Could Trade For Kyle Lowry https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/kyle-lowry-trade-rumors-heat-philadelphia-los-angeles-clippers-potential-destinations/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/kyle-lowry-trade-rumors-heat-philadelphia-los-angeles-clippers-potential-destinations/#respond Fri, 26 Feb 2021 15:18:31 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=703375 For the past nine seasons, Kyle Lowry has been a key piece in the success of the Toronto Raptors. He’s been named an NBA All-Star for six-straight years before this season and helped the franchise win a championship in 2019.  With that in mind, his time in Toronto could be coming to an end as […]

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For the past nine seasons, Kyle Lowry has been a key piece in the success of the Toronto Raptors. He’s been named an NBA All-Star for six-straight years before this season and helped the franchise win a championship in 2019. 

With that in mind, his time in Toronto could be coming to an end as the 34-year-old is a free agent this offseason and could be moved before that happens. With Fred VanVleet earning a huge payday last offseason and showing full capability of being the starting point guard of the future, Lowry could be on a new team before the March trade deadline. 

According to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers and LA Clippers could be teams that become trade destinations if Lowry does in fact become available. 

Lowry is averaging 18.0 points and 6.5 assists per game and still has plenty to contribute to a contender. The Raptors were 16-0 in their last 16 games without him in the lineup, proving that they’re capable of winning without him. 

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Raptors Front Office in Talks of a Possible Kyle Lowry Trade https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/raptors-front-office-in-talks-of-a-possible-kyle-lowry-trade/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/raptors-front-office-in-talks-of-a-possible-kyle-lowry-trade/#respond Wed, 10 Feb 2021 19:02:49 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=701514 Deemed one of the Raptors’ most favorable players in franchise history, the team might be looking into a possible Kyle Lowry trade in the foreseeable future, per CBS Sports: “There is a portion of Raptors personnel, league sources said, that believes the franchise should bid its beloved All-Star farewell and begin Toronto’s next chapter in […]

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Deemed one of the Raptors’ most favorable players in franchise history, the team might be looking into a possible Kyle Lowry trade in the foreseeable future, per CBS Sports:

“There is a portion of Raptors personnel, league sources said, that believes the franchise should bid its beloved All-Star farewell and begin Toronto’s next chapter in earnest.” Per Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer.

The six-time All-star has been one of the most important components keeping the Raptors team together while also winning a championship alongside former teammate, Kawhi Leonard, back in 2019.

According to Sam Quinn of CBS Sports, the Raptors have formed a team consisting of younger players with Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet who are both 26, and OG Anunoby who is 23. The team could be looking to take advantage of their fresh talent by building around them.

It was only a year ago that Lowry agreed to a one-year extension with the Raptors. The guard could potentially have a few options, only if cap space does not pose as an issue considering most teams are maxed out.

Whether or not Lowry will be placed in the market remains unclear considering there haven’t been any serious notions regarding the guard and a possible trade.

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‘Hoop Portraits’: Follow Two Prospects As They Prepare For The 2020 NBA Draft https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/hoop-portraits-documentary-north-carolina-prospects-nba-draft-g-league/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/hoop-portraits-documentary-north-carolina-prospects-nba-draft-g-league/#respond Mon, 08 Feb 2021 22:37:30 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=701313 The NBA G League will kick-off the 2020-21 season on February 10 in Disney, with a handful of teams—including G League’s Ignite, who have a stacked roster full of NBA Draft-eligible players including Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga—are scheduled to compete inside the bubble. To give more insight into what this journey has been like […]

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The NBA G League will kick-off the 2020-21 season on February 10 in Disney, with a handful of teams—including G League’s Ignite, who have a stacked roster full of NBA Draft-eligible players including Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga—are scheduled to compete inside the bubble.

To give more insight into what this journey has been like for NBA hopefuls, the League has partnered with Blue Cups Production and will be premiering Hoop Portraits, a documentary series that “provides intimate vignettes of hoopers during pivotal moments in their lives.”

Directed and produced by Taylor Sharp, as well as producer Holland Randolph Gallagher of Blue Cup Productions, the first episode, “Two Ways to the League” follows two North Carolina basketball standouts Ty-Shon Alexander and Josh Hall as they prepare for the 2020 NBA Draft.

The documentary also gives a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like for them to go through the extended pre-draft period, following them around for six weeks as they live together in Charlotte, train with former NBA player and Tarheel, Jeff McInnis, and try to make their dreams come true.

“What attracted us to their story was the inherent tension that would remain present until the moment they received a call that would determine their professional fate. Hearing their name called on draft night was never guaranteed for these players, and that’s a story in sports that’s not as often told,” said Taylor Sharp, director of Hoop Portraits, via an official press release.

“This documentary will turn into something really valuable because they’re going to make it, they’re going to be big-time players in the NBA, so this will show people how they got there,” said McInnis.

Hall, a former Moravian Prep five-star recruit, was committed to NC State before he decided to forego college. He has signed a two-way contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder’s G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue, making him the first basketball player since Tracy McGrady in 1997 to go straight to the G League from a North Carolina high school.

Meanwhile, Alexander is a four-star recruit who suited up for Creighton University for three seasons before signing a two-way contract with the Phoenix Suns. He’ll play for the Canton Charge this season.

Many players who went undrafted have gone on to have successful careers in the League, from four-time Defensive Player of the Year and All-Star Ben Wallace to NBA Champion Fred VanVleet. As McInnis emphasizes, what matters most is how you prove yourself when you got onto the court.

“Your draft status doesn’t matter once the ball gets tipped. The opportunity in front of them is to play basketball in the NBA—no matter what the contract says, they got one. Now prove that you belong and that you’re there to stay,” adds McInnis.

A virtual premiere will be held via live stream on February 8th, which will host a screening of the film and a Q+A with Josh and Ty-Shon, a host from the NBA, and Sharp. The live stream can be accessed via NBA Twitch, G League YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch.

“The NBA G League is proud to play an important role in a player’s journey to the NBA,” said NBA G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim. “The G League has long cultivated NBA talent, and we’re thrilled when we can help give players a platform to tell their stories along the way.”

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Norman Powell: ‘We’re Not Down, We’re Just Frustrated’ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/norman-powell-were-not-down-were-just-frustrated/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/norman-powell-were-not-down-were-just-frustrated/#respond Fri, 08 Jan 2021 14:22:53 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=697179 Sitting at 1-6, the Toronto Raptors currently have the second-worst record in the NBA, only outpacing the questionably-built Detroit Pistons (1-7) by a hair. Having just won an NBA championship in 2019 behind the stellar play of Kawhi Leonard, the Raptors removal from the upper echelon of the league’s top teams was expected once Leonard […]

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Sitting at 1-6, the Toronto Raptors currently have the second-worst record in the NBA, only outpacing the questionably-built Detroit Pistons (1-7) by a hair.

Having just won an NBA championship in 2019 behind the stellar play of Kawhi Leonard, the Raptors removal from the upper echelon of the league’s top teams was expected once Leonard left for Los Angeles. However, the drop to a dungeon-dwelling team was not — especially with the on-court development of Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby.

Speaking to reporters on Jan. 6 hours before to losing to the Phoenix Suns (6-2), Raptors guard Norman Powell addressed the team’s early-season struggles and admitted that “everybody’s frustrated.”

Powell added thata lot of the guys on the team are trying to find their way through it and get back to the level of play they know they can play at.

Interestingly, while Toronto has three players averaging at least 19 points per game this season, the Raptors are currently ranked in the bottom-10 of both points per game (107.3) and offensive rating (105.0).

This is, in large part, due to the Raptors’ inefficiency. With a league-worst team field goal percentage of .422, getting the ball in the basket consistently is the first step in Toronto righting the ship.

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Heat Check 2020-21: Toronto Raptors https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/heat-check-2020-21-toronto-raptors/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/heat-check-2020-21-toronto-raptors/#respond Thu, 31 Dec 2020 10:43:27 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=694762 The Toronto Raptors will need to dial up their depth if they hope to get back to championship form. Two of their major offseason investments, OG Anunoby and Chis Boucher, have already started to bear fruit. The team’s primary core of Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet have lived up to the bar they […]

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The Toronto Raptors will need to dial up their depth if they hope to get back to championship form. Two of their major offseason investments, OG Anunoby and Chis Boucher, have already started to bear fruit.

The team’s primary core of Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet have lived up to the bar they set last season but Norman Powell’s early impact has fallen short.

For more information about the numbers behind our Heat Check series, hop over to our main Heat Check 2020-21 post.

OG Anunoby12.7p, 6.7r, 1.7a🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Chris Boucher11.3p, 5.3r, 0.3a🔥🔥🔥🔥
Stanley Johnson3.5p, 4.0r, 0.0a🔥🔥🔥
Matt Thomas7.0p, 1.7r, 1.7a🔥🔥🔥
Kyle Lowry19.3p, 3.0r, 9.7a
Pascal Siakam18.7p, 9.0r, 4.7a❄
Fred VanVleet14.7p, 4.0r, 6.0a❄❄
Aron Baynes8.7p, 7.3r, 0.7a❄❄
Alex Len2.0p, 5.0r, 2.0a❄❄❄❄❄
Norman Powell6.0p, 1.0r, 1.0a❄❄❄❄❄
DeAndre’ Bembry1.0p, 0.5r, 0.0a❄❄❄❄❄
Terence Davis0.0p, 0.0r, 0.0a❄❄❄❄❄

Team-by-Team Breakdown

AtlantaBostonBrooklyn
CharlotteChicagoCleveland
DallasDenverDetroit
Golden StateHoustonIndiana
LA ClippersLA LakersMemphis
MiamiMilwaukeeMinnesota
New OrleansNew YorkOklahoma City
OrlandoPhiladelphiaPhoenix
PortlandSacramentoSan Antonio
TorontoUtahWashington

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Toronto Raptors: Projected 2020-21 Depth Chart https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/toronto-raptors-projected-2020-21-depth-chart/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/toronto-raptors-projected-2020-21-depth-chart/#respond Tue, 22 Dec 2020 10:03:47 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=681905 The Toronto Raptors are only one season removed from winning an NBA championship. While the roster looks a bit different now, they still have the talent to be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. We broke down the Raptors’ depth chart for the 2020-21 season below. We’ve also previously published a summary […]

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The Toronto Raptors are only one season removed from winning an NBA championship. While the roster looks a bit different now, they still have the talent to be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

We broke down the Raptors’ depth chart for the 2020-21 season below. We’ve also previously published a summary of the Raptors’ offseason.

Point Guard
Kyle Lowry
Malachi Flynn
Paul Watson
Shooting Guard
Fred VanVleet
Norman Powell
Terence Davis
Patrick McCaw
Matt Thomas
Small Forward
OG Anunoby
Stanley Johnson
DeAndre Bembry
Power Forward
Pascal Siakam
Chris Boucher
Center
Aron Baynes
Alex Len

Biggest Questions

  • How productive will the center rotation be? After losing Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol, that rotation will be completely new.
  • Can Pascal Siakam shake off the rust we saw in the bubble? As good of a player as he has the chance to be, that wasn’t his best stretch of basketball. How close is he to his ceiling?

All NBA Team Offseason Summaries

AtlanticCentralSoutheast
BostonChicagoAtlanta
BrooklynClevelandCharlotte
New YorkDetroitMiami
PhiladelphiaIndianaOrlando
TorontoMilwaukeeWashington
NorthwestPacificSouthwest
DenverGolden StateDallas
MinnesotaLA ClippersMemphis
OklahomaLA LakersNew Orleans
PortlandPhoenixHouston
UtahSacramentoSan Antonio

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Toronto Raptors: Offseason Summary 2020 https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/toronto-raptors-offseason-summary-2020/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/toronto-raptors-offseason-summary-2020/#respond Mon, 14 Dec 2020 07:00:25 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=669568 The Toronto Raptors surprised the league by maintaining their dominance even with two-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard defecting to the West. This was, in part, due to veteran point guard Kyle Lowry continuing to be overlooked as one of the most effective players in the league. It’s also due to the continued growth of Pascal […]

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The Toronto Raptors surprised the league by maintaining their dominance even with two-time Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard defecting to the West. This was, in part, due to veteran point guard Kyle Lowry continuing to be overlooked as one of the most effective players in the league. It’s also due to the continued growth of Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet.

Next season, the Raptors will need this trio to remain lethal if they’re to return to the top of the Eastern Conference standings, as their offseason was anything but ideal.

Raptors Offseason Additions

PlayerTransaction
Malachi FlynnDraft (29th)
Jalen HarrisDraft (59th)
Yuta WatanabeFree Agency (MEM)
Alize JohnsonFree Agency (IND)
Alex LenFree Agency (SAC)
Aron BaynesFree Agency (PHX)
DeAndre’ BembryFree Agency (ATL)

Biggest Acquisitions

  • Aron Baynes: Aron Baynes is tough as nails and strong as (you guessed). Having developed his 3-point stroke over the last two seasons, Baynes is now a respectable stretch-big who can replace what Marc Gasol brought to the Toronto Raptors in a lot of ways.
  • Alex Len: Alex Len, in contrast to Aron Baynes, is better on offense than defense. That’s going to be highly important as the Raptors try to find ways to make up for what they lost when Serge Ibaka departed for the Los Angeles Clippers.

Raptors Offseason Subtractions

PlayerTransaction
Serge IbakaFree Agency (LAC)
Marc GasolFree Agency (LAL)
Rondae Hollis-JeffersonFree Agency (MIN)
Dewan HernandezFree Agency
Malcolm MillerFree Agency

Biggest Losses

  • Serge Ibaka: Serge Ibaka looked reinvigorated last season, averaging 15.4 points and 8.2 rebounds per game while posting a true shooting percentage of .583. He’s going to be a hard loss for the Toronto Raptors to swallow and they failed to replace him at all this offseason.
  • Marc Gasol: Marc Gasol may not have had his best season in 2019-20 but he remains a smart, savvy veteran center with above-average playmaking ability. Perhaps newcomer Aron Baynes can make it eaier for the Raptors to forget about Gasol.

All NBA Team Offseason Summaries

AtlanticCentralSoutheast
BostonChicagoAtlanta
BrooklynClevelandCharlotte
New YorkDetroitMiami
PhiladelphiaIndianaOrlando
TorontoMilwaukeeWashington
NorthwestPacificSouthwest
DenverGolden StateDallas
MinnesotaLA ClippersMemphis
OklahomaLA LakersNew Orleans
PortlandPhoenixHouston
UtahSacramentoSan Antonio

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Raptors Re-Sign Fred VanVleet to Four-Year Deal https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/raptors-re-sign-fred-vanvleet-to-four-year-deal/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/raptors-re-sign-fred-vanvleet-to-four-year-deal/#respond Sat, 21 Nov 2020 17:35:39 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=667264 The Toronto Raptors have agreed to a four-year, $85 million deal with guard Fred VanVleet, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports. VanVleet was one of the most sought after free agents on the market. VanVleet was a vital part of Toronto’s 2019 NBA title team and has emerged as important offensive piece for the Raptors […]

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The Toronto Raptors have agreed to a four-year, $85 million deal with guard Fred VanVleet, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports. VanVleet was one of the most sought after free agents on the market.

VanVleet was a vital part of Toronto’s 2019 NBA title team and has emerged as important offensive piece for the Raptors heading forward. The combo guard shares a backcourt with Kyle Lowry.

The Detroit Pistons were also said to be in the mix for VanVleet but Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports reports that they ultimately walked away when the price got too high.

VanVleet averaged 17.6 points per game in 2019-20, his first full campaign as a starter. VanVleet’s four-year deal will run through the 2023-24 campaign, in parallel with the extension that Pascal Siakam inked with the team last year.

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Report: Return to Toronto Still Possible for Fred VanVleet https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-return-toronto-still-possible-for-fred-vanvleet/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/report-return-toronto-still-possible-for-fred-vanvleet/#respond Fri, 20 Nov 2020 21:42:52 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=666906 Free agent point guard Fred VanVleet, one of the top available players on the market, will “probably” re-sign with Toronto Raptors, league sources tell The New York Post’s Marc Berman. Over the course of the past weeks, the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons have been linked to the guard but with free agent fast […]

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Free agent point guard Fred VanVleet, one of the top available players on the market, will “probably” re-sign with Toronto Raptors, league sources tell The New York Post’s Marc Berman.

Over the course of the past weeks, the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons have been linked to the guard but with free agent fast approaching, time may be running out.

Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix described Detroit’s interest in VanVleet as mild, which makes sense after the Pistons took point guard Killian Hayes with the seventh overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

Additionally, Berman writes that the Knicks — a team with a reputation of being unwieldy — are interested but concerned about being used as a leverage play in a bid for VanVleet to draw a more lucrative contract.

VanVleet, 26-years-old, is reportedly looking for a contract that will pay him approximately $20 million annually, Mannix says.

In a guard-driven league, VanVleet’s skillset is indeed valuable and — as one of the more productive young players — he should be in line for a substantial pay raise. Now just a four-year pro, VanVleet just completed the best season of his career, averaging 17.6 points, 6.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game while shooting .390 from 3-point range and starting in all 54 games that he suited up for.

Nonetheless, while there are a few teams that can offer VanVleet the type of contract he desires — like New York — the Raptors have his Bird rights and can sign him to a more lucrative contract than any team, if they would like.

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Fred VanVleet: ‘I’m Trying to Get Paid’ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/fred-vanvleet-im-trying-to-get-paid/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/fred-vanvleet-im-trying-to-get-paid/#respond Fri, 13 Nov 2020 16:07:49 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=665318 Fred VanVleet has been a key piece of the Toronto Raptors’ success in recent years, especially on their NBA championship run in 2019. After finishing out the final season of his two-year, $18 million contract, he is now set to be a free agent. One of the top free agents in the class and still […]

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Fred VanVleet has been a key piece of the Toronto Raptors’ success in recent years, especially on their NBA championship run in 2019. After finishing out the final season of his two-year, $18 million contract, he is now set to be a free agent.

One of the top free agents in the class and still just 26 years old, VanVleet may need to decide between whether he wants to play for a contender or earn a big payday. Getting both of these things is less likely due to most contenders not having cap space.

As the most recent guest on The Old Man And The Three Podcast with JJ Redick, VanVleet made it known what his priorities are when it comes to signing with his next team.

I’m trying to get paid, man. I’m not shy about that. I don’t have to tell people that I value winning,” VanVleet said.

With free agency set to open up in exactly a week, VanVleet is upfront about what he’s after, especially considering he’ll likely be signing a contract that will be paid out over the majority of his prime.

I’m not going to play hard to get. I’m not going to stack teams against each other,” he continued. “We’ll see what the numbers look like when they come in and we’ll try to make the best decision.

After going undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft, VanVleet has been excellent in the league and is deserving of a pay raise over the $9 million he earned last season.

In 2019-20, VanVleet averaged 17.6 points and 6.6 assists per game on .390 from deep.

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Report: Knicks Could Target Fred VanVleet in Free Agency https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/knicks-fred-vanvleet-free-agency/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/knicks-fred-vanvleet-free-agency/#respond Sat, 17 Oct 2020 16:58:39 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=656258 The New York Knicks are among the teams with an interest in signing free agent guard Fred VanVleet, reports the Daily News‘ Stefan Bondy. The Raptors are the favorite to retain VanVleet, per Bondy, but he can sign with any team as an unrestricted free agent this offseason. VanVleet’s stepfather, Joe Danforth, says he’s heard […]

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The New York Knicks are among the teams with an interest in signing free agent guard Fred VanVleet, reports the Daily News‘ Stefan Bondy.

The Raptors are the favorite to retain VanVleet, per Bondy, but he can sign with any team as an unrestricted free agent this offseason. VanVleet’s stepfather, Joe Danforth, says he’s heard that the Pistons and Suns might also have interest in signing VanVleet.

The Knicks, who have plenty of cap space and a need for a starting point guard, could present an intriguing opportunity for VanVleet.

In his first season as a full-time starter in 2019-20, the 26-year-old averaged career-highs in points (17.6), assists (6.6), boards (3.8) and steals (1.9), with a league-leading 4.2 deflections per game.

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Toronto Raptors: Salary Cap Space 2020 https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/toronto-raptors-salary-cap-space-2020/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/toronto-raptors-salary-cap-space-2020/#respond Wed, 14 Oct 2020 04:39:47 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=654158 We’ve summarized what Toronto Raptors fans can expect from their squad in terms of salary cap space this offseason. Below you’ll find lists of the players expected back on the roster, the team’s potential free agents and a number of insights about questions the franchise will face before the 2021 campaign. In addition to a […]

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We’ve summarized what Toronto Raptors fans can expect from their squad in terms of salary cap space this offseason. Below you’ll find lists of the players expected back on the roster, the team’s potential free agents and a number of insights about questions the franchise will face before the 2021 campaign.

In addition to a summary for each of the 30 teams (accessible in the link grid below), we’ve also tiered the top NBA free agents league-wide and published a general comparison of all teams’ cap space. Follow @SLAMnewswire on Twitter for constant offseason updates as we head into free agency.

Projected Roster Players

OG Anunoby$3,872,215Guaranteed
Terence Davis$1,517,981Non-Guaranteed
Dewan Hernandez$1,517,981Non-Guaranteed
Stanley Johnson$3,804,150UFA, PO
Kyle Lowry$30,500,000Guaranteed
Patrick McCaw$4,000,000Guaranteed
Norman Powell$10,865,952Guaranteed
Pascal Siakam$28,750,000Guaranteed
Matt Thomas$1,517,981$725,000 Guaranteed
Paul WatsonTwo-WaySecond Year 2W

Projected Free Agents

Chris Boucher$1,985,289Cap Hold – RFA
Oshae Brissett$1,445,697Cap Hold – RFA, 2W
Nando De Colo$1,901,900Cap Hold – RFA
Marc Gasol$38,199,000Cap Hold – UFA
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson$3,000,000Cap Hold – UFA
Serge Ibaka$34,907,406Cap Hold – UFA
Jeremy Lin$1,620,564Cap Hold – UFA
Jodie Meeks$1,620,564Cap Hold – UFA
Malcolm Miller$1,620,564Cap Hold – UFA
Lucas Noguiera$8,841,915Cap Hold – UFA
Jason Thompson$1,620,564Cap Hold – UFA
Fred VanVleet$14,019,230Cap Hold – UFA

2020 NBA Draft Picks

2020 Pick #29$1,950,600
2020 Pick #59No Cap Hold

Exceptions Available

  • Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception – $9,258,000

Key Offseason Decisions

  • What happens with Fred VanVleet? Can Toronto sign him to a new deal before one of the point guard-needy teams with cap space can throw him a huge offer?
  • Will the Raptors run it back one more year? They’ll hang onto free agent rights for Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka and others. The question is if they’ll re-sign them.

Projected Team Salary

$200,525,196

Anything Toronto does this offseason is with the 2021 offseason in mind. The Raptors have big dreams of bringing in a star that summer. If they bring back Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka, it’ll be on one-year deals. That makes a new contract for Fred VanVleet the real decision to watch. He’ll command a long-term deal. It’s up to Masai Ujiri to get creative to keep VanVleet, while maintaining as much flexibility as possible for 2021. (@KeithSmithNBA)

Cap Space Forecast

-$91,385,196 (30th out of 30). $47,369,395 under the Luxury Tax.


Team Salary Cap Outlooks

AtlanticCentralSoutheast
BostonChicagoAtlanta
BrooklynClevelandCharlotte
New YorkDetroitMiami
PhiladelphiaIndianaOrlando
TorontoMilwaukeeWashington
NorthwestPacificSouthwest
DenverGolden StateDallas
MinnesotaLA ClippersMemphis
Oklahoma LA LakersNew Orleans
PortlandPhoenixHouston
UtahSacramentoSan Antonio

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Post Up: Raptors Force Game 7 in 2OT Thriller https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-raptors-force-game-7-in-2ot-thriller/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-raptors-force-game-7-in-2ot-thriller/#respond Thu, 10 Sep 2020 05:37:38 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=647454 In what was one of the best games to this point in the playoffs, the Raptors came out on top against the Celtics to see another day. It’s only fitting that after a 2OT thriller, we get to see a Game 7 between these teams to see who advances to the Eastern Conference Finals. In […]

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In what was one of the best games to this point in the playoffs, the Raptors came out on top against the Celtics to see another day. It’s only fitting that after a 2OT thriller, we get to see a Game 7 between these teams to see who advances to the Eastern Conference Finals. In the West, the Clippers took care of business to take a commanding 3-1 lead over the Nuggets.

We broke down Wednesday’s matchups below.

No. 2 Toronto Raptors 125 at No. 3 Boston Celtics 122 (2OT)

Series tied 3-3

It took nearly 54 minutes of play for Kyle Lowry to push the Raptors across the finish line in the second overtime of tonight’s Game 6, but he did it nonetheless. He got help from Fred VanVleet and Norman Powell, who contributed 21 and 23 points respectively but Pascal Siakiam struggled once again. Shooting just .263 from the floor, Siakam scored 12 points in 54 minutes of play. Kemba Walker struggled for Boston, producing only five points in a game where they needed him most. On the bright side, Marcus Smart notched a triple-double while Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined for 60 points and 30 rebounds.


No. 2 LA Clippers 96 at No. 3 Denver Nuggets 85

LAC Leads Series 3-1

The Clippers jumped out to an early lead in Game 4 and held a 14-point lead after the first quarter. Denver did their best to chip away at the lead throughout the game but never really got within striking distance in this one. The Clips led for every minute of this game and were up by as many as 19 points. Kawhi Leonard led them in points (30), rebounds (11) and assists (9) as he nearly achieved a triple-double. Outside of him, nobody else scored more than 12 points for the Clippers in this low scoring affair. Of Denver’s 85 points, Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Gary Harris and Michael Porter Jr. scored 69, as the rest of the roster really struggled offensively.


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Toronto Raptors: NBA 2K21 Ratings https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/toronto-raptors-nba-2k21-ratings/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/toronto-raptors-nba-2k21-ratings/#respond Tue, 08 Sep 2020 20:31:38 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=646974 Fred VanVleet is a stone-cold sniper and will be slept on no longer. Through the 2019-20 campaign, VanVleet wasn’t the only Toronto Raptors player to gain much-needed respect. Almost every rotation player, save for Marc Gasol, saw a notable increase, a testament to the team’s championship caliber depth. We’ve listed the entire roster with comparisons […]

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Fred VanVleet is a stone-cold sniper and will be slept on no longer. Through the 2019-20 campaign, VanVleet wasn’t the only Toronto Raptors player to gain much-needed respect. Almost every rotation player, save for Marc Gasol, saw a notable increase, a testament to the team’s championship caliber depth.

We’ve listed the entire roster with comparisons to last year’s launch rating below. We’ve also identified some general NBA 2K21 ratings trends for the league as a whole.

Raptors NBA 2K21 Ratings

PlayerPos.2K212K20
Pascal SiakamPF/SF8887
Kyle LowryPG8785
Fred VanVleetPG/SG8579
Serge IbakaC/PF8081
OG AnunobySF/PF7973
Marc GasolC7782
Chris BoucherC/PF7771
Norman PowellSG/SF7774
Rondae Hollis-JeffersonPF/SF7675
Terence DavisSG/PG7670
Matt ThomasSG/SF7472
Patrick McCawSG/PG7372
Stanley JohnsonPF/SF7173
Malcolm MillerSF/SG6969
Dewan HernandezC68
Oshae BrissettSF/PF67
Paul WatsonSG/SF67

View the NBA 2K21 player ratings for other teams below.

AtlanticCentralSoutheast
BostonChicagoAtlanta
BrooklynClevelandCharlotte
New YorkDetroitMiami
PhiladelphiaIndianaOrlando
TorontoMilwaukeeWashington
NorthwestPacificSouthwest
DenverGolden StateDallas
MinnesotaLA ClippersMemphis
OklahomaLA LakersNew Orleans
PortlandPhoenixHouston
UtahSacramentoSan Antonio

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NBA 2K21 Ratings: Team-by-Team Lists https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nba-2k21-ratings-team-by-team-lists/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nba-2k21-ratings-team-by-team-lists/#respond Tue, 08 Sep 2020 18:06:15 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=646818 It’s that time of year again, when hoopers and basketball fans alike gather around their consoles to see and pick apart the player ratings doled out in the latest edition of NBA 2K. This year’s version of the game faced unusual circumstances as the 2020-21 version of the game is technically dropping before the conclusion […]

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It’s that time of year again, when hoopers and basketball fans alike gather around their consoles to see and pick apart the player ratings doled out in the latest edition of NBA 2K.

This year’s version of the game faced unusual circumstances as the 2020-21 version of the game is technically dropping before the conclusion of the previous campaign. Such is life in the year 2020.

Without so much as a 2020 offseason, let alone a rookie draft, the rosters themselves in the launch version of NBA 2K21 are in line with where they were in the most recently updated patch of NBA 2K20 but discrepancies among the ratings still exist. The game is geared toward next season, after all.

We’ve rounded up and sifted through the team-by-team overall rating data below. It’s on you to hit us here or on Twitter with the decisions you think the 2K developers nailed – and where they struck out.

Below the team-by-team grid, we’ve broken down additional trends, so scroll liberally.

AtlanticCentralSoutheast
BostonChicagoAtlanta
BrooklynClevelandCharlotte
New YorkDetroitMiami
PhiladelphiaIndianaOrlando
TorontoMilwaukeeWashington
NorthwestPacificSouthwest
DenverGolden StateDallas
MinnesotaLA ClippersMemphis
OklahomaLA LakersNew Orleans
PortlandPhoenixHouston
UtahSacramentoSan Antonio

The average player ratings were down across the board compared to last year which could indicate a slight game-wide recalibration but the numbers are indicative of how the teams stack up from top to bottom. Any generic average that weighs every single player on a team equally will be flawed, so don’t read more into this than you should, but it’s interesting to note the relative differences between the teams. It’s also a good reminder of just how scary the Warriors and Nets can be when fully healthy.

Average Overall Rating By Team

TeamAverage Rating
Warriors76.8462
Clippers76.7647
Lakers76.4444
Nets76.4211
76ers76.3529
Bucks76.1765
Mavs76.0556
Nuggets76.0000
Raptors75.9412
Celtics75.8824
Kings75.8235
Pacers75.7059
Suns75.6875
Blazers75.6471
Grizzlies75.6111
Rockets75.6111
Hawks75.6000
Magic75.5294
Spurs75.4706
Wizards75.1579
Bulls75.1176
Pelicans75.1111
Heat74.9375
Thunder74.8824
Cavs74.8750
Timberwolves74.7500
Jazz74.6471
Pistons73.7647
Hornets73.6667
Knicks73.1111

Biggest NBA 2K21 Ratings Increases

PlayerTeam2K212K20
Duncan RobinsonMIA7867
Devonte’ GrahamCHA7969
Eric PaschallGSW7971
Brandon ClarkeMEM8073
Luka DoncicDAL9487
Gary Trent Jr.POR7771
Chris BoucherTOR7771
Ja MorantMEM8579
Kendrick NunnMIA7670
Fred VanVleetTOR8579
OG AnunobyTOR7973
Christian WoodDET8074
Jonathan IsaacORL8276
Terence DavisTOR7670
Jordan McRaeWAS7468
Rui HachimuraWAS7974
Tyler HerroMIA7873
Michael Porter Jr.DEN8176
T.J. WarrenIND8580
P.J. DozierDEN7267
PJ WashingtonCHA7772
Caris LeVertBRO8378
Tony Bradley Jr.UTA7570
Donte DiVincenzoMIL7772
Troy Brown Jr.WAS7873
Jaylen BrownBOS8479
Moritz WagnerWAS7671
Brandon IngramNOP8681
Zion WilliamsonNOP8681
Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderOKC8479

Biggest NBA 2K21 Ratings Decreases

PlayerTeam2K212K20
Mike ConleyMEM7987
Kyle KuzmaLAL7684
Draymond GreenGSW7986
JaMychal GreenLAC7278
Al HorfordPHI8085
Dennis Smith Jr.NYK7277
Blake GriffinDET8388
Victor OladipoIND8287
Ed DavisUTA7277
Marc GasolMEM7782

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Top 2020 NBA Free Agents List https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/top-2020-nba-free-agents-list/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/top-2020-nba-free-agents-list/#respond Fri, 04 Sep 2020 19:13:56 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=646051 The available NBA free agent class in 2020 may not be as top-heavy as the one we saw last summer but there are a number of players who could be legitimate game changers for whichever teams end up signing them over the offseason. Nov. 20 Update: The Top 2020 NBA Free Agents Available, 24 Hours […]

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The available NBA free agent class in 2020 may not be as top-heavy as the one we saw last summer but there are a number of players who could be legitimate game changers for whichever teams end up signing them over the offseason.

Nov. 20 Update: The Top 2020 NBA Free Agents Available, 24 Hours In

Rather than focus on specific rankings for players, a process limited by the fact that a given individual’s value fluctuates based on the needs of each team, I’ve broken down the league’s available free agents into general tiers.

Not all of the players that you see listed here will end up hitting the open market. Any team with (player) or (team) next to them has an option built into their contract. If that option is picked up, they’re immediately under contract for a pre-negotiated amount in 2020-21.

Players with (restricted) next to their names are restricted free agents, meaning the teams that they currently play for hold the right to match any contract that they’re able to draw from outside organizations.

The actual date for the start of NBA free agency is unknown but it stands to reason that the official negotiation period will fall after the now locked in Nov. 18, 2020 NBA Draft. Earlier this summer, the league had floated a potential Oct. 15 draft with free agency set three days later. The October dates are moot now but the three-day buffer could still apply.

While I stayed away from floating any potential contract figures for these pending free agents, the tiers were constructed under the assumption that the 2020-21 NBA salary cap would fall in line with what it was in 2019-20 ($109 million). Originally it was set to increase but the league’s economic forecast is less optimistic than it was pre-pandemic.

The exact cap number will impact how teams approach free agency but the value of the players available remains relative. Scroll through the complete list below but remember that different teams will prioritize different tiers depending on where they are as an organization.


The Pre-Packaged Superstar Tier

There are two players in this year’s free agent class that you could envision as the No. 1 option on an NBA playoff team. Anthony Davis and Brandon Ingram are, all things being equal, players that a front office could legitimately plan their offseason strategy around. In reality, it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which Anthony Davis leaves the Los Angeles Lakers given the trouble he went through to get there, even if that means he turns down his player option and signs a new deal. Ingram bet on himself in 2019-20 and fortified his case for max money. If such a deal doesn’t come from the New Orleans Pelicans ahead of free agency, it’ll certainly come via restricted free agent offer sheet, even if the 2020-21 salary cap remains right where it was this season.


The Established Star Tier

There won’t be too many teams lining up to poach an established star in or at the end of their prime this offseason, even if they come with the All-Star resumes and accolades that this lot comes with. Without question, these are the types of players that could make good teams great but that’s not much help if the price point isn’t feasible for the teams that need them. With a shortage of cap room around the league this year, expect most of the players in this group to exercise their player options. If they do end up on the market, as both DeMar DeRozan and Andre Drummond have at different times implied, their best bet may be to trade a pay cut in the short-term for a longer duration deal like Al Horford and Jonas Valanciunas did last season.


The Emerging Star Tier

Both Fred VanVleet and Montrezl Harrell have made their names providing immense value in supporting roles for teams with first-class championship aspirations. As a result, fans and opposing teams alike have no shortage of chances to see what they’re capable of. What nobody truly knows, however, is how either of these teams would fare as a primary or secondary option on another squad, the type of role that comes with max or near-max money. Both Toronto and Los Angeles are well positioned to give their guys a substantial pay raise and keep them in town but things could get complicated in a hurry if outside teams hungry for assets they can grow with start to court them. 


The Brimming with Potential Tier

In certain offseasons, teams flush with cap space would be happy to throw money at players who’ve shown the glimpses of high ceiling potential that this group has. This year though, with a shortage of spenders and much of the league’s financial outlook still uncertain, things are different. While all of these particular individuals had shown promising signs with other teams, it wasn’t until they landed on their current squads that they started to truly gain momentum as potential long-term building blocks. For that reason, any outside team eager to pluck one would likely need to spend more on a relatively unproven commodity than they’re comfortable with. That’s a risk that may seem especially hard to justify in 2020, leaving incumbent teams in prime position to bring them back.


The Proven Impact Player Tier

This group of starting caliber impact players can be one of the most interesting to monitor every offseason. None of the players will command max money or even a featured role in any new team’s offense but they can immediately tilt the scales for whichever franchise they land with. These players are safe, often nomadic, with a track record of performing consistently. If the fit and the price are right, it’s a perfect marriage with postseason implications.


The Elite Role Player Tier

While these players may not have the luxury of demanding heavy usage wherever they go, they’re capable of specifically thriving in certain ideal situations. Fit is key with these players and that can completely shift the narratives that follow them around for the rest of their career. There’s a thin line between heroic supporting veteran and onerous contract and it usually depends on how competitive the team ends up being after they’ve signed them.


The Re-Purposed Veteran Tier

This group of players with histories of featuring heavily into team rotations will always garner interest because of their track records but they may be forced to accept reduced roles if they’d like to play meaningful basketball come playoff time. Alternatively, they could opt instead for larger, albeit temporary, roles with developing programs in need of starters.


The High Ceiling Rotation Piece Tier

Teams looking to stockpile assets that they can grow and work with will always have an interest in this mid-level group. Inevitably, these players appeal more to teams with room and patience to focus on player development since there’s no guarantee that they’d be able to consistently excel on a team contending for a title. Not all will blossom into major rotation pieces down the road but they’re simultaneously capable contributors in the short-term and low-risk investment opportunities in the long term.


The Veteran Support Tier

Teams less inclined to take on development projects may prefer mid-rotation pieces that they can plug into their lineup without stress. None of these players are going to move the needle for a team on a season-to-season basis but they can still make a difference from game to game. Given that they wouldn’t likely yield big contracts, they’re the perfect building blocks to slide into contending rosters to fortify already impressive lineups.


The Mystery Value Tier

Whether a team is ready to compete now or still in the rebuilding phase, they’ll need to fill out the middle portion of their rotation with reliable players. This particular group would appeal more to teams still developing their core as the players within it have room to grow on a personal level. The fact that a young team could commit now and groom a potential long-term supporting cast member carries a lot of weight. The fact that they could settle on a contender and then blossom into something more is scary.


The Veteran Reinforcement Tier

While unlikely to grab many headlines, these veterans are necessary components of the NBA workforce. Equally equipped to slot in as prominent bench players for contending teams or help guide a developing team through a rebuild in more of a leadership role, there’s an impressive amount of flexibility here. They’ll get minutes wherever they end up and can be some of the most affordable sources of value in the league.


The Low-Risk Gamble Tier

Teams don’t necessarily go looking for prominent contributors at the bottom of their rotation but these are players that could start there and work their way up. These players aren’t so much budding prospects as they’re veteran players capable of more if things break right. So long as the price is right, these are low-risk gambles with intriguing rewards.


The Dormant Game Changer Tier

It’s unrealistic to expect a deep rotation piece to be able to produce above their weight class consistently but any time a utility player can step up as an injury replacement or even just flex a unique skill set, it provides additional value for the team. These players may slide by undetected in the box score on most nights but are capable of much more.


The Depth on Depth Tier

What can make or break a season is the depth at the bottom of the roster. There are no shortage of quality hoopers in this world who can fill in at the end of the bench for an NBA squad but if those players have the skills, experience and gravitas to make the most of the fleeting action they do get, the sky is the limit. These players won’t demand consistent court time but they’re a luxury to have at the bottom of a rotation.


The Scrapping for Opportunities Tier

Securing a consistent job in the NBA is incredibly difficult, leaving this group the most susceptible to churn as 60 new rookies enter the league every offseason. These players will have their work cut out for them landing new roles and some could even spend time on the outside of the league looking in if they don’t find a good fit. We’ve seen time and time again examples of players that left the league only to return after a brief hiatus in the G League or overseas.


Update #1, Sep. 17, 2020: Post updated with new NBA Draft date, additional free agents added to existing tiers.

Special Offer: Click Here To Get 15% Off NBA Store With Code NBASLAM15

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Post Up: Nuggets Grind Through Game 7 https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-nuggets-grind-through-game-7/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-nuggets-grind-through-game-7/#respond Wed, 02 Sep 2020 07:25:21 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=645420 The Nuggets survived a competitive Game 7 to stamp their ticket to the next round of the NBA playoffs… but barely. On a night when neither team looked particularly sharp, Denver managed to hold on for dear life. On the other side of the bracket, the Raptors could benefit from taking notes. Though favored heading […]

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The Nuggets survived a competitive Game 7 to stamp their ticket to the next round of the NBA playoffs… but barely. On a night when neither team looked particularly sharp, Denver managed to hold on for dear life. On the other side of the bracket, the Raptors could benefit from taking notes. Though favored heading into the series, Toronto has struggled to justify it through the first two games of their second-round series.

We broke down Tuesday’s matchups below.

No. 3 Celtics 102 at No. 1 Raptors 99

BOS leads series 2-0

The Celtics looked every bit as solid in Game 2 as they did in their second-round opener over the weekend and ended up taking a serious two-game lead on the reigning champions. Toronto showed resilience in the third quarter but couldn’t defend a lead in the fourth thanks to the balanced attack of Boston’s deep core. Marcus Smart came up big for the C’s for a consecutive game, knocking down six triples. He’s now shot 11 of 20 over the course of the last two games. The Raptors, in contrast, struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just .275 from deep in 40 attempts. Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet combined to shoot 4-of-16 from beyond the arc.


No. 3 Nuggets 80 at No. 6 Jazz 78

DEN wins series 4-3

Mike Conley was mere inches from securing a permanent spot in promotional playoff commercial history but his desperate three-point heave at the buzzer of Game 7 rimmed out. A triple would have given Utah the walk-off series victory over Denver but instead the Nuggets held on, restoring a sense of balance to the Western Conference playoff picture. Both teams looked mortal in the series finale, as evidenced by their combined 158 point total, and series stars Donovan Mitchell and Jamal Murray were similarly limited. Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic was anything but, on the other hand, and dropped 30 points and 14 rebounds. It’s a good thing, too, as Denver’s fate in the postseason will help determine Jokic’s place among the league’s upper echelon.


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2020 NBA Playoffs: Eastern Conference, Round 2 https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2020-nba-playoffs-eastern-conference-round-2/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2020-nba-playoffs-eastern-conference-round-2/#respond Mon, 31 Aug 2020 17:21:44 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=645064 In the NBA’s Eastern Conference, the first round of the 2020 postseason has already come and gone. The matchups looked extremely lopsided in Round 1 and the games weren’t particularly close. Outside of the Orlando Magic stealing one game from the Milwaukee Bucks, no other lower-seeded team even won a game. This just means that […]

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In the NBA’s Eastern Conference, the first round of the 2020 postseason has already come and gone. The matchups looked extremely lopsided in Round 1 and the games weren’t particularly close. Outside of the Orlando Magic stealing one game from the Milwaukee Bucks, no other lower-seeded team even won a game.

This just means that the East was top-heavy, which isn’t surprising based on how the regular season shook out. This also means that both of the second-round matchups should be extremely competitive and fun to watch.

Let’s dive into both of these pairings. Our preview of the Western Conference’s second round will be published when those games are set.

1 Milwaukee Bucks (56-17)
5 Miami Heat (44-29)

The Milwaukee Bucks came out of the gate slow, losing game one of their first-round series against the Orlando Magic. From there, they would go on to win four straight by a combined 58 points. This series wasn’t expected to be particularly close but the Bucks for the most part looked like the team we all expected them to be.

They will now matchup with the Miami Heat, who swept the Indiana Pacers in their own first-round matchup. The Heat won each of their first round games by at least nine points and looked unstoppable in the fourth quarters. In the regular season, these teams played three times, Miami taking two of them to win the regular season series.

When it comes to teams best equipped to take on the Bucks, who had the best record in the NBA this season, there is none better than the Heat. Behind their defensive anchor in Bam Adebayo, who will be expected to slow down Giannis Antetokounmpo, Miami has a real shot at making this series interesting.

Jimmy Butler will also be a player to watch for the Heat, especially considering he only suited up in one of the three regular season matchups against the Bucks. Goran Dragic led Miami in scoring in the first round of the playoffs, averaging 22.8 points, 5.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game while shooting .414 from deep.

NBA All-Star Khris Middleton will be key for the Bucks to continue their playoff run as one of the favorites to win a title this season. In their first-round series, Middleton struggled tremendously, averaging just 15.0 points per game and shooting .361 from the floor. Antetokounmpo, who averaged 30.6 points and 16.0 rebounds per game, will need guys like Middleton to step up and help out in this upcoming series if they want to have success. Additionally, a league-worst 16.6 turnovers per game in the playoffs thus far for the Bucks is something else they will need to clean up.

Both teams heavily rely on three-point shooting. In the playoffs thus far, these teams combine for 74.5 attempts per game and both have shot over .380 from beyond the arc. Overall, Milwaukee should be a relatively heavy favorite in this series but don’t be surprised if Miami gives them a run for their money with how well they have played recently.

2 Toronto Raptors (53-19)
3. Boston Celtics (48-24)

Both the Toronto Raptors and the Boston Celtics swept their first-round opponents, making their second-round matchup extremely interesting. The Raptors showed no mercy against the Brooklyn Nets, winning the series by a combined 82 points. The Celtics series wasn’t as much of a blowout but that was largely due to them matching up against a more solid Philadelphia 76ers team. Regardless, these teams finished the regular season just five games apart in the standings and will be very evenly matched.

When it came to the regular season, Boston took care of business against Toronto, winning the season series 3-1. With that in mind, the playoffs are a completely different stage and the Raptors will look to make adjustments and ensure the Celtics don’t have similar success in the playoffs.

A few matchups stick out initially when it comes to these two teams, one of which is Jayson Tatum and Pascal Siakam. Both are young, long wings that led their teams in scoring during the regular season. Point guard play will also be something to watch, as Kemba Walker and Kyle Lowry are both veteran floor generals who will look to keep their respective offenses running smoothly. Although Lowry struggled a bit in the first round, producing just 12.5 points on .368 shooting from the floor, he could be a key piece and bounce back in this series.

Highly productive bench play will also be crucial in this matchup. Through the first round, the Toronto bench has been the best of anyone in the playoffs, averaging 56.5 points per game. A good chunk of this production comes from Serge Ibaka and Norman Powell, who together produced 36.8 points per game in the first round. On the flip side, Boston’s bench through their four playoff games has only averaged 20.0 points per contest, which is the worst of any team still remaining in the playoffs. With the absence of Gordon Hayward, someone on the Celtics’ bench will need to step up and score the ball.

In what could easily be a seven-game series, the Boston Celtics came out hot in the first game of this series, winning 112-94 and taking a quick 1-0 lead. It was a poor shooting night from Fred VanVleet, who will look to turn things around in Game 2 as one of Toronto’s most important offensive pieces.

Nick Crain is a contributor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter.

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Milwaukee Bucks Boycott Game 5 https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/bucks-seriously-discussing-game-5-boycott/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/bucks-seriously-discussing-game-5-boycott/#respond Wed, 26 Aug 2020 20:01:43 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=644134 Update #4, 7:27 PM EST: After several hours in their locker room after boycotting Game 5, the Bucks have made a statement. “We are calling for justice for Jacob Blake and demand for the officers to be held accountable.” Update #3, 5:01 PM EST: The Bucks have declined to speak to reporters, Tania Ganguli of […]

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Update #4, 7:27 PM EST: After several hours in their locker room after boycotting Game 5, the Bucks have made a statement. “We are calling for justice for Jacob Blake and demand for the officers to be held accountable.”

Update #3, 5:01 PM EST: The Bucks have declined to speak to reporters, Tania Ganguli of the Los Angeles Times reports.

Update #2, 4:55 PM EST: The Magic have begun to leave the arena and have chosen not to accept Milwaukee’s forfeit, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

Update #1, 4:14 PM EST: The Bucks have decided to boycott Game 5, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. The decision comes in the wake of the police shooting of Jacob Blake in nearby Kenosha, WI.

The Milwaukee Bucks have had serious discussions about boycotting Game 5 of their first round series, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports. The game was scheduled to tip off at 4:00 PM EST.

The Orlando Magic originally took the court on schedule but have since left the court as well. The officiating crew has also left the floor.

There has been no formal statement from the players or team but it’s possible that the players’ refusal to take the floor is related to protests in Wisconsin in the aftermath of the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

There’s been interest from some NBA players about doing more to further the growing social justice movement that has escalated over the course of the past months. This could be an extension of that.

We wrote yesterday about Fred VanVleet’s comments about the Toronto Raptors potentially boycotting the first game of their second round series with the Boston Celtics.

VanVleet spoke specifically about the situation in Wisconsin and about how the NBA players had the opportunity to apply pressure by refusing to play.

Next: The Milwaukee Bucks’ decision to boycott comes steeped in personal history and context

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Raptors Consider Boycott Following Jacob Blake Shooting https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/raptors-consider-boycott-following-jacob-blake-shooting/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/raptors-consider-boycott-following-jacob-blake-shooting/#respond Tue, 25 Aug 2020 20:31:40 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=643799 The Toronto Raptors held a team meeting to discuss how they, as a team, could respond to the recent police shooting of Jacob Blake. According to ESPN, among the potential options was to boycott Game 1 of their second-round series. “Ultimately, playing or not playing puts pressure on somebody,” Raptors guard Fred VanVleet said. The […]

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The Toronto Raptors held a team meeting to discuss how they, as a team, could respond to the recent police shooting of Jacob Blake. According to ESPN, among the potential options was to boycott Game 1 of their second-round series.

Ultimately, playing or not playing puts pressure on somebody,” Raptors guard Fred VanVleet said. The Raps are scheduled to line up against the Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals on Thursday.

If we’re gonna sit here and talk about making change, then at some point we’re gonna have to put our nuts on the line and actually put something up to lose, rather than just money or visibility,” he said. “I’m just over the media aspect of it. It’s sensationalized, we talk about it everyday, that’s all we see, but it just feels like a big pacifier to me.

VanVleet isn’t the only player that’s grown increasingly frustrated. LeBron James spoke out about the same shooting on Monday night. Eventually, if the idea of a boycott does come to fruition, it would impact two teams in particular; Toronto and Boston.

It was hard enough even coming down here to be honest,” C’s guard Jaylen Brown added. “But I guess [boycotting is] something you talk about with your team, for sure.

Brown says that the Celtics haven’t talked about boycotting the game explicitly.

Social justice has been front and center for NBA players in the bubble, which makes the all too familiar violent police encounter that much more disheartening for basketball players trying to gauge where and how they factor into making change.

“We’ve gotta take responsibility as well,” VanVleet said. “Like, what are we willing to give us? Do we actually give a f*** about what’s going on, or is it just cool to wear ‘Black Lives Matter’ on the backdrop, or wear a T-shirt? Like, what does that really mean? Is it really doing anything?

VanVleet didn’t discuss the other options that came up in the Raptors’ team meeting but the organization has been vocal about their commitment to helping utilize the NBA’s voice.

Toronto showed up to the bubble with ‘Black Lives Matter’ emblazoned on their team bus, were quick to share context about systemic racism in Canada and have spoken freely about Masai Ujiri’s own run in with a police officer during the team’s 2019 championship celebration in San Francisco.

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Post Up: Kawhi Leonard Carries Clippers https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-kawhi-leonard-carries-clippers/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-kawhi-leonard-carries-clippers/#respond Sat, 22 Aug 2020 06:35:14 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=643058 On a night when multiple things went particularly bad for multiple teams, Kawhi Leonard took care of business for his new franchise. Why don’t teams looking to improve just go out and sign themselves a reigning Finals MVP in the offseason more often? We’ve broken down each of Friday night games below. No. 2 Raptors […]

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On a night when multiple things went particularly bad for multiple teams, Kawhi Leonard took care of business for his new franchise. Why don’t teams looking to improve just go out and sign themselves a reigning Finals MVP in the offseason more often?

We’ve broken down each of Friday night games below.

No. 2 Raptors 117 at No. 7 Nets 92

TOR leads series 3-0

The Raptors continued to flex their plethora of offensive options and depth on Friday. They hopped out in front of Brooklyn early in their Game 3 matchup and didn’t look back. Pascal Siakam led all scorers with 26 points but Fred VanVleet once again punished from beyond the arc, connecting on 6-of-10 threes. The overmatched Nets spun their tires against the defending champions and will now face the brooms their next time out.


No. 3 Nuggets 87 at No. 3 Jazz 123

UTA leads series 2-1

The Jazz demolished an uninspired Nuggets team to take command of their knotted first round series, leaving Denver with an uncomfortable amount of questions to answer before Game 4. Utah welcomed veteran guard Mike Conley back to the lineup with open arms after he had left the bubble to attend the birth of his son. Conley went off for 27 points in the game, despite logging just 25 minutes in the blow out. The Nuggets were existential crisis-level horrendous.


No. 3 Celtics 102 at No. 6 Sixers 94

BOS leads series 3-0

The Sixers played the Celtics close for the majority of their Game 3 matchup but sputtered out in the end, succumbing to a late Boston run that cost them the game. Joel Embiid cracked 30 for the second straight time but the Sixers shot just .295 from the field as a whole. Kemba Walker and Jaylen Brown led the C’s with 24 and 21 points respectively in a game that saw Jayson Tatum sidelined early with foul trouble.


No. 2 Clippers at No. 7 Mavericks

LAC leads series 2-1

The reigning Finals MVP carried his new team to a tie-breaking win over the Mavs on Friday but the Clippers will need to provide him with slightly more support if they intend on doing much beyond the opening round. Kawhi Leonard dropped 36 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in the win while Paul George struggled, shooting 3-of-16 from the field to the tune of just 11 points. Perhaps more damaging for Dallas than the lone loss, however, was the ankle sprain suffered by Luka Doncic. There’s no status update on Doncic’s ankle at this point but his attempt to return to action shortly after the initial injury resulted in his getting shut down for the rest of the contest.


Aug. 20: Post Up: The Empires Strike Back
Aug. 19: Post Up: The Cavalry Has Arrived
Aug. 18: Post Up: Crazy Eights
Aug. 17: Post Up: Donovan Mitchell Makes History

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Post Up: The Cavalry Has Arrived https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-the-cavalry-has-arrived/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-the-cavalry-has-arrived/#respond Thu, 20 Aug 2020 05:31:34 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=642413 A pair of underdogs made their first-round matchups considerably more excited as the basketball community grapples with the concept of home-court advantage in the bubble. We’ve broken down each of Wednesday night’s matchups below. For a crash course on Tuesday’s games, when both conference’s No. 8 seeds slayed their No. 1 seeded opponents, click here. […]

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A pair of underdogs made their first-round matchups considerably more excited as the basketball community grapples with the concept of home-court advantage in the bubble.

We’ve broken down each of Wednesday night’s matchups below. For a crash course on Tuesday’s games, when both conference’s No. 8 seeds slayed their No. 1 seeded opponents, click here.

No. 2 Raptors 104, No. 7 Nets 99

TOR leads series 2-0

The Nets came back swinging after getting punched in the mouth in their first-round opener and even started to pull away from the defending champions for a quick minute in the first quarter. As the Game 2 match progressed, however, the Raptors clawed their way back in front thanks to a 24-point, 10-assist showing from Fred VanVleet. Each of Brooklyn’s starters scored 14 or more points and that helped them play the Raps close until the bitter end but it wasn’t enough. All but 16 of Toronto’s 104 points came from VanVleet, Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam and Norman Powell, indicative of the multitude of scoring options the Raptors bring to the table.


No. 3 Nuggets 105, No. 6 Jazz 124

Series tied 1-1

Donovan Mitchell followed up a historic playoff opener with a second star performance and while he topped out at 30 points in this one, his Jazz took and finished with a commanding lead on their favored opponents. Hired gun Jordan Clarkson chipped in with 26 points off the bench, leaving the Nuggets reeling and reconsidering their efforts on the defensive end. It was a night to forget for Denver’s starters, though Michael Porter Jr.’s 28-point showing, including six made threes, could be interpreted as a sign of hope for the future.


No. 3 Celtics 128, No. 6 Sixers 101

PHI leads series 2-0

The Sixers jumped out to an early lead in their second game against the Celtics but it wasn’t long before Jayson Tatum continued to evolve into a veritable superstar. The fearless 22-year-old shot 8-for-12 from beyond the arc, for a grand total of 33 points, and the Cs handled their business for the final three quarters of the game. Joel Embiid led all scorers with 34 but couldn’t prevent his squad from being simply outmatched.


No. 2 Clippers 114, No. 7 Mavericks 127

Series tied 1-1

The Luka Doncic show continued in the bubble but the best thing to happen to the Mavericks in their Game 2 bout with the Clippers came when he was sidelined with five fouls. The cavalry appeared for the Mavs and the glimpse of depth changes the forecast for the No. 7 seed. Former Michigan teammates Tim Hardaway Jr. and Trey Burke combined for 33 points in the win, while Boban Marjanovic wowed with 13 points and nine boards in his own nine minutes of action. The Clippers got little support outside of Kawhi Leonard and Lou Williams.

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Post Up: Donovan Mitchell Makes History https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-donovan-mitchell-makes-history/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-donovan-mitchell-makes-history/#respond Tue, 18 Aug 2020 05:26:10 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=641766 It’s hard to be anything but impressed with the first day of 2020 NBA Playoff action. The quadruple header was a hit and three of the four matchups were settled down the stretch. We’ve laid out the biggest takeaways from the games below. No. 3 Nuggets 135, No. 6 Jazz, 125 (OT) DEN leads series […]

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It’s hard to be anything but impressed with the first day of 2020 NBA Playoff action. The quadruple header was a hit and three of the four matchups were settled down the stretch.

We’ve laid out the biggest takeaways from the games below.

No. 3 Nuggets 135, No. 6 Jazz, 125 (OT)

DEN leads series 1-0

The short-handed Jazz learned early on that their best chance of stealing a win from the favored Nuggets would come from feeding Donovan Mitchell. Utah’s 24-year-old All-Star accepted the challenge and blew up for 57 points, the third-highest individual playoff point total in NBA history. Ultimately though, it was Denver’s depth that allowed them to eke out the win despite a less-than-perfect performance. It took overtime but the Nuggets preserved home court advantage thanks to a gutsy performance from combo guard Jamal Murray. Nikola Jokic got the better end of a fascinating head-to-head matchup with Rudy Gobert, while Monte Morris and Jerami Grant were solid off the bench.


No. 2 Raptors 134, No. 7 Nets 110

TOR leads series 1-0

The Raptors ran up the score early in their first-round debut against the Nets but give Brooklyn credit for at least showing sporadic signs of life throughout. Six Raptors players hit at least two three-pointers, while Fred VanVleet took center stage with eight bombs and a game-leading 30 points. Kyle Lowry was up to his usual savvy tricks, and complemented the pile of charges drawn with 26 points and 11 assists. The Nets were led by Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, who connected on six threes and emerged as the only Brooklyn player with a positive plus-minus.


No. 3 Celtics 109, No. 6 Sixers 101

BOS leads series 1-0

The Celtics are in good hands with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown carrying the franchise and the young core paced their offense with 32 and 29 points respectively. The game went back and forth but the Cs wrestled the lead away in the fourth and didn’t look back, despite Joel Embiid’s solid showing on offense and even more impressive command of the boards. Embiid finished the game with 26 points and 16 rebounds. The Celtics were dealt a blow in the fourth when Gordon Hayward sprained his right ankle after landing awkwardly on the foot of Daniel Theis in the paint. His status heading forward isn’t yet known.


No. 2 Clippers 118, No. 7 Mavericks 110

LAC leads series 1-0

The Clippers broke out of the gates in typical, physically dominant form and it rattled the upstart Mavericks. If you think super sophomore Luka Doncic didn’t adjust, however, think again. The Mavs rallied back from a 16-point hole in the first to somehow win the quarter. The two offenses went at it for the next two quarters until Kristaps Porzingis was controversially ejected with nearly nine minutes remaining in the third. The unicorn picked up his second tech for getting a little too involved in an otherwise mild Doncic-Marcus Morris confrontation. The Clippers were far from perfect in the opener, which shows just how good an opponent needs to be in order to win a game against this powerhouse. Doncic set an NBA record with 42 points in a playoff debut but the 11 turnovers he recorded are indicative of the challenges he faces against Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Patrick Beverley.

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2020 NBA Playoff Matchups: Eastern Conference https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2020-nba-playoff-matchups-eastern-conference/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2020-nba-playoff-matchups-eastern-conference/#respond Mon, 17 Aug 2020 14:35:31 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=641605 Although several months behind schedule, the 2020 NBA Playoffs are finally here. During unprecedented circumstances, it will be an interesting postseason without travel, home court advantage, or arenas full of screaming fans. While some of the series in this conference were locked in during the early days of the seeding round, the middle portion of […]

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Although several months behind schedule, the 2020 NBA Playoffs are finally here. During unprecedented circumstances, it will be an interesting postseason without travel, home court advantage, or arenas full of screaming fans.

While some of the series in this conference were locked in during the early days of the seeding round, the middle portion of the playoff bracket was in flux up until the final day of the season. Now teams will get the chance to renew rivalries under the spotlight of postseason basketball.

With the playoff matchups finally set, let’s take a look at each Eastern Conference series in the first round. Our Western Conference series preview is available here.

1 Milwaukee Bucks (56-17)
8 Orlando Magic (33-40)

The Milwaukee Bucks were the best team in the NBA during the regular season and their record shows it. Although they struggled in the bubble, going 3-5, there is absolutely no need to worry about this team. Looking at a larger sample size, prior to the NBA hiatus, they were 53-12 and on track to have one of the best regular season records in team history. The Orlando Magic on the other hand had a solid season, earning a second consecutive playoff appearance after a six-season drought.

The Bucks swept the Magic in the regular season, beating them four times by a combined 68 points. There is a good chance this upcoming playoff series will be no different. Behind reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee will look to cruise past Orlando in the opening round while keeping their core fresh for the next few rounds of the playoffs.

2 Toronto Raptors (53-19)
7 Brooklyn Nets (35-37)

One of the biggest surprises all season has been the Toronto Raptors, who ,after losing Kawhi Leonard in free agency, actually finished with a better win percentage this season than last. They will face off against the Brooklyn Nets in the first round – or what is left of them. After a decent season for the Nets, they entered the bubble without most of their key regular season pieces in Kyrie Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie, DeAndre Jordan and Taurean Prince. Regardless, Toronto won the regular season series against Brooklyn, taking three of the four games they played.

Assuming the Raptors play the way they have all season, this series won’t be particularly long. Behind Pascal Siakam, Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet, and others, Toronto will be a heavy favorite. With that said, Brooklyn played excellent in the bubble, even without many of their key pieces. They finished 5-3, which gave them the third best record among Eastern Conference Teams in the bubble. For the Nets, this series will still be beneficial for getting some of their guys playoff experience prior to Kevin Durant and Irving looking to take them the distance next season.

3 Boston Celtics (48-24)
6 Philadelphia 76ers (43-30)

The Philadelphia 76ers got the best of the Boston Celtics in the regular season, winning three of the four games they played. However, looking at the bigger picture, they had a variety of problems all season and finished in just the No. 6 seed in the East. The Boston Celtics have been excellent this season with the emergence of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, along with the addition of veteran point guard Kemba Walker.

Although Ben Simmons of the 76ers will miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury, Philadelphia still has enough talent to potentially upset the Celtics in the first round, even as an underdog. Boston’s weakest link is their depth and production at the center position. Philadelphia has two guys in Joel Embiid and former Celtic Al Horford who will be a matchup nightmare for Boston, just like they were in the four regular season matchups. Unfortunately for the 76ers, who went 31-4 at home this season, there will be no games played at the Wells Fargo Center in the playoffs.

4 Indiana Pacers (45-28)
5 Miami Heat (44-29)

Miami and Indiana have a long-standing rivalry. Their fourth and final matchup of the 2019-20 regular season took place on Friday, with the winner, Indiana, taking the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference and the loser falling to the No. 5 seed. Up until that game, the Heat had won all three matchups against the Pacers this season. Although home court advantage likely won’t matter much in the bubble, Indiana will hope that they can keep the momentum going.

Indiana will more than likely be without a key piece in Domantas Sabonis in this series who would have been a great matchup against Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat. To combat this, the Pacers will need T.J. Warren to continue his hot streak of scoring, after producing 31.0 points per contest in the bubble. Before he ruptured his quad last season, Victor Oladipo was playing at an MVP-caliber level. Now, fully recovered from that injury, the sky is the limit with how far he can take this Indiana team. On the flip side, NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler will look to take Miami on a deep playoff push in his first season with the team.

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List of Injury Updates Ahead of NBA Restart https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nba-injury-update-list-disney-restart/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nba-injury-update-list-disney-restart/#respond Wed, 08 Jul 2020 04:40:34 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=614655 The NBA’s much anticipated league restart is scheduled to take place later this month but not all players will be available when the games resume. In addition to the players who will voluntarily sit when the games tip off at Disney World, there’s a growing list of injured players that won’t be able to take […]

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The NBA’s much anticipated league restart is scheduled to take place later this month but not all players will be available when the games resume. In addition to the players who will voluntarily sit when the games tip off at Disney World, there’s a growing list of injured players that won’t be able to take part.

Part and parcel with the league’s restart plan is the fact that players can opt out of the Disney World games without breaching their contract, but whether or not players will forfeit a prorated share of their contract when they opt out or not depends on whether they’re formally excused or not due to a medical issue.

Many of the players who will forego suiting up for the squads when the league resumes are facing the same injuries that they faced prior to the shutdown, most notably the likes of Kevin Durant and John Wall, who were expected to be out for the season regardless and will not alter those plans to take part in the unprecedented campaign extension.

Other players that have already revealed that they won’t participate at Disney did not appear on injury reports prior to the shutdown.

In addition to players who will sit out due to recent positive COVID-19 diagnoses – like DeAndre Jordan and Spencer Dinwiddie – there are players like Bradley Beal and Victor Oladipo who will take the opportunity to sit despite being active in mid-March.

To get a sense of where player’s stood when the league shut down in March, I’ve combed through the league’s final injury reports from prior to the shutdown, noting any instances where players were formally listed as “out”.

A total of 19 of the 22 Disney-bound teams had at least one such player in their most recent injury report prior to the shutdown. All told, 49 NBA players from those teams were listed as “out” on their team’s last injury report before the league ground to a halt on the night of March 11.

At least 11 of those players that were listed as “out” in March are not expected to play at Disney World. Many of the rest have long returned to health and will be active in Orlando later this month.

Out Then; Out Now

PlayerInjuryDNP Streak
Kevin Durant (BRO)Right Achilles64
Kyrie Irving (BRO)Right Shoulder16
Jalen Brunson (DAL)Right Shoulder10
Dwight Powell (DAL)Right Achilles24
Jeremy Lamb (IND)Left Knee8
Darius Miller (NOP)Right Achilles64
Al-Farouq Aminu (ORL)Right Knee47
Jonathan Isaac (ORL)Left Knee31
Kelly Oubre (PHO)Right Knee7
Rodney Hood (POR)Left Achilles43
John Wall (WAS)Left Achilles64

Of the 11 players that are expected to be out of action when the Disney World games tip off, three had missed the entire 2019-20 campaign. Not all players that spent the first seven months of the season on the sidelines will forego the return, however.

Jusuf Nurkic of the Portland Trail Blazers has been sidelined since breaking his leg in March of 2019 but has been cleared to suit up for his squad after the extended layoff.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Andre Roberson is another example of a player that could make his season debut at Disney. Roberson has been on the sidelines since January, 2018.

A grand total of 30 players that were “out” the day the league stood still are now at least reasonably expected to be back at full health on July 30.

Out Then; Available Now

PlayerInjuryDNP Streak
Joe Harris (BRO)Left Ankle0
Seth Curry (DAL)Left Ankle1
Dorian Finney-Smith (DAL)Right Hip1
Kristaps Porzingis (DAL)Left Knee1
Michael Frazier (HOU)Left Ulna9
Doug McDermott (IND)Right Big Toe3
Lou Williams (LAC)Right Calf1
Brandon Clarke (MEM)Right Quad8
Jaren Jackson Jr. (MEM)Left Knee9
Jimmy Butler (MIA)Left Big Toe1
Meyers Leonard (MIA)Left Ankle16
JJ Redick (NOP)Left Hamstring5
Evan Fournier (ORL)Right Elbow3
Darius Bazley (OKC)Right Knee11
Ben Simmons (PHI)Back8
Cameron Johnson (PHO)Illness3
Frank Kaminsky (PHO)Right Knee32
Zach Collins (POR)Left Shoulder63
Jusuf Nurkic (POR)Left Leg66
Marvin Bagley III (SAC)Left Foot21
Dejounte Murray (SAS)Right Calf1
Jakob Poeltl (SAS)Right Knee5
Lonnie Walker IV (SAS)Left Shin2
Marc Gasol (TOR)Left Hamstring1
Dewan Hernandez (TOR)Right Ankle38
Fred VanVleet (TOR)Left Shoulder7
Rudy Gobert (UTA)Illness0
Emmanuel Mudiay (UTA)Illness3
Isaac Bonga (WAS)Groin1
Ish Smith (WAS)Left Hamstring1

Naturally, there are a number of cases where availability isn’t known or at least hasn’t been verified. This list could grow with confirmations that players like Nigel Williams-Goss or Justin James are deemed eligible.

In addition to those less documented cases, there’s no consensus yet that a player like Malcolm Brogdon, who has recovered from his right quad injury but now faces recovery from COVID-19, will actually suit up at Disney World, or if a late signee like Jontay Porter, who inked a deal mid-rehabilitation on March 10, will make his debut for the Memphis Grizzlies.

Other players like Memphis’ Grayson Allen and NOLA’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker, much like Roberson, could potentially be capable of returning but don’t yet have a formally revealed clean bill of health.

Additionally, not all players that were available in March are expected to suit up for their teams during the restart. I’ve published a dynamic list of NBA players who’ve voluntarily opted out of the Disney World games but these aren’t the players that I’m concerned about here.

Below is a list of the additional players that won’t play for medical reasons. For several of these players, the hiatus represented an opportunity to undergo surgery to treat nagging injuries. LaMarcus Aldridge of the San Antonio Spurs and Bojan Bogdanovic of the Utah Jazz elected to go this route.

Other players will sit out of the restart after testing positive for the coronavirus during the shut down. A trio of Brooklyn Nets players, DeAndre Jordan, Spencer Dinwiddie and Taurean Prince, have done exactly that and this list may grow if more players see positive diagnoses closer to the July 30 tip off.

Available Then; Out Now

PlayerReason
Spencer Dinwiddie (BRO)COVID-19
DeAndre Jordan (BRO)COVID-19
Taurean Prince (BRO)COVID-19
Courtney Lee (DAL)Left Calf
Victor Oladipo (IND)Right Quad
Isaiah Roby (OKC)Right Foot
LaMarcus Aldridge (SAS)Right Shoulder
Bojan Bogdanovic (UTA)Right Wrist
Bradley Beal (WAS)Right Shoulder
Rajon Rondo (LAL)Right Thumb

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Paused Season Gives Playoff Teams Time to Get Healthy https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/paused-season-gives-playoff-teams-time-to-get-healthy/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/paused-season-gives-playoff-teams-time-to-get-healthy/#respond Wed, 18 Mar 2020 23:58:28 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=563723 The 2019-20 NBA season remains in limbo. Play was suspended with 15-18 games left to play per team. Both the NBA and NBPA have suggested they’d like to see this season resumed, even if it means a different schedule that what remains. Returning to play and starting right back up with the NBA Playoffs has […]

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The 2019-20 NBA season remains in limbo. Play was suspended with 15-18 games left to play per team. Both the NBA and NBPA have suggested they’d like to see this season resumed, even if it means a different schedule that what remains.

Returning to play and starting right back up with the NBA Playoffs has not been ruled out. The playoffs are the league’s most lucrative and highest-viewed games of the season. All parties will do what they can to avoid sacrificing playoff games.

One thing the paused season is doing is allowing those playoff teams to get healthy. Almost all of the current 16 playoff teams was dealing with injuries on some front. Here’s where each team stood when play was suspended and where they could be when play resumes.

Eastern Conference

Milwaukee Bucks

  • Giannis Antetokounmpo had suffered a sprained left knee shortly before the season was suspended. Antetokounmpo was looking like he would return from it in relatively short order though. That means the reigning MVP should be ready to go when the season resumes.

Toronto Raptors

  • Marc Gasol had recently returned from a strained left hamstring. He was going to be spotted rest days to keep him healthy, and now has plenty of recovery time.
  • Norman Powell went down with a sprained left ankle two days before play was suspended. The team said it wasn’t serious, so Powell should be healthy upon resumption of play.
  • Fred VanVleet had been out for a couple of weeks with a sore left shoulder. He was expected to return soon, so the downtime will only make that more likely.

Boston Celtics

  • Jaylen Brown had missed five straight games with a strained right hamstring before the season was suspended. The time off gives Brown, who is also suffering from an ankle injury, time to get right. He should be fine when play resumes.
  • Gordon Hayward and Kemba Walker have both dealt with recurring soreness throughout the season. Hayward still has issues with left foot/ankle from when he broke his leg a couple of years ago. Walker has battled left soreness. The time off should allow both veterans to get the rest they need.

Miami Heat

  • Jimmy Butler injured his left toe a week before the pause. He downplayed the injury, so he should be fine when the season starts back up.
  • Meyers Leonard had been out over a month with a badly sprained left ankle. The time off should give him the time he needs to be ready for the re-start.

Indiana Pacers

  • Victor Oladipo has dealt with residual soreness in his back and legs since his return from knee surgery. The time off will only help him manage that.
  • Malcolm Brogdon has had seven different injury this season. The latest was a tear in his left quad. As this happened shortly before the season was suspended, there is no official timeline for Brogdon’s return. This is one to keep an eye on.
  • Doug McDermott had been battling a sore right big toe, but should be ready to go when play resumes.

Philadelphia 76ers

  • Ben Simmons was essentially ruled out for the remainder of the regular season schedule shortly before play was suspended due to a nerve impingement in his back. There might not be a player who could benefit more from the downtime than Simmons. He may have missed time in the postseason had things stayed on schedule. Now Simmons could be ready to go when things start back up again.

Brooklyn Nets

  • Could Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving return if the season starts back up in a month or two and it’s right into the playoffs? It’s probably a no for both players, but the door was left open a bit for Durant. The plan is to keep him out, but as his business manager Rich Kleiman said “Could that change? I guess it could change.” Durant was one of four Nets to test positive for coronavirus, but that shouldn’t have any bearing on him being able to play one way or the other.
  • The Nets ruled Irving out for the season following shoulder surgery, but that’s when the season was set to end on time. Irving is probably still out, but expect the question to at least be asked.
  • Three unnamed Nets, beyond Durant, also tested positive for COVID-19. It’s expected that they’ll have made a full recovery before play resumes.

Orlando Magic

  • In mid-February the Orlando Magic said Jonathan Isaac would not return this season. The NBA had previously denied Orlando’s petition for a Disabled Player Exception for Isaac, which lent some credence to the belief he could come back this year. How the season being stretched out impacts that is an unknown at this point.
  • Al-Farouq Aminu was originally though to be out for the year, but shed his knee brace recently. His quicker than expected recovery, combined with the pause in the season, means he could return this year.

Western Conference

Los Angeles Lakers

  • Outside of some minor bumps and bruises, the Lakers went into the break in play healthy and ready to go.

Los Angeles Clippers

  • Lou Williams had a sore right calf right before play was suspended, but should be fine when things pick back up. He’s the only LA rotation player dealing with even a minor injury.

Denver Nuggets

  • After a season filled with injuries, the Nuggets were finally healthy. They’ll hope to stay that way when play resumes.

Utah Jazz

  • Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell both tested positive for coronavirus, but are expected to be healthy and ready to go when the season restarts.

Oklahoma City Thunder

  • Rookie forward Darius Bazley suffered a right knee bruise that was expected to keep him out for the remainder of the regular season. He’s now likely to be ready to return when play starts back up again.

Houston Rockets

  • The Rockets were fully healthy when the season paused. Houston had been going small and playing only about eight players a night. The extra rest will certainly benefit them.

Dallas Mavericks

  • Jalen Brunson was the only Mavs regular dealing with anything beyond bumps and bruises. He chose to have shoulder surgery, after previously electing to play through a right labrum tear. Brunson could be back, but it’s expected he’ll be out whenever the season restarts.

Memphis Grizzlies

  • Memphis was really banged up. Starting forward Jaren Jackson Jr. was out with a sprained left knee, but was closing in on a return. He should be good to go when play picks back up.
  • Brandon Clarke was down for the Grizzlies frontcourt. He had a right quad injury, but the team had announced he was progressing well before the shutdown. He should be ready when the season resumes.
  • Justise Winslow had yet to make his Memphis debut when play was suspended. He was upgraded to questionable just before the stoppage of play, so he could be ready when games resume.

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The Toronto Raptors Cover SLAM 227 https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/toronto-raptors-cover-slam-227/ https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/toronto-raptors-cover-slam-227/#respond Wed, 18 Mar 2020 18:41:21 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=562939 EDITOR’S NOTE: This feature was written and shot weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic led to the suspension of the NBA season. GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 227 FEATURING THE RAPTORS — There is classical music blasting through the hallway that runs parallel to the baseline at the OVO Athletic Centre in Toronto.     A […]

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EDITOR’S NOTE: This feature was written and shot weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic led to the suspension of the NBA season.

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 227 FEATURING THE RAPTORS

There is classical music blasting through the hallway that runs parallel to the baseline at the OVO Athletic Centre in Toronto.    

A whole lot of it. 

On this brisk and snowy weekday morning in late February, the Raptors players are scattered throughout the state-of-the-art practice facility. Practice is slated to start soon and some of the players are out on the hardwood stretching. Others are already getting some shots up while a couple of them are still in the locker room area.  

As the team gets ready to start, SLAM’s staff is simultaneously doing a location scouting walk-thru to prep for our cover shoot after practice. Between wheeling in equipment and figuring out the exact shooting location, we end up being led down a hallway, past a row of offices. It is there where we hear Beethoven’s greatest hits album being played loudly. We think nothing of the classical music at first, other than it’s much louder than you’d expect it to be at an NBA practice facility minutes before the start of practice.

But, hey, we’ve seen and heard weirder stuff on set at shoots. 

Then, all of the sudden, the music stops. And then it restarts for a few seconds before stopping and picking up where it left off once again. 

Turns out there isn’t a vinyl record playing inside someone’s office. Someone’s actually playing the keyboard. And after a quick glance around the hallway, we realize it’s coming from the office that says “Nick Nurse” in front of it. Wearing a black hat and sitting adjacent to his desk while facing the wall, the Raptors head coach is jamming away on the piano. 

No cap, he’s actually good. 

Last summer, just days after defeating the Golden State Warriors and subsequently leading the Raptors to their historic first ever NBA championship, Nurse joined Canadian rock band Arkells on stage during a concert in Toronto. He played the guitar with them that night, and so clearly has a thing for music.

Nurse playing piano right before practice while the guys are warming up is so fitting and perfectly reflective of where the Toronto Raptors stand in the post-Kawhi Leonard era—confident, and looking to broaden and strengthen an already impressive arsenal. 

Life is good in the 6ix.

When the annual preseason GM survey was released last fall, the Raptors were picked to finish fourth in the East (they were actually tied with the Brooklyn Nets for the fourth seed). Disrespectful for a team that was fresh off an NBA championship and bringing back most of its core? Or fair considering that the squad had just lost their Finals MVP to the Clippers? Are they actually better off being slept on once again? 

When we bring up the very same questions during our shoot, the guys point out that they had no idea about the GM survey.

“I didn’t see that,” Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and Serge Ibaka say in unison. They sort of shrug at whether the preseason projection was a good or bad thing. It was irrelevant.

What they did see and vividly remember, though, is all the memes, jokes and tweets that followed in the aftermath of Leonard’s decision to leave the Raptors last summer. Lots of them had one common sentiment—the team was no longer even playoff-caliber, they foolishly said.

Yet, here they are on set at the cover shoot for our NBA Playoff preview issue. It’s late February and the Raptors are sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference.      

“I just think, overall, the stuff that came out about us not even being a playoff team, we laughed at that,” says VanVleet. “Other than that, we don’t really care.” 

Ibaka quickly jumps in: “The one that surprised me [was] when they said we’re not even going to make the playoffs. To me, that was kind of funny. We [use] that as a motivation as a team. But we don’t really try to worry about those things.”  

Regardless of the final outcome, the team has already accomplished some historic feats this season. They went on a 15-game winning streak, going a full month without losing a game. The streak not only marked the longest winning stretch in franchise history, but was also the longest winning streak by a Canadian-based franchise in the NBA, MLB, NHL or CFL.

The margin of victory during that stretch was a convincing 10.6 points (including 29-point and 27-point victories), while only two games were decided by a single possession. Even more impressive was the fact that the team went on that historic run despite many of its core players missing games during that same stretch due to injuries. Four of the team’s six players averaging double-digit points this season missed games during that period—Norman Powell missed five of them with a broken hand, VanVleet missed a couple, and Kyle Lowry and Ibaka missed one game each.     

While the historic streak gave local fans a lot to be excited about and definitely made those who swore the team had no shot at making the playoffs look silly, the players have a different perspective. 

“You want the real truth? [It meant] nothing!” says Lowry of the streak. “We hoop to hoop—to win every game. It didn’t mean nothing to us.

“You know what the goal is. That’s all that matters. We always know what the goal is. Now we’ve gotten there and we know what to do. We know what it takes. It’s never going to be easier. It’s going to be harder. But we know what it is and that’s what we want.”

For Lowry, this season marks his eighth year in Toronto. He’s the second oldest player on the team behind Marc Gasol, but the longest-tenured. As he sits next to his teammates while being filmed for the latest episode of our “Point ’Em Out” video series after the cover shoot [see above], the 6-0 guard notes that he’s seen every single player in the group get drafted by the Raptors over the past few years with the exception of Ibaka (Gasol had to dip after the photo shoot and therefore wasn’t around for this portion). He emphasizes that he’s witnessed the development of the team’s core first-hand.

“I think the team is just different because of OG’s growth, Fred’s growth, Norm’s growth, Serge—he’s gotten better throughout the years, and since he’s been here, he’s changed his game and adapted with us,” says Lowry, who had his Villanova jersey retired in Philadelphia the night before our shoot. “We all know about Pascal and what he’s done. I would just say the growth, maturity and the confidence of what they know they could do is the thing that’s different. We have a good mixture—I’m [one of] the oldest guys on the team and OG is one of the youngest guys on the team, but we all get together, we all can hang out, we can talk smack, we all can have fun with each other. We have a good mix of not being able to take things so serious. We know what our end goal is. We want them championships and we want everybody to be able to take care of their families.” 

The next oldest player on the squad, Ibaka, is actually posting career-best numbers this season. The 30-year-old is averaging 16.0 points (a career-high) and 8.3 rebounds per game as we head to press, while playing the third fewest minutes in his 11-year career. Despite no longer being the full-time starter he once was—he’s started in about half of the games he’s played this season—Ibaka seems as comfortable as ever. 

“Every year has been different for me. But being here, to me, really helped my game a lot. The way they play here really fits my style. The guys here, we don’t really have any egos. To me, it just motivates me. When I was watching my teammates play, the way they played, I was like, Man, if I work my game this way, it’s going to help me because the way our guys play [makes it] easy,” says the Republic of the Congo native. “I feel like 11 years I’ve been playing in the League—this is my first time I feel like I’m playing the way I want to. I used to be the kind of player where I had to play the way the system wants me to play. But since I got here, the way we play—the trust they give me—it forced me to work on my game in different ways. It’s been fun. It doesn’t feel like it was 11 years because I feel like it just started because of the joy of playing with those guys.” 

You can go down the roster list and notice how seamlessly players have adjusted to their new roles this season. VanVleet is now a full-time starter in the backcourt, averaging over 17 points and 6 assists per game, after a dominant postseason run last year. He’s a constant reminder of how gritty and fearless this team really is. In an era where many teams now run with big guards, the Raptors backcourt is occupied by two guys who barely even measure at 6-0. 

“You know Fred Van-De-le? You know him?” says Ibaka, purposely enunciating VanVleet’s name differently and drawing laughter from his teammates. “That’s a dog out there! Big Dog! He’s short but that’s Big Dog. He’s Big Dog Freddy. Can get a bucket anytime he wants—he don’t care what’s your size, he’s going to drive to you, hit your shoulder and bucket!” 

Then there’s Siakam, who just one year after claiming the Most Improved Player award is now a full-blown NBA All-Star. He’s averaging a team-best 23.6 points as of early March.

Another player who saw his role change completely this season is OG Anunoby. He became Leonard’s replacement as the new starting small forward. With big shoes to fill, the former Indiana standout has become the most important defender on the squad and is in charge of guarding opponents’ best perimeter players. Two to four, he can be matched up at different spots in the lineup. As we head to the printer, Anunoby is fresh off a then career-high 6 steals against the Hornets, which he followed up with a career-high of 32 points and a new career-high of 7 steals the very next game against the Nuggets. 

Gasol, the oldest player on the team at age 35, continues his steadily productive numbers as the starting center. Meanwhile, Powell has been a strong off-the-bench force for Toronto and has even stepped up and started a bunch of games this season because of injuries to the first unit. During one stretch, he finished with 20 or more points in eight out of nine games and is averaging over 16 points per game as of early March.

“I feel like every year we were doubted and left out, and every year we continue to change the view and prove people wrong. That’s what I think is so special about this group of guys,” says Powell. “Throughout their whole careers, they’ve been doubted and overlooked, and we keep working, we keep grinding, and we keep turning heads. We have a group of winners here.”

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 227 FEATURING THE RAPTORS

Franklyn Calle is a senior producer at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @FrankieC7.

Portraits by Atiba Jefferson.

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2020 NBA Free Agent List – Atlantic Division https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2020-nba-free-agent-list-atlantic-division/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2020-nba-free-agent-list-atlantic-division/#respond Mon, 09 Mar 2020 22:00:44 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=562868 Here at SLAM we want to make sure you’re prepared for the upcoming NBA offseason. Below are all the potential free agents in the summer of 2020 for the Atlantic Division. Also included in the team-by-team breakdowns are all partial/non-guaranteed players for the 2020-21 season, essentially expanding the list to include any individual that could […]

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Here at SLAM we want to make sure you’re prepared for the upcoming NBA offseason. Below are all the potential free agents in the summer of 2020 for the Atlantic Division.

Also included in the team-by-team breakdowns are all partial/non-guaranteed players for the 2020-21 season, essentially expanding the list to include any individual that could plausibly hit free agency this summer.

Related: CBA Explained – Different types of NBA free agency

Boston Celtics

PlayerStatus
Javonte Green Non-Guaranteed
Tacko FallUnrestricted (Player Option)
Gordon HaywardUnrestricted (Player Option)
Enes KanterUnrestricted (Player Option)
Semi OjeleyeRestricted (Team Option)
Daniel TheisNon-Guaranteed
Brad WanamakerRestricted
Tremont WatersRestricted (Two-Way)

Brooklyn Nets

PlayerStatus
Wilson ChandlerUnrestricted
Chris ChiozzaRestricted (Two-Way)
Joe HarrisUnrestricted
Jeremiah MartinRestricted (Two-Way)
Timothe Luwawu-CabarrotNon-Guaranteed
Theo PinsonRestricted (Team Option)
Garrett TempleUnrestricted (Team Option)

New York Knicks

PlayerStatus
Kadeem AllenRestricted (Two-Way)
Reggie Bullock$1M Guaranteed
Damyean DotsonRestricted
Wayne Ellington$1M Guaranteed
Taj Gibson$1M Guaranteed
Maurice HarklessUnrestricted
Elfrid Payton$1M Guaranteed
Bobby PortisUnrestricted (Team Option)
Mitchell RobinsonNon-Guaranteed
Allonzo TrierRestricted

Philadelphia 76ers

PlayerStatus
Alec BurksUnrestricted
Furkan KorkmazNon-Guaranteed
Raul NetoUnrestricted
Kyle O’QuinnUnrestricted
Norvel PelleNon-Guaranteed
Glenn Robinson IIIUnrestricted

Toronto Raptors

PlayerStatus
Chris BoucherRestricted
Oshae BrissettRestricted (Two-Way)
Terence DavisNon-Guaranteed
Marc GasolUnrestricted
Dewan HernandezNon-Guaranteed
Rondae Hollis-JeffersonUnrestricted
Serge IbakaUnrestricted
Stanley JohnsonUnrestricted (Player Option)
Malcolm MillerRestricted
Matt Thomas$725K Guaranteed
Fred VanVleetUnrestricted
Paul WatsonRestricted (Two-Way)

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BET ON YOURSELF: Fred VanVleet’s Journey to a Championship https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/fred-vanvleet-story/ https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/fred-vanvleet-story/#respond Thu, 06 Feb 2020 20:45:46 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=559463 It’s all in the details. There’s a big-ass Raptors logo on the back of this satin bomber jacket, one that reads, “The Best in the World, 2019 Champions.” An OVO Owl sits on the left breast pocket, while another Raptors logo is stitched on the right arm, trailed by the entire roster from last year’s […]

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It’s all in the details. There’s a big-ass Raptors logo on the back of this satin bomber jacket, one that reads, “The Best in the World, 2019 Champions.” An OVO Owl sits on the left breast pocket, while another Raptors logo is stitched on the right arm, trailed by the entire roster from last year’s squad. Then, on the left arm, the Canadian and American flags sandwich four words: “Steady Freddy, AKA ‘Twin.’”

The jackets were gifted to Fred VanVleet and his teammates from Drake after they took down the Bucks, Sixers and Warriors last season. And whether Drake calls him “Twin,” “Steady Freddy” or “Champ,” the respect is there. VanVleet has earned the love of Drizzy and every other Raptors fan in the world. Because his game is in the details. 

A clutch three. A body-to-body layup. A pick-and-roll pocket dime. An extra swing pass. A perfect ball-denial defensive possession. 

That’s where Fred VanVleet makes his money, doing the things that show up on the highlight reels and everything else that doesn’t. It might look like the 25-year-old came out of nowhere to become a key hitter for the reigning champions, but his devotion to play the game isn’t anything new. This is a 20-year journey.  

“I hoop just for the love, man,” VanVleet tells SLAM. “I’ve had a desire to play basketball since I can remember.”

VanVleet’s life kicked into high-gear when he was only 5 years old. His father was murdered that year, which was also when he remembers starting to fall in love with hoops. He only ever wanted to be outside with his older brother, Darnell, getting shots up. He details how much of his childhood in Rockford, IL was spent facing difficult circumstances, and how even when he and his brother were young, they’d see things that kids shouldn’t ever have to see. 

We’re with VanVleet at a hotel just outside of Toronto on a bitterly cold day in January. The sky is grey, white snow flurries dot the air and the wind bites with every new breeze that rolls through. The champ’s words about his hometown come slowly, pointedly, ringing with weight all these years and miles and memories later. Rockford, for all of the hardships, is home for him. And home, through all of the pain, is home because it’s where his dreams started. 

He once posted on his Instagram about how he wanted to make the people in Rockford proud. Nearly seven years have gone by since then. 

“I hope so,” VanVleet says when asked if he thinks his hometown is proud of him. “The biggest thing for me was not about what I did or how much I accomplished—it was the fact that I rep my city no matter where I go. And everybody who knows me knows where I’m from and what I mean to that community.

“In Rockford, basketball is huge,” he continues. “It’s one of the only outlets people feel like they have, especially when I was growing up. It was basketball and football. Obviously I made the choice to play basketball and that was my outlet to get to college and ultimately get to the pros. It’s that outlet for kids that don’t really have much. It’s a safe haven and it’s a safe place where people can come together.”

The game helped FVV to bond with his stepfather and his two new stepbrothers while he was growing up. They would constantly go through drills, working on ballhandling, stamina and strength. He was an extremely expressive kid. He couldn’t handle losses. He couldn’t stand playing poorly. He used basketball to channel everything that he was feeling and thinking between fifth, sixth and seventh grade.

“It’s funny because now people always see me as this super-calm person, but when I was real young playing, I used to cry a lot,” he says with a grin. “If we lost or if things weren’t going my way, I would get so mad that I would end up crying. I eventually got over that as I got older. From a young age, I always played up. I played up with my older brothers and I had to sit on the bench and watch. I didn’t get to play and I felt like I was good enough. That was, like, fifth, sixth and seventh grade, dealing with that.”

VanVleet was just wearing his real, valid, legitimate NBA championship ring. It’s so heavy that it gave him a blister after having it on for only 10 minutes. You need some damn sunglasses to even look at it. But when he thinks back to playing ball as a kid, he still can’t shake one loss, even with that rock on his finger. 

“One I remember real well was I had just started playing with a new team and we went to a summer tournament in Notre Dame or something,” he says. “We were playing in the auxiliary gym. We was getting smacked. I remember I started crying in the game. They took me out and I went to the bathroom in the middle of the game. They had to come get me out and calm me down. That’s one thing that sticks out in my mind. Any time we was losing, I was hot.” 

But the years have changed VanVleet. He went through a few more adjustments during his high school and college careers. He wouldn’t show any type of emotion during his freshman and sophomore seasons at Auburn High School. He could have 30 and his face would look like he hadn’t scored at all. That switched up when his stepfather encouraged him to vocally and passionately lead his teammates. The new, outwardly impassioned VanVleet then went to Wichita State, where he could routinely be seen pumping his fists and screaming after hitting huge shots. 

VanVleet’s four seasons with the Raptors have been defined by a serene and tranquil approach, the end result of all the moments from growing up in Rockford, becoming a star at Auburn High and hooping with the Shockers added up. It’s an unshakeable confidence, one realized through those hours. Fans, opponents and teammates know him for his toughness, both mind and body. 

VanVleet knows his family members for their toughness. He mentions his mother and his grandmother, praising them for all they made it through. His stepfather, a member of the Rockford PD, also gets a shout out. His friends, he says, for staying steadfast even when the neighborhood tried to take them down. The ballplayers who came from his city before him for laying the foundation. Those are the people he thinks of when he thinks of toughness. 

“For me, I think mental toughness came with how I grew up,” he says. “Losing my father at an early age sped up my maturity process. It made me grow up fast. I’ve seen a lot growing up. And those things give you great perspective on life. Whether it’s what you went through, your friends or your family members, where I come from, we’ve all seen a lot of things that kids shouldn’t see. So when I go play a game, it’s always a game. And nothing that can happen within that game amounts to any of the real stuff that goes on in people’s lives.”

Now the big picture comes in clearer. His single-minded focus in last season’s Finals makes more sense. His ability to play through chipped teeth and stitches can be traced back to his days running around Rockford. His rise from undrafted rookie has been certified. 

He bet on himself and he came up with a royal flush. 

AND1 took notice. They’ve partnered with the champ to help him take his FVV clothing line to the next level. And in return, he’s been playing in the Attack 2.0, AND1’s newest basketball silhouette. There’s a signature sneaker in the works, though VanVleet says with a smile that he can’t “speak on too many things that go on behind closed doors.”

“You think about the history of where it started and how it started,” VanVleet says about AND1. “If you really know the history behind it, then you have a different level of respect for it.”

That’s just like his own story. It’s all in the details. 

GRAB YOUR COPY OF SLAM 226

Max Resetar is an Associate Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

Portraits by Charlie Lindsay.

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Post Up: Lakers Honor Kobe in First Game Since Fatal Helicopter Crash 💜 https://www.slamonline.com/postup/lakers-pay-tribute-kobe-bryant-first-game-helicopter-crash/ https://www.slamonline.com/postup/lakers-pay-tribute-kobe-bryant-first-game-helicopter-crash/#respond Sat, 01 Feb 2020 06:42:08 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=559073 Raptors 105 (35-14), Pistons 92 (17-33) Toronto took the lead halfway through the first quarter and would not trail for the rest of the game. Fred VanVleet dropped 16 points with 9 dimes and 8 boards. Pascal Siakam added a game-high 30 points. Toronto has now won 10 straight games. Detroit has lost 5 straight. […]

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Raptors 105 (35-14), Pistons 92 (17-33)

Toronto took the lead halfway through the first quarter and would not trail for the rest of the game.

Fred VanVleet dropped 16 points with 9 dimes and 8 boards. Pascal Siakam added a game-high 30 points.

Toronto has now won 10 straight games. Detroit has lost 5 straight.

Bulls 118 (19-32), Nets 133 (21-26)

Kyrie Irving needed just 23 shots to drop 54 points as he led the Nets to a much-needed victory.

Putting on an inspired performance in memory of his friend and mentor Kobe Bryant, Kyrie did not miss in the first half en route to his second 50-plus point game of the season.

Mavs 121 (29-19), Rockets 128 (30-18)

Houston built an 18-point lead late in the third quarter against the Luka Doncic-less Mavs and held on for the win.

James Harden dropped a game-high 35 points with 16 boards, 6 dimes and 4 steals. Russell Westbrook added 32 points with 9 dimes and 3 steals.

Grizzlies 111 (24-25), Pelicans 139 (20-29)

New Orleans, finally with its core players healthy, blew the game open during the third quarter, outscoring the Grizzlies by 17 points.

Jrue Holiday dropped 18 points with 6 dimes and 3 steals. Zion Williamson added game-high 24 points.

Nuggets 127 (34-15), Bucks 115 (41-7)

Denver shot 22-44 from three as they snapped the Bucks’ 9-game winning streak.

Will Barton dropped a team-high 24 points (6-9 3FG) with 8 dimes and 7 boards.

Thunder 111 (30-20), Suns 107 (20-28)

Down 7 with 4:10 remaining, the Thunder battled back for another important road victory.

Chris Paul dropped 20 points with 10 dimes and 3 steals. Danilo Gallinari added a game-high 27 points.

Blazers 127 (22-27), Lakers 119 (36-11)

Portland thwarted the Lakers on an emotional night that paid tribute to fallen legend Kobe Bryant.

Damian Lillard continued his scorching hot play, dropping 23 of his game-high 48 points in the third quarter. Hassan Whiteside added 30 points with 12 boards and 5 blocks.

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2020 NBA Trade Deadline Primer: Toronto Raptors https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2020-nba-trade-deadline-primer-toronto-raptors/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2020-nba-trade-deadline-primer-toronto-raptors/#respond Wed, 29 Jan 2020 23:58:37 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=558843 With the new year now finally upon us, speculation ahead of the 2020 NBA Trade Deadline is in full swing. Whether Toronto Raptors fans are in consensus about what the team ought to do before the Feb. 6, 2020 cut off or not, anticipation mounts across all fanbases that there will be fireworks. In this […]

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With the new year now finally upon us, speculation ahead of the 2020 NBA Trade Deadline is in full swing. Whether Toronto Raptors fans are in consensus about what the team ought to do before the Feb. 6, 2020 cut off or not, anticipation mounts across all fanbases that there will be fireworks.

In this post, just one of a series of 30, we’ll break down the reports that have started to trickle out about Raps players that may or may not be on the move. While there’s no guarantee when it comes to a league as wild as the modern NBA, it doesn’t hurt to brush up on each squad’s roster as the deadline draws near.

Players Unlikely To Be Traded

  • Kyle Lowry
  • Fred VanVleet
  • Pascal Siakam

The Raptors looks different this season without Kawhi Leonard, though they are still finding success on the court. The team could go in many directions at the trade deadline, yet don’t expect the franchise to take on long-term money that extends past the summer of 2021 since there are whispers that the team has eyes for a certain Greek superstar who could be available at that time.

As for the team’s current star, Pascal Siakam, don’t expect him to go anywhere. The big man just inked a rookie-scale extension. Kyle Lowry just inked a one-year veteran’s extension that brings his contract to the summer of 2021 and while Fred VanVleet is in the final season of his deal (and is expected to see a sizable raise on his $9.3M salary), all signs point toward the Raptors keeping him and rewarding his play with a new deal this offseason.

Biggest Name Available On Market

  • Marc Gasol

Marc Gasol was a major contributor during the Raptors’ title run, though he’s on an expiring $25.6M contract. That, combined with the report in which Toronto was floated as a potential trade destination for Andre Drummond, indicate that the team isn’t tethered to the soon-to-be 35-year-old big man.

Logical Trade Pieces

  • Serge Ibaka

Serge Ibaka is another player on an expiring deal ($23.3M) and while there have been no reports of the team trading the big man, it would make sense for the team to listen to offers. Toronto will be hard-pressed to bring all of its free agents back this summer and if the franchise can get an asset for one of the players who could leave, it could further set up the team for the future.

Trades Are Possible

  • Norman Powell
  • Patrick McCaw
  • Stanley Johnson
  • Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
  • OG Anunoby
  • Chris Boucher
  • Malcolm Miller
  • Matt Thomas
  • Terence Davis
  • Dewan Hernandez

Norman Powell’s confidence behind the arc is apparent in year one post-Kawhi. He’s taking 5.0 treys per game this year and hitting them at a .409 clip, which is a slight increase from last season. 🏀 Patrick McCaw has only appeared in 23 games for the Raptors this season because of various injuries. 🏀 Former first-round pick Stanley Johnson’s role on the team has been minimal. He’s seen action in 15 games, catching 5.2 minutes per contest. 🏀 Rondae Hollis-Jefferson played some four while Siakam was sidelined. That’s probably his best spot given his .143 mark from three. 🏀 There’s so much potential in OG Anunoby, though his inconsistency has been on display. It would be surprising if the Raptors trade him. 🏀 No player on the team has more blocks than Chris Boucher despite the fact that he’s played under 500 minutes this season. 🏀 Second-year forward Malcolm Miller has seen spotty playing time this year. He’ll be a restricted free agent at the end of the year as long as the team issues him a qualifying offer. 🏀 Matt Thomas has appeared in 19 games this year. He’s hitting 46.8% of his shots from behind the arc. 🏀 Rookie Terence Davis has been a nice contributor for the Raptors this year. He’s sporting a 15.2 player efficiency rating. 🏀 Dewan Hernandez has bounced back and forth between the Raptors and their G League team. He’s seen just 11 minutes of NBA action this year.

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Post Up: Zion Williamson TOOK OVER in his NBA Debut https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-zion-williamson-took-over-in-his-nba-debut/ https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-zion-williamson-took-over-in-his-nba-debut/#respond Thu, 23 Jan 2020 05:44:48 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=558273 Spurs 121 (20-23), Pelicans 117 (17-28) Zion Williamson had the world buzzing as he scored 17 straight points in the fourth quarter, nearly taking down San Antonio by himself. The No. 1 pick finished with 22 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists in just 18 minutes of work in his NBA debut. Pacers 112 (29-16), […]

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Spurs 121 (20-23), Pelicans 117 (17-28)

Zion Williamson had the world buzzing as he scored 17 straight points in the fourth quarter, nearly taking down San Antonio by himself. The No. 1 pick finished with 22 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists in just 18 minutes of work in his NBA debut.

https://twitter.com/SLAMonline/status/1220213695101296641

Pacers 112 (29-16), Suns 87 (18-26)

TJ Warren scored a team-high 25 in his return to Phoenix to lead the way to victory. Domantas Sabonis did his part, too, adding 24 points (8-for-11 shooting) and 13 boards for the Pacers.

Jazz 129 (31-13), Warriors 96 (10-36)

D’Angelo Russell put up 26 points in 28 minutes, but the Jazz’ depth — 13 different players got on the scoreboard — was far too much to overcome for the depleted Warriors. Rudy Gobert had 22 points and a team-high 15 boards and Donovan Mitchell scored 23 in just 22 minutes.

Nuggets 105 (30-14), Rockets 121 (27-16)

The Rockets’ backcourt was completely in sync as Russell Westbrook and James Harden combined for 55 points, 21 rebounds and 13 dimes to edge the gap between them and the second place Nuggets.

Timberwolves 110 (15-29), Bulls 117 (17-29)

Zach LaVine (team-high 25 points) was able to get the W over his former team despite a 40-point outing from Karl-Anthony Towns. Lauri Markkanen added 21 to aid the Bulls.

Wizards 129 (14-29), Heat 134 (31-13)

The Heat’s bench backcourt duo of Tyler Herro (25 points, 7 threes) and Goran Dragic (22 points, 10 assists) took care of business as Miami scored 16 points in overtime to down the Wizards.

Bradley Beal scored a team-high 38 for Washington.

Grizzlies 95 (20-24), Celtics 119 (29-14)

The Grizzlies had the lead at the end of the first quarter, but the Celtics bounced back to dominate the rest of the night as Jayson Tatum scored 23 in 26 minutes of work.

Lakers 100 (35-9), Knicks 92 (12-33)

LeBron James picked up a win in his favorite arena to travel to, leading the way with 21 points, 6 boards and 5 dimes for Los Angeles.

Thunder 120 (26-19), Magic 114 (21-24)

Dennis Schroder scored 31 points (13-for-18 shooting) and had 9 dimes off the bench to lead the Thunder.

Clippers 95 (31-14), Hawks 104 (11-34)

The Clippers were only able to score 35 points in the second half as John Collins’ 33-point night pushed the Hawks ahead. Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Patrick Beverley didn’t suit up for Los Angeles and Trae Young missed the night for Atlanta.

Kings 106 (15-29), Pistons 127 (17-28)

Derrick Rose, Christian Wood and Reggie Jackson combined for 67 to lead the Pistons’ charge against the Kings.

De’Aaron Fox had 22 in the effort.

76ers 95 (26-17), Raptors 107 (30-14)

Fred VanVleet’s 22 points and Pascal Siakam’s 18 points and 15 boards led the Raptors past the Sixers in a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Semifinals.

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Post Up: Kawhi Pops Off for 39 Points to Defeat Pelicans https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-kawhi-pops-off-for-39-points-to-defeat-pelicans/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-kawhi-pops-off-for-39-points-to-defeat-pelicans/#respond Sun, 19 Jan 2020 04:28:47 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=557746 Clippers 133 (30-13), Pelicans 130 (16-27) Another game without a star (this time Paul George), and yet another win for the Clippers. Reaching win number 30 on the season was no breeze though, with the feisty Pelicans leading for a good chunk of the game. But ultimately, Kawhi Leonard was too much to handle. He […]

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Clippers 133 (30-13), Pelicans 130 (16-27)

Another game without a star (this time Paul George), and yet another win for the Clippers. Reaching win number 30 on the season was no breeze though, with the feisty Pelicans leading for a good chunk of the game. But ultimately, Kawhi Leonard was too much to handle. He had himself a phenomenal game, with 39 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals. And who could forget Lou Will, who dropped a cool 32 points off the pine.

For the Pelicans, Lonzo Ball had a triple double, scoring 18 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing 11 assists. Derrick Favors was also excellent, scoring 22 points on a perfect 10-10 shooting along with 11 boards.

Bucks 117 (38-6), Nets 97 (18-23)

The Bucks just do not let up. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 29 points and 12 rebounds in only 25 minutes, Khris Middleton had 20 of his own, and Brook Lopez did a fantastic job protecting the rim, notching 5 blocks.

The Nets were helpless against the brutal efficiency of the Bucks, and it showed with no player scoring higher than 17 points.

Suns 123 (18-24), Celtics 123 (27-14)

Fantastic win for the Suns beating Boston at home. Devin Booker went inferno, with 39 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists. Deandre Ayton backed that up with a monster 26 points and 15 boards.

Despite the loss, Marcus Smart went bonkers, with a career-high 11 3-pointers made for 37 points, 8 assists and 4 steals.

Pistons 136 (16-27), Hawks 103 (10-33)

It must have been very cathartic for Detroit to finally blow somebody out. Derrick Rose, recently inserted into the starting lineup to fill the playmaking black hole, was excellent. D Rose scored 27 points along with 9 assists and a plus/minus of +24. Andre Drummond also cleaned up as usual, with 16 points, 17 rebounds and 5 swipes.

76ers 90 (28-16), Knicks 87 (11-32)

A surprisingly close game, but all Philly should care about is getting the victory. Ben Simmons was fully in control, ending the game with 21 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 steals.

Raptors 122 (28-14), Timberwolves 112 (15-27)

The Raptors have been butchered by injuries all year, and they finally had their core group together again, and the results were excellent. Fred VanVleet (29 points, 4 steals, 7-8 from deep) barely missed a beat from his weeks-long absence. Kyle Lowry was great too, scoring 28 points, grabbing 7 rebounds and splashing 5 3-pointers.

Bulls 118 (16-28), Cavaliers 116 (12-31)

What an impressive win from the Bulls! Coming into the 4th quarter down a sizable 15 points, none other than Zach LaVine went off. The star guard had 42 points, 6 rebounds and 5 steals for a wild performance.

Don’t blame the loss on Kevin Love though. He had a 29-5-6 line and the Cavs outscored the Bulls by 11 points when he was in.

Warriors 109 (10-34), Magic 95 (20-23)

Orlando may have a subpar record, but they’re long, athletic and make you beat them, making this a quality win for a youthful Dubs team. DLO had 26 points, 12 assists and 2 steals along with a beautiful 3 late in the game.

Also, let’s take a moment, even in defeat, to appreciate the comeback of Markelle Fultz. Dude has been a problem for defenses.

Lakers 124 (34-8), Rockets 115 (26-15)

No Anthony Davis and on the road against the Rockets…that’s a quality win right there, Lakers. LeBron was fantastic as usual. He put up 31 points, 12 assists and 5 rebounds. Kyle Kuzma, Danny Green and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope all showed out as well.

For the Rockets, Russell Westbrook scored 35 points and James Harden scored 34, but no one else really stepped up.

Jazz 123 (29-13), Kings 101 (15-27)

The Jazz are rolling. Other than a slight hiccup against the Pelicans a couple of nights ago, they’ve been creaming everyone in their path and tonight was no different. Bojan Bogdanovic had a clean 30 points, Rudy Gobert had a monster 28 points, 15 rebounds and 3 blocks, and Jordan Clarkson had another quality performance off the bench with 20 points.

Thunder 119 (24-19), Blazers 106 (18-26)

Chris Paul had 30 points and 7 assists on 11-15 shooting in just 28 minutes, while his protege and backcourt mate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 22 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists.

For the Blazers, it’s unfortunately becoming a common trend to see Dame go off (34 points, 6 assists), but lose the game.

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Post Up: Grizzlies Blow Out Clippers Behind Jae Crowder’s Career Night https://www.slamonline.com/postup/grizzlies-blow-out-clippers-jae-crowder-career-night/ https://www.slamonline.com/postup/grizzlies-blow-out-clippers-jae-crowder-career-night/#respond Sun, 05 Jan 2020 06:06:33 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=556385 Grizzlies 140 (14-22), Clippers 114 (25-12) Memphis dominated the first and third quarters and shot 46.2 percent from three. The Grizzlies would lead by as much as 28 points during the fourth quarter. Jae Crowder dropped a team-high 27 points with 8 boards, 7 dimes, 3 steals and 3 blocks. Raptors 121 (24-12), Nets 102 […]

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Grizzlies 140 (14-22), Clippers 114 (25-12)

Memphis dominated the first and third quarters and shot 46.2 percent from three. The Grizzlies would lead by as much as 28 points during the fourth quarter.

Jae Crowder dropped a team-high 27 points with 8 boards, 7 dimes, 3 steals and 3 blocks.

Raptors 121 (24-12), Nets 102 (16-18)

Toronto outscored the Nets by 16 points in the fourth behind Kyle Lowry’s inspired late play.

Lowry dropped 26 points with 5 dimes. Fred VanVleet added a game-high 29 points and 11 dimes.

Brooklyn has now lost 5 straight games.

Jazz 109 (23-12), Magic 96 (16-20)

Utah outscored the Magic by 12 points in the fourth quarter en route to their fifth straight win.

Donovan Mitchell dropped a game-high 32 points (14-21 FG) with 6 dimes.

Thunder 121 (20-15), Cavs 106 (10-25)

OKC took the lead late in the first quarter and wouldn’t trail for the rest of the game.

Steven Adams dropped 10 points with 16 boards. Dennis Schroder added a team-high 22 points.

OKC has now won 5 straight games.

Pacers 111 (22-14), Hawks 116 (8-28)

After blowing a 22-point lead in the first half, the Hawks regained the advantage in the fourth quarter to win the game.

After dropping 30 points in the first half, Trae Young finished with a game-high 41 points and 8 dimes.

Celtics 111 (25-8), Bulls 104 (13-23)

The Celtics saw their 16-point lead dwindle all the way to 3 late in the game, but Boston was able to hold on.

Jayson Tatum dropped a team-high 28 points (12-15 FG) with 7 boards and a dagger three.

Nuggets 114 (24-11), Wizards 128 (11-24)

Even without seemingly half of their regular rotation players (including Bradley Beal), the Wizards were able to pull away with the game in the fourth quarter.

Washington got an incredible 92 points from its bench, including a career-high 32 points from Ish Smith.

Pistons 111 (13-23), Warriors 104 (9-28)

Detroit outscored the Warriors by 10 points in the second half en route to the road win.

Andre Drummond dropped 14 points with 18 boards and 3 steals. Derrick Rose added a team-high 22 points.

Spurs 118 (14-20), Bucks 127 (32-5)

After taking the lead mid-way through the second quarter, the Bucks did not trail for the rest of the game.

Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped a game-high 32 points (7-12 FG) with 8 boards.

Milwaukee has now won 5 straight games.

Hornets 123 (15-23), Mavs 120 (22-13) (OT)

Charlotte battled back from a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to force OT. They would then drop 20 points in the extra period to get a big road win.

Terry Rozier dropped a team-high 29 points with several clutch buckets. Devonte Graham added 27 points with 13 dimes.

Pelicans 117 (12-24), Kings 115 (13-23)

New Orleans dropped 41 points during the fourth quarter to regain the lead and gut out the road win.

Lonzo Ball dropped a team-high 24 points with 10 dimes and 6 boards. JJ Redick added 18 points, including the game-winner.

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Post Up: Kristaps Porzingis Dominates 76ers in Convincing Victory https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-kristaps-porzingis-dominates-76ers-in-convincing-victory/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-kristaps-porzingis-dominates-76ers-in-convincing-victory/#respond Sat, 21 Dec 2019 06:06:08 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=555255 Cavaliers 114 (8-21), Grizzlies 107 (10-19) Sometimes, the Cavaliers can be very competent. John Henson (remember him?) swatted 7 shots, Jordan Clarkson exploded for 33 points on 12-17 shooting, and Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love both recorded double doubles in a solid victory. Meanwhile, even though they lost, Ja Morant was this close to smashing […]

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Cavaliers 114 (8-21), Grizzlies 107 (10-19)

Sometimes, the Cavaliers can be very competent. John Henson (remember him?) swatted 7 shots, Jordan Clarkson exploded for 33 points on 12-17 shooting, and Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love both recorded double doubles in a solid victory.

Meanwhile, even though they lost, Ja Morant was this close to smashing home the dunk of the century.

Pacers 119 (20-9), Kings 105 (12-16)

What the Pacers are doing is so admirable. They play team ball, no one is selfish and you don’t hear a peep from them about how much they miss star Victor Oladipo, who is still recovering from a quad injury. By dismantling the Kings, Indiana just won their fifth game in a row, with all starters and two bench players hitting double digit points. Just imagine this team when Oladipo is back out there wrecking poor fools.

The Kings are slowly getting back their injured young guns De’Aaron Fox and Marvin Bagley, and they’ll have to sort out a crowded front court when everyone is back to full strength.

Celtics 114 (19-7), Pistons 93 (11-18)

The Celtics keep on rolling, this time with a dub over the middling Pistons sans Blake Griffin and Reggie Jackson. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum each had 26 points, while Enes Kanter gobbled up 18 rebounds and rookie Grant Williams had a career-high 18 points off the pine.

Thon Maker was the Pistons’ highest scorer with only 15 points. Yup, it was that kind of night for Detroit.

We were also treated to some Tacko Time, and the fans in TD Garden gave his a standing ovation as he entered the game.

Raptors 122 (20-8), Wizards 118 (8-19)

You simply have to tip your cap to the Raptors. In the past few days, they’ve lost Marc Gasol, Pascal Siakam and Norman Powell to injuries, and they’ve already withstood injuries to Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet and Serge Ibaka. But nonetheless, the wins keep coming. Lowry had 26 points and 9 assists, VanVleet had 18 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists, and Ibaka added 23 points, 10 caroms and 3 blocks.

Meanwhile, Bradley Beal continued his phenomenal season with 27 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Also, shoutout Ish Smith for dropping 26 on 9-9 shooting. That type of efficiency deserves to be appreciated.

Heat 129 (21-8), Knicks 114 (7-22)

The Heat are now 12-1 at home after easily dispatching the Knicks. It goes to show how deep they are when seven players hit double digits and Jimmy Butler wasn’t even one of them. We were treated to a fantastic Derrick Jones Jr dunk and a smooth Goran Dragic between the legs dime.

Mavericks 117 (19-9), 76ers 98 (20-10)

Kristaps Porzingis is starting to shake off his post-ACL rust and the result is terrifying. The Unicorn recorded 22 points, 18 rebounds and 3 blocks to crush the 76ers at home. Tim Hardaway Jr also lit it up from deep, with 27 points and seven 3-pointers.

Other than a touching Boban reunion with their former beloved role player, the 76ers did not bring it. Joel Embiid was the only player to show up, with 33 points and 17 rebounds, but when the rest of the starting lineup manages only a combined 38 points, that is…not good, chief.

Thunder 126 (14-14), Suns 108 (11-17)

The Thunder have won 9 of their past 13 games, and it’s pretty great to see a team so at peace with themselves. For a franchise that has been worrying about superstar departures for the past few years, it must be refreshing to be thriving amid small expectations while potentially cultivating their next star…Shai Gilgeous-Alexander:

Nuggets 109 (19-8), Timberwolves 100 (10-17)

Someone help the Wolves. Losers of nine in a row, they have to pick up the intensity to prevent a lost season.

At least Nikola Jokic has broken out of his slightly underwhelming start to the season. He dropped a 22-10-10 triple double with 2 blocks and has looked much more engaged recently. The league is better off when the Serbian Star is pleased and balling out.

Blazers 118 (13-16), Magic 103 (12-17)

It was a vintage Blazers backcourt game. Dame Lillard did his thing, with 36 points and 6 assists with 7 treys, while CJ McCollum dropped 31 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists to handle the Magic. Hassan Whiteside also chipped in 17 boards and 5 blocks.

The Magic were outmatched, but Nikola Vucevic had a vintage game with 23 points, 12 rebounds and an impressive 6 steals.

Markelle Fultz also unleashed this vicious dunk:

Warriors 106 (6-24), Pelicans 102 (7-23)

Behind 25 points and 7 assists from D’Angelo Russell and 20 points from Damion Lee, the Dubs squeezed out the win against the pesky Pelicans.

Brandon Ingram and Jrue Holiday each had 25 points, while Lonzo Ball swiped 6 steals off the bench.

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2020 NBA Free Agents: Newswire’s Top 50 https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2020-nba-free-agents-newswires-top-50/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2020-nba-free-agents-newswires-top-50/#respond Wed, 18 Dec 2019 14:51:12 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=554682 Comparing any free agency class to the one we saw in 2019 is a lost cause but that doesn’t mean that upcoming 2020 NBA free agents aren’t still capable of making serious impacts on the teams that they’ll ultimately end up with. In an update to the list we published last summer, we’ve expanded our […]

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Comparing any free agency class to the one we saw in 2019 is a lost cause but that doesn’t mean that upcoming 2020 NBA free agents aren’t still capable of making serious impacts on the teams that they’ll ultimately end up with.

In an update to the list we published last summer, we’ve expanded our rankings of the top available free agents and removed all of the players that have since signed contract extensions.

Not all of the players you see in this list will be available come July, many have player options or team options, but that’s part of the fun as the offseason approaches and we get a better idea of the type of market that teams and players can expect.

RankPlayerTeam19-20Status
1Anthony DavisLAL$27.1MPO
2Brandon IngramNOR$7.3MRFA
3Fred VanVleetTOR$9.3MUFA
4Andre DrummondDET$27.1MPO
5DeMar DeRozanSAS$27.7MPO
6Montrezl HarrellLAC$6.0MUFA
7Mike ConleyUTA$32.5MET
8Gordon HaywardBOS$32.7MPO
9Otto Porter Jr.CHI$27.3MPO
10Evan FournierORL$17.0MPO
11Bogdan BogdanovicSAC$8.5MRFA
12Davis BertansWAS$7.0MUFA
13Danilo GallinariOKL$22.6MUFA
14Serge IbakaTOR$23.3MUFA
15Joe HarrisBKL$7.7MUFA
16Dario SaricPHO$3.5MRFA
17Isaiah ThomasWAS$2.3MUFA
18Marcus MorrisNYK$15.0MUFA
19Bryn ForbesSAS$2.9MUFA
20Aron BaynesPHO$5.4MUFA
21Kelly OlynykMIA$11.7MPO
22Tristan ThompsonCLE$18.5MUFA
23Jakob PoeltlSAS$3.8MRFA
24Paul MillsapDEN$30.4MUFA
25DeMarcus CousinsLAL$3.5MUFA
26Andre IguodalaMEM$17.2MUFA
27Marc GasolTOR$22.6MUFA
28Jabari ParkerATL$6.5MUFA
29Alec BurksGSW$2.3MUFA
30Enes KanterBOS$4.8MPO
31Malik BeasleyDEN$2.7MRFA
32Austin RiversHOU$2.1MPO
33Tim Hardaway Jr.DAL$18.1MPO
34Mason PlumleeDEN$14.0MUFA
35Derrick FavorsNOR$17.7MUFA
36Jeff TeagueMIN$19.0MUFA
37Willie Cauley-SteinGSW$2.2MPO
38Dwight HowardLAL$3.0MUFA
39Hassan WhitesidePOR$27.1MUFA
40Bobby PortisNYK$15.0MTO
41Dillon BrooksMEM$1.6MUFA
42D.J. AugustinORL$7.3MUFA
43Carmelo AnthonyPOR$2.2MUFA
44Rodney HoodPOR$5.7MPO
45Jerami GrantDEN$9.3MPO
46Tony SnellDET$11.4MPO
47Goran DragicMIA$19.2MUFA
48Jae CrowderMEM$7.8MUFA
49Reggie JacksonDET$18.1MUFA
50Josh JacksonMEM$7.1MUFA

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Post Up: Luka Doncic & Mavericks Snap Lakers’ 10-Game Winning Streak in LA https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-luka-doncic-leads-mavericks-to-snap-lakers-10-game-winning-streak-in-la/ https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-luka-doncic-leads-mavericks-to-snap-lakers-10-game-winning-streak-in-la/#respond Mon, 02 Dec 2019 05:58:02 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=553114 Heat 109 (14-5), Nets 106 (10-10) Jimmy Butler scored a team-high 20 points in Brooklyn. Bam Adebayo finished with a double-double (17 points, 16 rebounds). Grizzlies 115 (6-13), Timberwolves 107 (10-9) With Ja Morant still out, Dillion Brooks filled in the void on offense, leading all scorers with 26 points. Jae Crowder, Jaren Jackson Jr […]

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Heat 109 (14-5), Nets 106 (10-10)

Jimmy Butler scored a team-high 20 points in Brooklyn. Bam Adebayo finished with a double-double (17 points, 16 rebounds).

Grizzlies 115 (6-13), Timberwolves 107 (10-9)

With Ja Morant still out, Dillion Brooks filled in the void on offense, leading all scorers with 26 points. Jae Crowder, Jaren Jackson Jr and Tyus Jones had 12 apiece. Grayson Allen had 13 off the bench.

Celtics 113 (14-5), Knicks 104 (4-16)

Jayson Tatum (30 piece) and Jaylen Brown (28 points) combined for 58 points at The Garden. Kemba Walker had 16 points and 10 dimes.

Mavericks 114 (13-6), Lakers 100 (17-3)

With Dirk courtside, the Mavs snapped the Lakers’ 10-game winning streak. Luka Doncic scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half, and Kristaps Porzingis finished with 15 points. Dallas trailed at the half, but went on a 28-5 run in the third quarter.

Thunder 107 (8-11), Pelicans 104 (6-14)

Four of five of OKC’s starters scored in double figures with Danilo Gallinari scoring a team-high 23 points. Dennis Schroeder had 17 points off the bench.

Pistons 132 (7-13), Spurs 98 (7-14)

Christian Wood had himself a night, scoring a career-high 28 points in 22 minutes at home. The Pistons had 75 bench points.

Raptors 130 (15-4), Jazz 110 (12-8)

Pascal Siakam put up 35 points in 35 minutes in Toronto on Sunday night. Fred Vanvleet was the team’s second-leading scorer with 21 points to give Toronto a 9-0 record at home.

Magic 100 (8-11), Warriors 96 (4-17)

Evan Fournier finished with 32 points, tying his career-high, in Orlando against the Dubs. Terrence Ross put up 19 points and Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac had 14 apiece.

Clippers (15-6) , Wizards (6-12)

Kawhi Leonard (34 points) and Paul George (31) combined for 65 points in front of their home crowd on Sunday night. Montrezl Harrell finished with 23 points and 15 rebounds off the bench.

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Post Up: Trae Young Drops 49 Points, But Hawks Succumb to Pacers in OT https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-trae-young-drops-49-points-but-hawks-succumb-to-pacers-in-ot/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-trae-young-drops-49-points-but-hawks-succumb-to-pacers-in-ot/#respond Sat, 30 Nov 2019 05:51:24 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=552869 Nets 112 (10-6), Celtics 107 (13-5) After succumbing to a pre-Thanksgiving loss to the Celtics, the Nets roared back in their second consecutive game against Boston. Guard Spencer Dinwiddie was fantastic in Kyrie Irving’s absence, scoring 32 points, dishing out 11 assists and swiping 2 steals. Third year center Jarrett Allen continued his solid play […]

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Nets 112 (10-6), Celtics 107 (13-5)

After succumbing to a pre-Thanksgiving loss to the Celtics, the Nets roared back in their second consecutive game against Boston. Guard Spencer Dinwiddie was fantastic in Kyrie Irving’s absence, scoring 32 points, dishing out 11 assists and swiping 2 steals. Third year center Jarrett Allen continued his solid play of late, scoring 14 points and grabbing 11 boards on 7-12 shooting.

The Celtics have played excellent ball recently, despite losing Gordon Hayward to a hand injury. Jayson Tatum has bounced back from his sophomore slump to take over the scoring reigns this year, and he scored 26 points, corralled 9 rebounds and collected 4 steals in the first game of Black Friday.

Raptors 90 (14-4), Magic 80 (7-11)

The Raptors just keep on winning. Amid a slew of free agent departures and injuries to Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka, Toronto has kept on chugging. They can even sustain an off-night from Pascal Siakam thanks to Norm Powell exploding for 33 points and Fred VanVleet putting up 22 and 7 steals.

The Magic shot 34% from the field, and that’s really the only stat you need to know to get an idea of how their night went.

Hornets 110 (8-12), Pistons 107 (6-13)

PJ Washington has continued his impressive rookie campaign, scoring 26 points and grabbing 4 steals on an efficient 9-12 shooting performance.

It’s been an uninspiring start to the season for Detroit, but at least Derrick Rose has proven to be a spark plug off the bench. He dropped 23 points on 8-12 shooting, and also provided us this adorable moment with his son, PJ, before the game.

Bucks 119 (16-3), Cavaliers 110 (5-14)

Giannis set the tone instantly with a dunk on the first play of the game, as the Bucks won their 10th straight game to finish off the Cavaliers. The Greek Freak remains a beast, and it’s incredible that he makes 33 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks seem ordinary.

Even in defeat, the Cavs have been competent. Rookie Darius Garland showed out with 21 points, 6 assists and 5 three-pointers. Keep an eye on the rook, because he’s going to be a stud in this league for a long time.

76ers 101 (13-6), Knicks 95 (4-15)

The 76ers had a sluggish start, as they were outscored 18-31 in the first quarter, but they eventually got their act together to take care of business. Joel Embiid was fantastic, scoring 27 points (albeit on a subpar 7-19 shooting), corralling 17 boards and swatting 3 shots, while Ben Simmons brought the 76ers home with a late-game inbounds steal and score.

He also converted this acrobatic layup on the move.

Jazz 103 (12-7), Grizzlies 94 (5-13)

In perhaps the most visually appealing game this season (seriously, each team absolutely nailed their throwback jerseys), the Jazz were too much to handle for the young Grizz. Bojan Bogdanovic put up 33 points, Rudy Gobert chipped in a solid double-double and Donovan Mitchell added 20 points of his own.

Thunder 109 (7-11), Pelicans 104 (6-13)

The Thunder came back by outscoring the Pelicans 30-20 in the 4th quarter. Dennis Schroder led the way off the bench with 25 points and 7 assists, while Steven Adams finished them off with a thunderous (pun intended) slam dunk down the stretch.

The Pelicans are swill biding time before the Zion Williamson’s highly anticipated debut, but in the meantime, Brandon Ingram seems content to keep on cooking. He had the smoothest transition from spin move to dunk:

Heat 122 (13-5), Warriors 105 (4-16)

It’s so weird to see the record 4-16 next to the Warriors, but that’s what happens when Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston are absent.

The Heat have been one of the best stories of the young season, riding a new wave of their young talent (Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn, Bam Adebayo and Justise Winslow) to supplement their veteran core of Jimmy Butler, Goran Dragic and Kelly Olynyk. the team shot a blistering 52% from deep. Also, they never miss on the gorgeous Miami Vice city edition jerseys.

Spurs 107 (7-13), Clippers 97 (14-6)

The Spurs broke out of their surprising downward spiral by giving the Clippers their first loss when Kawhi Leonard and Paul George both shared the court together.

For the Spurs, LaMarcus Aldridge had one of his most complete games of the season, going for 17 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 blocks.

Pacers 105 (12-6), Hawks 104 (4-15)

Despite a monstrous Trae Young performance (49 points on 16-28 shooting with 8 three-pointers and 9-9 from the line), the relentless Pacers pulled away in overtime. No other starter on the Hawks scored more than 7 points.

With Malcolm Brogdon back in the fold, Indiana has been rock solid this season. Every starter scored between 16 and 20 points; the epitome of a group effort.

Mavericks 120 (12-6), Suns 113 (8-10)

Luka Doncic went scorched earth all over the poor Suns. The Slovenian sensation dropped 42 points, 9 rebounds and 11 assists in a convincing victory against the Suns. Tim Hardaway Jr also chipped in 26 points.

The Suns have slowed down a tad after an impressive start to the season, but a core four of Devin Booker, Aron Baynes, Kelly Oubre and Ricky Rubio has outscored opponents by 8 points per 100 possessions all season, and center DeAndre Ayton is set to return soon. The future is bright in Phoenix.

Blazers 107 (8-12), Bulls 103 (6-14)

Melo is looking like his old self, and every moment is beautiful to watch. He scored 23 points and grabbed 11 boards, while teammate Hassan Whiteside swallowed a Blazers franchise record 10 blocks to go along with 15 rebounds. Maybe he grew dissatisfied with his NBA 2K rating again.

For the Bulls, Zach LaVine led the way with 28 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, and so far, zero public disputes with Jim Boylen today.

Lakers 125 (17-2), Wizards 103 (6-11)

Well, that was certainly a blowout. The Lakers have been on fire this season and they showed no signs of letting up Friday at Staples. LeBron James and Anthony Davis led the way per usual, with commendable contributions from Rajon Rondo (who threw two beautiful alley-oops), JaVale McGee and Danny Green.

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Post Up: Giannis Scores 50 Points as Bucks Win Eighth Straight https://www.slamonline.com/postup/giannis-50-points-bucks-eighth-straight/ https://www.slamonline.com/postup/giannis-50-points-bucks-eighth-straight/#respond Tue, 26 Nov 2019 05:57:48 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=552517 Nets 108 (9-8), Cavaliers 106 (5-12) Spencer Dinwiddie’s fadeaway jumpshot with 1.6 seconds left broke the tie and gave Brooklyn the win. Dinwiddie finished with a team-high 23 points. Magic 88 (6-10), Pistons 103 (6-11) Detroit was given the scoring edge thanks to six double-digit scorers, led by Luke Kennard’s 20 points. Terrence Ross scored […]

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Nets 108 (9-8), Cavaliers 106 (5-12)

Spencer Dinwiddie’s fadeaway jumpshot with 1.6 seconds left broke the tie and gave Brooklyn the win. Dinwiddie finished with a team-high 23 points.

Magic 88 (6-10), Pistons 103 (6-11)

Detroit was given the scoring edge thanks to six double-digit scorers, led by Luke Kennard’s 20 points. Terrence Ross scored 19 points for the Magic.

Grizzlies 114 (5-11), Pacers 126 (10-6)

Four of Indiana’s starters notched 13 or more points, paced by TJ Warren’s 26 points. Ja Morant had to leave the game after falling over a cameraman, but he thankfully returned injury-free, finishing with 19 points.

Timberwolves 125 (9-8), Hawks 113 (4-13)

Another high-scoring night for Trae Young was spoiled as Minnesota came away with the victory. Young poured in 37 points while adding 9 assists and 6 rebounds. Karl-Anthony Towns led the way for the Wolves with 28 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists.

Kings 102 (7-9), Celtics 103 (12-4)

Sacramento and Boston came down to the wire as they exchanged buckets in crunch time. Marcus Smart hit the go-ahead layup with 31 seconds left to put the Celtics ahead for good. Buddy Hield put up 41 points and hit 11 threes but came up short of the win.

Hornets 100 (6-12), Heat 117 (12-4)

Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler each scored 21 points to help Miami get its 12th win. Terry Rozier led the Hornets with 19 points.

76ers 96 (11-6), Raptors 101 (12-4)

Pascal Siakam hit the clutch and-1 over two defenders to help the Raptors seal the close victory. Siakam poured in 25 points while teammate Fred VanVleet added 24 points. Josh Richardson put in 25 points for Philly.

Blazers 117 (6-12), Bulls 94 (6-12)

Carmelo Anthony was in vintage form Monday night. The veteran scored a game-high 25 points, hitting four 3-pointers and grabbing 8 rebounds. He also passed Alex English for 18th on the all-time scoring list.

Jazz 118 (11-6), Bucks 122 (14-3)

Giannis Antetokounmpo is following up his MVP win last season with another incredible performance this year. He finished with 50 points, 14 rebounds and 6 assists as the Bucks edged out the Jazz.

Lakers 114 (15-2), Spurs 104 (6-12)

LeBron James isn’t slowing down in Year 17. He put up 33 points in 35 minutes to keep the Lakers on their hot start to the season.

Thunder 100 (6-10), Warriors 97 (3-15)

Oklahoma City scored 26 points in the fourth quarter as they closed out the road win. Chris Paul hit a go-ahead midrange shot with under 40 seconds left that sealed Golden State’s fate. Paul finished with 20 points.

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Nick Nurse: Kawhi Leonard Was ‘Cruising to His 30 Points a Night’ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nick-nurse-kawhi-leonard-was-cruising-to-his-30-points-a-night-in-regular-season/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/nick-nurse-kawhi-leonard-was-cruising-to-his-30-points-a-night-in-regular-season/#respond Mon, 11 Nov 2019 18:47:37 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=551177 Kawhi Leonard was “cruising to his 30 points a night” during the 2018-19 regular season, according to Raptors head coach Nick Nurse. Nurse wondered if Leonard “was going to flip a switch” and received an emphatic answer during the NBA Playoffs, when the reigning Finals MVP led Toronto to their first-ever championship. Kawhi is looking […]

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Kawhi Leonard was “cruising to his 30 points a night” during the 2018-19 regular season, according to Raptors head coach Nick Nurse.

Nurse wondered if Leonard “was going to flip a switch” and received an emphatic answer during the NBA Playoffs, when the reigning Finals MVP led Toronto to their first-ever championship.

Kawhi is looking forward to a “fun” reunion Monday night with his now-former teammates as the LA Clippers play host to the Raps.

Per The Athletic:

Nick Nurse: “There were several times and team meetings that I thought (Leonard) kind of inserted himself into our team. I know you probably remember me talking a lot about his leadership, and that got to be a big story, people saying he’s not a leader and this and that. I wasn’t making that up. That was probably early on. I think we were probably 13-4 or something and we were having a little meeting about how the offence was running, and he kind of stepped up and said to the team, ‘This is how I see it.’ He couldn’t have said it better, for me. It was perfect.”

Fred VanVleet: “Obviously, he didn’t talk a lot. I think it took a long time for him to open up to us. I think for him to become open and trust us on the court — off the court, he was great — but on the court, I think we saw over the course of the year him open up and trust us, the entire team. I think him and Kyle had a good chemistry pretty early. And you could see it gradually happen for the entire team.”

Marc Gasol: “He speaks when needed. That, to me, is a great trait of a leader. When the team needs it, he has a voice, a voice that everyone listens to. He speaks the right stuff, cares about the right stuff. It was awesome. … I’ll keep it in the locker room. I have a lot of respect for the locker room stuff. But he’s always, always on point and never negative. Always balanced, always steady. You see him out there, and that’s the way he is. He’s not dramatic at all. He never has highs or lows. He’s always steady and on course.”

Nurse: “I’m not sure I ever said this publicly last year, but about February of last year, I was like: ‘He’s not playing to his full capabilities. He’s cruising to his 30 points a night.’ I figured it could go one of two ways. He was gonna cruise on out of here or he was going to flip a switch and try to win the whole damn thing. Obviously, we saw what happened.”

Related Nick Nurse: ‘Can’t Blame’ Kawhi Leonard for Joining the LA Clippers

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Post Up: Pascal Siakam Helps Snap Lakers’ Seven-Game Win Streak https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-pascal-siakam-helps-snap-lakers-seven-game-win-streak/ https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-pascal-siakam-helps-snap-lakers-seven-game-win-streak/#respond Mon, 11 Nov 2019 05:19:47 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=551069 Nuggets 100 (7-2), Timberwolves 98 (5-4) Late in OT, Nikola Jokic hit the game-winning bucket over Karl-Anthony Towns to give the Nuggets the win on the road. Jokic had a team-high 20 points to go with 7 dimes and 6 rebounds. Pacers 109 (6-4), Magic 102 (3-7) Domantas Sabonis put up a double-double (21 points, […]

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Nuggets 100 (7-2), Timberwolves 98 (5-4)

Late in OT, Nikola Jokic hit the game-winning bucket over Karl-Anthony Towns to give the Nuggets the win on the road. Jokic had a team-high 20 points to go with 7 dimes and 6 rebounds.

Pacers 109 (6-4), Magic 102 (3-7)

Domantas Sabonis put up a double-double (21 points, 16 rebounds) to give Indiana its third-straight win. T.J. Warren and Malcolm Brogdon had 19 apiece, while Doug McDermott had 18 off the bench.

Sixers 114 (6-3), Hornets 106 (4-6)

Four of Philly’s starters scored in double figures – Joel Embiid (18 points), Al Horford (15 points), Tobias Harris (14 points) and Josh Richardson (11 points).

Bucks 117 (7-3) , Thunder 114 (4-6)

Tied 114-all with under a minute, Brook Lopez knocked down a 3-pointer to give the Bucks the W. Giannis Antetokounmpo had another monster performance, finishing with 35 points and 16 rebounds.

Cavaliers 108 (4-5), Knicks 87 (2-8)

Collin Sexton finished with 21 points at The Garden. Kevin Love was the second-leading scorer with 17 points.

Suns 138 (6-3), Nets 112 (4-5)

All five Suns starters finished in double figures as Devin Booker led the team with 27 points. Ricky Rubio had 22 points and 12 dimes; Kelly Oubre also had 18.

Trailblazers 124 (4-6), Hawks 113 (3-6)

Damian Lillard and Kevin Huerter traded back-to-back buckets to force it to overtime, but the Blazers prevailed at home. Lillard (30 points) and CJ McCollum (23 points) combined for 53 points, and Anfernee Simons finished with 20 points off the bench.

Raptors 113 (6-2), Lakers 104 (7-1)

Toronto extended the lead to 10 in the 4Q and closed it off when the Lakers started to make their run. Last season’s MIP finished with a game-high 24 points and 11 rebounds. Fred VanVleet also had 21 points in the win to snap the Lakers’ 7-game wining streak.

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Post Up: Raptors, Clippers Get Wins on Opening Night https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-raptors-clippers/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-raptors-clippers/#respond Wed, 23 Oct 2019 05:41:04 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=545238 Raptors 130 (1-0), Pelicans 122 (0-1) OT WE’RE BACK. The first game of the 2019-20 NBA season did not disappoint. Behind 34 points and 18 boards from Pascal Siakam and a career-high 34 points (on 12/18 shooting) from Fred VanVleet, the defending champion Raptors outlasted New Orleans in an OT thriller. Brandon Ingram finished with […]

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Raptors 130 (1-0), Pelicans 122 (0-1) OT

WE’RE BACK.

The first game of the 2019-20 NBA season did not disappoint. Behind 34 points and 18 boards from Pascal Siakam and a career-high 34 points (on 12/18 shooting) from Fred VanVleet, the defending champion Raptors outlasted New Orleans in an OT thriller. Brandon Ingram finished with 22 points and Josh Hart added 15 points and 10 boards for the Pelicans.

Clippers 112 (1-0), Lakers 102 (0-1)

The Klaw showed out in his Clippers debut.

Reigning Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard picked up right where he left off, finishing with a game-high 30 points on 10/19 from the field. Lou Williams added 21 points (the bench unit combined for 60) as the Clippers won the first battle of LA.

Danny Green led the way for the Lakers with 28 points (10/14 from the field, 7/9 from three). In his first game as a Laker, Anthony Davis dropped 25 to go along with 10 rebounds. LeBron added 18 points, 9 boards, and 8 assists.

Thoughts on opening night? Let us know in the comments below.

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Toronto Raptors Roster Count: 2019 Training Camp https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/toronto-raptors-roster-count-2019-training-camp/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/toronto-raptors-roster-count-2019-training-camp/#respond Thu, 26 Sep 2019 14:07:09 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=543504 After a wild NBA offseason, training camps are fast approaching. Teams around the league are scrambling to iron out their rosters and will have plenty of decisions to make before rosters condense at the start of the regular season. Below is a list of the contract types the Toronto Raptors have heading into training camp. […]

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After a wild NBA offseason, training camps are fast approaching. Teams around the league are scrambling to iron out their rosters and will have plenty of decisions to make before rosters condense at the start of the regular season.

Below is a list of the contract types the Toronto Raptors have heading into training camp. This resource will be updated as players are signed and waived. Check back often to see if your team’s roster configuration has changed.

Toronto Raptors

Roster Count16
Guaranteed12
Non-Guaranteed3
Two-Way Deals1
Exhibit 100
GuaranteedNon/Partial Guaranteed
Kyle LowryCameron Payne
Marc GasolMalcolm Miller
Serge IbakaChris Boucher
Norman PowellIsaiah Taylor
Fred VanVleetDewan Hernandez
Patrick McCaw
Stanley JohnsonTwo-Way Contracts
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson Oshae Brissett
Pascal Siakam
OG AnunobyExhibit 10 Deals
Matt ThomasSagaba Konate
Terence DavisDevin Robinson
Matt Morgan
Tyler Ennis

For a complete list of all the NBA teams and links to each team’s roster breakdown, check out our 2019 NBA Training Camp Index. Follow the curators of this database, Chris Crouse and Austin Kent, on Twitter.

More NBA Training Camp Rosters

AtlanticCentralSoutheast
BostonChicagoAtlanta
BrooklynClevelandCharlotte
New YorkDetroitMiami
PhiladelphiaIndianaOrlando
TorontoMilwaukeeWashington
NorthwestPacificSouthwest
DenverGolden StateDallas
MinnesotaLA ClippersMemphis
OklahomaLA LakersNew Orleans
PortlandPhoenixHouston
UtahSacramentoSan Antonio

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NBA 2K20 Ratings: Toronto Raptors https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/toronto-raptors-nba-2k20-ratings/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/toronto-raptors-nba-2k20-ratings/#respond Mon, 02 Sep 2019 00:04:27 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=542520 Every hoops season, video games like NBA 2K20 play a significant role in shaping basketball culture and this year is no different. For proof, look no further then the wave of fans and athletes alike desperate to get their hands on the individual player ratings included in the latest release. We’ve broken down the overall […]

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Every hoops season, video games like NBA 2K20 play a significant role in shaping basketball culture and this year is no different. For proof, look no further then the wave of fans and athletes alike desperate to get their hands on the individual player ratings included in the latest release.

We’ve broken down the overall ratings for each player and sorted them by team so that you can see how your squad stacks up against the rest of the league.

Toronto Raptors NBA 2K20 Ratings

Player Rating Original Update
OG Anunoby 79 73 +2
Chris Boucher 75 71 +4
Terence Davis 74 70 +4
Marc Gasol 78 82 -1
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson 76 75 +1
Serge Ibaka 81 81
Stanley Johnson 73 73
Kyle Lowry 86 85
Patrick McCaw 72 72
Malcolm Miller 69 69
Norman Powell 74 74
Pascal Siakam 87 87
Matt Thomas 74 72 +2
Fred VanVleet 80 79 +1

This table is updated as of Nov. 22, 2019

Can’t get enough 2K? SLAM’s dedicated gaming channel, @SLAMftw, is blowing up. Hit us with your best uploads and watch our streams!

More NBA 2K20 Ratings

AtlanticCentralSoutheast
BostonChicagoAtlanta
BrooklynClevelandCharlotte
New YorkDetroitMiami
PhiladelphiaIndianaOrlando
TorontoMilwaukeeWashington
NorthwestPacificSouthwest
DenverGolden StateDallas
MinnesotaLA ClippersMemphis
OklahomaLA LakersNew Orleans
PortlandPhoenixHouston
UtahSacramentoSan Antonio

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Raptors, Cameron Payne Agree To Two-Year Deal https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/raptors-cameron-payne-agree-to-two-year-deal/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/raptors-cameron-payne-agree-to-two-year-deal/#respond Wed, 17 Jul 2019 17:58:12 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=539285 Point guard Cameron Payne has agreed to a two-year deal with the Toronto Raptors, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports. The 24-year-old has bounced around the NBA since he was selected No. 14 in the 2015 NBA Draft. He most recently played summer league ball with the Dallas Mavericks. Payne splits last season between the […]

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Point guard Cameron Payne has agreed to a two-year deal with the Toronto Raptors, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports. The 24-year-old has bounced around the NBA since he was selected No. 14 in the 2015 NBA Draft.

He most recently played summer league ball with the Dallas Mavericks.

Payne splits last season between the Bulls and the Cavaliers, averaging 8.2 points and 2.6 assists during his brief late-season run in Cleveland.

Payne will look to carve out a role for himself on a Raptors depth chart that will return All-Star Kyle Lowry and postseason standout Fred VanVleet. The first year of his two-year deal is partially guaranteed.

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The Top 25 2020 NBA Free Agents https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/the-top-25-2020-nba-free-agents/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/the-top-25-2020-nba-free-agents/#respond Fri, 12 Jul 2019 21:19:23 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=538968 Hey, look, I get it. You’re tired. It’s been an incomprehensibly busy summer in the NBA. Russell Westbrook is on the Houston Rockets, for goodness’ sake. You don’t have time to look forward to next summer’s class of 2020 NBA free agents. Maybe you’re too exhausted. Well, I hear that, and for that reason I […]

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Hey, look, I get it. You’re tired. It’s been an incomprehensibly busy summer in the NBA. Russell Westbrook is on the Houston Rockets, for goodness’ sake. You don’t have time to look forward to next summer’s class of 2020 NBA free agents. Maybe you’re too exhausted.

Well, I hear that, and for that reason I give you permission to avert your eyes from the table below… if you must. Maybe go sit back and relax in a hammock or something. When you’re done, come back here and peep this early list of what we can expect from free agency next summer. This league…

RankPlayerTeam19-20Status
1Anthony DavisLAL$27.1MPO
2Ben SimmonsPHI$8.1MExt.
3Pascal SiakamTOR$2.4MExt.
4Andre DrummondDET$27.1MPO
5Draymond GreenGSW$18.5Ext.
6Montrezl HarrellLAC$6.0MUFA
7Domantas SabonisIND$3.5MExt.
8Brandon IngramNOR$7.3MRFA
9DeMar DeRozanSAS$27.7MPO
10Jaylen BrownBOS$6.5MExt.
11Fred VanVleetTOR$9.3MUFA
12DeMarcus CousinsLAL$3.5MUFA
13Dejounte MurraySAS$2.3MExt.
14Mike ConleyUTA$32.5ET
15Kyle LowryTOR$35.0MExt.
16Otto Porter Jr.CHI$27.3MPO
17Buddy HieldSAC$4.9MExt.
18Caris LeVertBKL$2.6MExt.
19Hassan WhitesidePOR$27.1MUFA
20Paul MillsapDEN$30.4MUFA
21Serge IbakaTOR$23.3MUFA
22Rodney HoodPOR$5.7MPO
23Bobby PortisNYK$15.0MTO
24Derrick FavorsNOR$17.7MUFA
25Jabari ParkerATL$6.5MUFA

This table could look significantly different come this time next year, not just because players’ values will fluctuate over the course of the 2019-20 campaign but because we might see some players avoid free agency altogether.

Players and teams can pick up options for the 2020-21 seasons and the two parties can even work together for contract extensions, as seems likely to be the case for Ben Simmons.

Disagree with this list? Weigh in with the comments below or find me on Twitter at @AustinKent. I’ll be the one in the middle of a 73-tweet thread about my love for Thomas Bryant.

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Dwane Casey: ‘Exciting’ to Watch Raptors Win Title https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/dwane-casey-exciting-to-watch-raptors-win-title/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/dwane-casey-exciting-to-watch-raptors-win-title/#respond Mon, 24 Jun 2019 11:41:31 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=536975 Former Raptors head coach Dwane Casey says it was “good to see” Toronto win the NBA championship. Casey was fired last summer after guiding them to a team-record 59 regular season wins, and was named Coach of the Year. The 62-year-old reflected on the thrill of seeing “guys I coached” reach the mountain top. Per […]

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Former Raptors head coach Dwane Casey says it was “good to see” Toronto win the NBA championship.

Casey was fired last summer after guiding them to a team-record 59 regular season wins, and was named Coach of the Year.

The 62-year-old reflected on the thrill of seeing “guys I coached” reach the mountain top.

Per The AP:

“It was exciting. It was good to see,” said Casey, now the coach of the Detroit Pistons. “To see a guy like Kyle Lowry, kid like Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet and those guys — Serge Ibaka, guys I coached — win. It was really thrilling, because I know that was a goal going in with that group, and to see them win it was great.”

Casey was at the Pistons’ practice facility Friday, when they introduced first-round draft pick Sekou Doumbouya. When asked about the Raptors, he also said he was happy for the fans.

“For that city to win a championship, it had to be thrilling for them,” Casey said.

Related Dwane Casey Agrees to Five-Year Deal To Become Coach of the Pistons

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Kawhi Leonard ‘Going to Take the Right Time’ in Free Agency https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/kawhi-leonard-going-to-take-the-right-time-in-free-agency/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/kawhi-leonard-going-to-take-the-right-time-in-free-agency/#respond Tue, 18 Jun 2019 10:59:27 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=536457 Kawhi Leonard and the city of Toronto held a wild, championship celebration Monday afternoon—which was marred by gun violence—while his upcoming free agency loomed over the festivities. Leonard, 27, says he is “going to take the right time” before making a decision about where to play next season. Kawhi enjoyed a “great experience” after being […]

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Kawhi Leonard and the city of Toronto held a wild, championship celebration Monday afternoon—which was marred by gun violence—while his upcoming free agency loomed over the festivities.

Leonard, 27, says he is “going to take the right time” before making a decision about where to play next season.

Kawhi enjoyed a “great experience” after being traded from San Antonio last summer, and Raptors teammate Serge Ibaka “can see the man is happy.”

Per The AP:

“I’m enjoying this” he said. “It’s not time to stress, it’s still time to have some fun. I’ve just been enjoying my experience.”

After precisely two months of playoff basketball, Leonard doesn’t have a lot of time left to be a fun guy — free agency gets underway at 6 p.m. on June 30.

“I’m going to take the right time,” he said. “You don’t need too many days to figure it out. We’ll see what happens. Once that time comes, then we’ll all lay the pros and cons out.”

A three-time All-Star and two-time NBA defensive player of the year, Leonard is expected to decline the player option on the final year of his contract and become a free agent. Toronto can offer him a five-year deal worth around $190 million, one year and some $50 million more than any other team.

“I’ve been talking with him a lot during the season and in the playoffs, but after we won, I can see the man is happy,” Ibaka said. “That’s the most important. We play this sport because we want to enjoy and have fun and be happy and be somewhere people love you. I’m sure he feels that people here love him, and after this moment, that’s the most important.”

Related Fred VanVleet: ‘Nothing More That We Can Do’ to Recruit Kawhi Leonard

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Fred VanVleet: ‘Nothing More That We Can Do’ to Recruit Kawhi Leonard https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/fred-vanvleet-nothing-more-that-we-can-do-to-recruit-kawhi-leonard/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/fred-vanvleet-nothing-more-that-we-can-do-to-recruit-kawhi-leonard/#respond Mon, 17 Jun 2019 04:37:21 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=536384 Fred VanVleet says there is “nothing more” Toronto can do to convince Kawhi Leonard to stay as an unrestricted free agent this summer. And if Leonard ultimately decides to leave, VanVleet jokes that the Raptors will simply have to “kick his ass next year.” Leonard, 27, led the the Raps to their first NBA championship […]

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Fred VanVleet says there is “nothing more” Toronto can do to convince Kawhi Leonard to stay as an unrestricted free agent this summer.

And if Leonard ultimately decides to leave, VanVleet jokes that the Raptors will simply have to “kick his ass next year.”

Leonard, 27, led the the Raps to their first NBA championship in franchise history, but has steadfastly refused to address his future plans.

Per ESPN:

“I think for us, there is nothing more that we can do. We’ve done it. The city has done it. This franchise had done it. The coaches have done it. My teammates have done it. We’ve done our job. The best way to recruit somebody is to just be yourself over the course of the year, and I would assume that he knows what is here and what makes this place special,” VanVleet said at the team’s first media availability since winning the NBA title.

“If it’s enough than it’s enough. If it’s not then it’s not. … We would all love for him to be back and if he’s not then we will move on from there. It’s not the biggest deal in the world. He came here and did what he was supposed to do. So he brought this city a championship and I think he has earned his freedom and his career to do what he wants to do and we’ll all respect him and admire him.”

VanVleet added that if Leonard “is on another team, then we just have to kick his ass next year,” drawing laughter from reporters in attendance. “Hopefully he’ll be back,” he said.

Raptors forward Pascal Siakam said of Leonard that the Raptors “definitely want him back.”

Related Kawhi Leonard: ‘A Lot of People Doubted Me’

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Kawhi Leonard Named 2019 Finals MVP https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/kawhi-leonard-named-2019-finals-mvp/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/kawhi-leonard-named-2019-finals-mvp/#respond Fri, 14 Jun 2019 05:23:37 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=536164 For the second time in his nine-year career, Kawhi Leonard has been named Finals MVP. The forward was a nearly unanimous winner of the award, the lone dissenting vote going to Raptors guard Fred VanVleet. Leonard averaged 28.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.2 steals per game for Toronto over the course […]

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For the second time in his nine-year career, Kawhi Leonard has been named Finals MVP. The forward was a nearly unanimous winner of the award, the lone dissenting vote going to Raptors guard Fred VanVleet.

Leonard averaged 28.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.2 steals per game for Toronto over the course of their six-game series with the Warriors.

With the win, Leonard becomes just the third player in NBA history to win the award with multiple teams. Leonard’s last Finals MVP came with the San Antonio Spurs back in 2014.

Leonard’s impressive Finals performance caps off an impressive postseason run, one that some question may be among the greatest individual playoff runs in league history.

Leonard’s 732 points over the course of these 24 playoff games sit third on the league’s all-time record list for total points in one postseason.

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Post Up: Pascal Siakam Scores 32, Raptors Drop Warriors in Game 1 https://www.slamonline.com/postup/pascal-siakam-scores-32-raptors-drop-warriors-in-game-1/ https://www.slamonline.com/postup/pascal-siakam-scores-32-raptors-drop-warriors-in-game-1/#respond Fri, 31 May 2019 05:05:27 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=535129 Warriors 109, Raptors 118 (TOR leads 1-0) The Warriors’ streak of four straight NBA Finals with a game one victory came to an end as the Raptors took care of business in Toronto. Kawhi Leonard struggled to get going, scoring 23 points on just 5-for-14 shooting from the field, but Pascal Siakam took over on […]

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Warriors 109, Raptors 118 (TOR leads 1-0)

The Warriors’ streak of four straight NBA Finals with a game one victory came to an end as the Raptors took care of business in Toronto.

Kawhi Leonard struggled to get going, scoring 23 points on just 5-for-14 shooting from the field, but Pascal Siakam took over on the offensive end with 32 points on 14-for-17 shooting. Siakam held it down on defense, too, adding two blocks and a steal.

Fred VanVleet’s strong sixth man play continued: he was a plus-11 in 33 minutes with 15 points.

Steph Curry led all scorers with 34 points. Draymond Green added 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 dimes.

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Post Up: Raptors Erase 15-Point Deficit To Advance to NBA Finals 🇨🇦 https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/raptors-erase-15-point-deficit-to-advance-nba-finals/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/raptors-erase-15-point-deficit-to-advance-nba-finals/#respond Sun, 26 May 2019 03:48:35 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=534885 Bucks 94, Raptors 100 (Toronto advances 4-2) Trailing for most of the game, the Raptors erased a 15-point deficit in less than 4 minutes of game clock to take the lead early in the fourth quarter. Toronto would go on to outscore the Bucks by 11 during the final period to close out the series, […]

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Bucks 94, Raptors 100 (Toronto advances 4-2)

Trailing for most of the game, the Raptors erased a 15-point deficit in less than 4 minutes of game clock to take the lead early in the fourth quarter. Toronto would go on to outscore the Bucks by 11 during the final period to close out the series, 4-2.

Kawhi Leonard dropped game-high 27 points with 17 boards and 7 dimes. Kyle Lowry added 17 points (6-10 FG) with 8 boards. Fred VanVleet, yet again, was huge off the bench, contributing 14 points on 4-5 shooting from three.

For the first time in franchise history, the Raptors will be playing in the NBA Finals. They will face the Warriors in Toronto on Thursday in Game 1.

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Post Up: Raptors Win Third Straight, Take Series Lead https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-raptors-win-third-straight-take-series-lead/ https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-raptors-win-third-straight-take-series-lead/#respond Fri, 24 May 2019 05:21:46 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=534730 Raptors 105, Bucks 99 (TOR leads 3-2) Toronto won the biggest game in franchise history, coming from behind and scoring 33 fourth quarter points to down the Bucks in Milwaukee — the first away win of the series for either side. The team that wins game five of a series tied 2-2 wins the series […]

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Raptors 105, Bucks 99 (TOR leads 3-2)

Toronto won the biggest game in franchise history, coming from behind and scoring 33 fourth quarter points to down the Bucks in Milwaukee — the first away win of the series for either side.

The team that wins game five of a series tied 2-2 wins the series 84% of the time.

Kawhi Leonard finished the night with 35 points, 7 rebounds and 9 assists. Fred VanVleet’s shooting stroke came back as he scored 21 points off the bench on 7-for-9 shooting from deep. His plus-minus of +28 in 37 minutes was a game-high.

Giannis Antetokounmpo hada 24 points, six rebounds and six assists and Eric Bledsoe added 20 more.

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Post Up: Raptors’ Bench Mob Helps Toronto Even Series 2-2 https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/raptors-bench-mob-helps-toronto-even-series-2-2/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/raptors-bench-mob-helps-toronto-even-series-2-2/#respond Wed, 22 May 2019 03:11:56 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=534570 Bucks 102, Raptors 120 (Series tied 2-2) After gutting out a double-OT victory on Sunday, Toronto made a strong statement in Game 4. The Raptors took the lead late in the first quarter and never looked back—building the differential to 25 points during the fourth. Toronto’s bench proved to be the difference-maker, with Norman Powell […]

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Bucks 102, Raptors 120 (Series tied 2-2)

After gutting out a double-OT victory on Sunday, Toronto made a strong statement in Game 4. The Raptors took the lead late in the first quarter and never looked back—building the differential to 25 points during the fourth.

Toronto’s bench proved to be the difference-maker, with Norman Powell (18 points, +29), Fred VanVleet (13 points, +25) and Serge Ibaka (17 points, +24) all stepping up.

After playing 52 minutes in Game 3, Kawhi Leonard dropped 16 points with 7 boards and 4 steals in just 34 minutes. Kyle Lowry added a team-high 25 points with 6 dimes and 3 treys.

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Post Up: James Harden Goes OFF for 50-Point Triple-Double 🚀 https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/james-harden-unleashes-50-point-triple-double/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/james-harden-unleashes-50-point-triple-double/#respond Sun, 31 Mar 2019 05:21:51 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=529529 Cavs 108 (19-58), Clippers 132 (46-31) The Clippers outscored the Cavs by 14 in the final quarter to secure their 12th win in 14 games. Montrezl Harrell dropped a team-high 23 points (10-13 FG) off the bench. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 22 points (9-12 FG) and 8 dimes. Cleveland has now lost six straight. Celtics 96 […]

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Cavs 108 (19-58), Clippers 132 (46-31)

The Clippers outscored the Cavs by 14 in the final quarter to secure their 12th win in 14 games.

Montrezl Harrell dropped a team-high 23 points (10-13 FG) off the bench. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 22 points (9-12 FG) and 8 dimes.

Cleveland has now lost six straight.

Celtics 96 (45-32), Nets 110 (39-38)

Brooklyn outscored the Celtics by 11 in the third quarter and maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way.

D’Angelo Russell dropped 20 of his game-high 29 points in the third quarter. He also dished out 10 dimes.

Kings 108 (37-39), Rockets 119 (49-28)

James Harden went off for the fifth 50-point triple-double of his career and his second this season. He finished with 50 points, 11 boards, 10 dimes and a +17 plus/minus.

Clint Capela added 24 points (10-13 FG), 15 boards and a +21 plus/minus.

Blazers 90 (48-28), Pistons 99 (39-27)

Detroit erased a 12-point second quarter deficit to snap the Blazers’ six-game win streak.

Reggie Jackson dropped a game-high 28 points, and Andre Drummond added 22 points (9-13 FG) with 19 boards, 4 steals and 3 blocks.

Magic 121 (38-39), Pacers 116 (45-32)

Orlando picked up another huge win for their playoff hopes.

Aaron Gordon dropped a team-high 23 points with 10 boards and 7 dimes.

Heat 100 (38-38), Knicks 92 (14-62)

After falling behind by 9 with 9:32 left in the third, the Heat outscored the Knicks by 17 points the rest of the way.

Dion Waiters dropped a game-high 28 points with 6 dimes.

New York has now lost six straight.

Raptors 124 (54-23), Bulls 101 (21-56)

No Kawhi Leonard, no Pascal Siakam, no problem?

The score was tied with 8:42 left in the second quarter, and then it was all downhill for the Bulls. The Raptors’ lead kept growing until it reached 25 points by the end of the game.

Serge Ibaka scored a game-high 23 points and added 12 boards. Fred VanVleet dropped 23 points with 6 assists and a tremendous +30 plus/minus.

Sixers 118 (49-27), Wolves 109 (34-42)

Even without Joel Embiid, the Sixers led for nearly the entire game.

Jimmy Butler dropped 12 points with 13 boards and 5 dimes in his return to Minnesota. Ben Simmons narrowly missed a triple-double with 20 points, 11 boards and 9 dimes, and had a +20 plus/minus on the night.

Grizzlies 120 (31-45), Suns 115 (17-60)

Memphis withstood yet another scoring onslaught by Devin Booker (48 points) to get back in the win column.

Mike Conley dropped 33 points with 5 assists and a +20 plus/minus.

Phoenix has now lost six straight.

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Post Up: Rajon Rondo Hits Game-Winner in Boston, Terrence Ross Stay Hot https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-rajon-rondo-hits-game-winner-boston/ https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-rajon-rondo-hits-game-winner-boston/#respond Fri, 08 Feb 2019 06:25:15 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=524785 Raptors 119 (40-16), Hawks 101 (18-36) Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet combined for 63 points to carry the load while Kawhi Leonard had the night off. The Hawks led by eight at halftime, but they were only able to muster up 33 points in the second half as Toronto cruised to the W. oh that […]

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Raptors 119 (40-16), Hawks 101 (18-36)

Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet combined for 63 points to carry the load while Kawhi Leonard had the night off.

The Hawks led by eight at halftime, but they were only able to muster up 33 points in the second half as Toronto cruised to the W.

Lakers 129 (28-27), Celtics 128 (35-20)

Kyrie Irving got to the rack with 11.5 seconds to go for a go-ahead bucket and it looked like it was the nail in the coffin after Brandon Ingram was blocked with three seconds to go; however, the ball somehow bounced its way to Rajon Rondo, who got a shot off from the elbow with just 0.2 seconds to go.

LeBron James had a triple-double with 28 points, 12 rebounds, 12 dimes and three steals. Kyrie Irving had a team-high 24 points, eight assists and two steals for the Celtics.

Los Angeles shot a paltry 7-for-18 from the free throw line, but they hit a franchise-record 22 shots from behind the arc on 53.7 percent shooting to make up for it. Kuzma and James each hit five shots from deep.

The Lakers trailed by as many as 18 points in the second quarter before dropping 42 points in the third quarter to spark the comeback.

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Grizzlies 95 (22-34), Thunder 117 (35-19)

Russell Westbrook stuffed the stat sheet with 15 points, 13 rebounds, 15 assists and four steals and Paul George knocked down six 3’s en route to 27 points as the Thunder overcame a halftime deficit to blow out the Grizzlies.

Spurs 118 (32-25), Trail Blazers (33-21) 

The Spurs made up a 21-point deficit when DeMar DeRozan made a jumper with two minutes to go in the third quarter to tie things up, but the Trail Blazers got back on track and made the next bucket and led the rest of the way.

DeRozan scored a game-high 35, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Portland’s trio of CJ McCollum (30 points), Damian Lillard (24) and Jusuf Nurkic (22) taking care of business on the offensive end.

Clippers 92 (30-26), Pacers 116 (36-19) 

The Pacers scored 71 first half points as the Clippers struggled to score in their first game since moving Tobias Harris.

Bojan Bogdanovic scored a game-high 29 for Indiana on 12-for-19 shooting. Myles Turner was the Pacers’ defensive anchor with four steals and six blocks to go along with his 17 points.

Timberwolves 112 (25-29), Magic 122 (23-32)

Terrence Ross turned in his third 25-point outing in the Magic’s last four contests as he dropped 32 points off the bench to lead all scorers.

An offensive outburst in the game’s first three quarters — Orlando had 102 points entering the fourth — put the game to bed.

Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins combined for 50 points.

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Post Up: Paul George Dominates in Thunder Win Over Blazers https://www.slamonline.com/postup/paul-george-dominates-thunder-win-blazers/ https://www.slamonline.com/postup/paul-george-dominates-thunder-win-blazers/#respond Wed, 23 Jan 2019 05:21:47 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=522740 Kings 105 (24-24), Raptors 120 (36-13) Despite not having De’Aaron Fox (toe), Nemanja Bjelica (back) and Iman Shumpert (rest), Sacramento managed to stay in the game until the fourth quarter. The Raptors, who were without Kawhi Leonard (rest) once again, got big contributions from Fred VanVleet (19 points, 7 dimes, 7 boards) and CJ Miles […]

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Kings 105 (24-24), Raptors 120 (36-13)

Despite not having De’Aaron Fox (toe), Nemanja Bjelica (back) and Iman Shumpert (rest), Sacramento managed to stay in the game until the fourth quarter.

The Raptors, who were without Kawhi Leonard (rest) once again, got big contributions from Fred VanVleet (19 points, 7 dimes, 7 boards) and CJ Miles (15 points, 4 treys in 15 minutes).

Kyle Lowry got in the groove during the fourth, finishing with 19 points and 9 dimes.

Blazers 114 (29-20), Thunder 123 (29-18)

After going 1-5 over a six-game stretch, Oklahoma City came away with their third straight win in four nights.

Paul George scored at least 31 points in all three of those wins, including a monster game tonight: 36 points, 8 boards, 4 dimes, 5 steals and a +16 plus/minus.

Russell Westbrook (29 points, 14 assists, 10 boards) finished with his 14th triple-double of the season.

Clippers 98 (25-22), Mavs 106 (21-26)

Dallas snapped a four-game losing streak, picking up their first win without JJ Barea this season.

Dennis Smith Jr returned after a six-game absence to score 17 points with 8 boards and 4 assists.

Luka Doncic struggled with his shot, but finished with another well-rounded stat line: 17 points, 7 boards, 7 dimes, and one ripped jersey.

Wolves 118 (22-24), Suns 91 (11-37)

Minnesota easily took down a Suns team that was missing DeAndre Ayton (ankle), Richaun Holmes (foot), Devin Booker (ejection) and TJ Warren (ankle).

Karl-Anthony Towns feasted in the middle, putting up 25 points with 18 boards and 7 dimes in just 31 minutes.

Phoenix has now lost five in a row and 14 of their last 17.

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On The Rise: Landry Shamet Has Always Been Overlooked. Not Anymore. https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/on-the-rise-landry-shamet/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/on-the-rise-landry-shamet/#respond Tue, 18 Dec 2018 19:52:06 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=518936 By age 8, Landry Shamet had learned how to take care of himself. The only child of a single mother, Shamet would often be home alone while his mother, Melanie, worked long, odd hours. By the second grade, he carried his own key around his neck to school, locking his apartment’s door behind him. Despite […]

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By age 8, Landry Shamet had learned how to take care of himself. The only child of a single mother, Shamet would often be home alone while his mother, Melanie, worked long, odd hours. By the second grade, he carried his own key around his neck to school, locking his apartment’s door behind him.

Despite Melanie’s best efforts, she couldn’t always make ends meet. They filed for bankruptcy during the recession of 2008 and were forced to move in with his grandparents.

As she worked to get them back on their feet, Melanie would often come home after back-breaking shifts, sometimes late in to the night.

“I understand what she sacrificed for me and how hard she worked first-hand,” he says. “Her literally breaking her back making beds, coming home, not being able to stand up because she’s been bending over making beds all day.”

Melanie’s sacrifice provided motivation as Landry’s hoop dreams began to manifest on the court. Shamet promised her that he would make it to the League one day so they could live a comfortable life.


Landry loved playing all sports, but baseball and basketball quickly became his early passions. Of course, the countless practices and games only added to his mother’s impossibly busy schedule.

Being an only child to a single parent who was often at work, Landry says he had to become mostly self-reliant. Looking back, Shamet doesn’t see his childhood as anything extraordinary—it was just what life demanded of him.

“That’s all I knew. It wasn’t like it was unusual because I’m an only child,” he says. “I was always comfortable being on my own and having to entertain myself. Because when mom got home from working super late, she didn’t always have the energy to entertain me. That was just the life that I knew. It’s not that she was a bad mom and didn’t engage with me. That’s just reality.”

With his strong, hard-working mother as his example, Shamet set his sights on eventually making it to the NBA.

Like his mom, aunt and uncle before him, Shamet would attend Park Hill (MO) High. He was named a two-time all-state selection and the best prep player in Kansas City as a senior.

With averages of 17.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists during his final season, Shamet was considered one of the best—but not the best—prospect in Missouri.

Shamet knew he was better than several top-50 prospects after facing them in AAU and other tournaments. Still, he played his game and prided himself on being coachable and making the right plays.

https://www.instagram.com/p/qc0uq1TJ3y/

“You don’t have to be the most athletic or make the big-time highlight plays. You don’t have to do that to have a successful basketball career,” he says. “Knowing how to play, knowing how to be effective in doing what you do.

“The reality is not everybody is Zion Williamson and is a freak athlete,” Shamet continues. “You have to be yourself and buy-in to what you know you can do and how you can be effective, and that’ll handle itself.”

Wichita State head coach Gregg Marshall saw what Shamet brought to the table: A gifted shooter and capable playmaker who was willing to learn under incumbent Shocker guards Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker.

After visiting Wichita State, Shamet cancelled all of his remaining visits and committed during the fall of 2014. Everything about the program seemed like a perfect fit.

But just three games in to his freshman season, Shamet broke a bone in his left foot and was forced to undergo surgery. Looking back, Shamet says his redshirt season was a valuable experience; although at the time, sitting on the sidelines was torture.

“I wasn’t thinking during that time, Wow, this is the most valuable time of my life. I was like, Wow, this is the shittiest time of my life,” he recalls. “I’m in a great situation. I can’t play; I’m hurt. I feel kind of isolated, left out, of our team.”

The new perspective gave him a greater appreciation for the game, and Shamet broke out the next season. Starting all but one game, he led the Shockers to a 31-5 record and showed out on the biggest stage—dropping 20 points against future lottery pick De’Aaron Fox and Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament.

But then, Shamet broke his foot again (this time his right) during a summer camp. He underwent surgery and again rehabbed for another several months.

The time away from his team and away from the court proved to be no less grueling than before, but Shamet was fortunate enough to return in time for the beginning of the 2017-18 season.

“Those two [injuries]—just getting hurt and not being able to kind of fulfill your expectations and other people’s expectations—they were definitely tough at the time,” Shamet says. “But looking back, they were extremely valuable.”

He didn’t miss a beat. In December, he dropped a career-high 30 points (on just 11 shots) in a 78-66 win at Oklahoma State. He would lead the conference in assists, three-point percentage and true shooting percentage before deciding to forgo his remaining two years of eligibility and turn pro.

Fast-forward to draft night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The final five picks of the first round had arrived, and Shamet’s name still hadn’t been called. Suddenly, his agent got a call from the Philadelphia 76ers.

“There was a minute and a half left on the clock,” Shamet recalls. “My agent whispered to me, Hey man, Philly is going to take you right here. Don’t tell your family. Act normal.

“And I was like, Act normal?!

Sure enough, the Sixers took Shamet with the No. 26 overall pick, making him the first Shocker to go in the first round since Xavier McDaniel in 1985.


Shamet says it felt like his “heart might explode” when Adam Silver finally called his name. “I was feeling my heart beat in my fingers and my toes. I’ve never felt that sensation before in my life,” he says.

Much like he had with VanVleet and Baker at Wichita State, Shamet singled out a player who he wanted to learn from on the Sixers. Immediately, he knew that JJ Redick was someone who he wanted to be “attached to the hip to.”

Coming off of arguably his best season, Redick is still at the top of his game after more than a decade in the League. Like Shamet, Redick is a gifted shooter who doesn’t rely on size or athleticism to be effective.

Redick must have saw something in Shamet, too. The 13-year veteran decided to take the rookie under his wing and even requested to sit beside Shamet on the team plane during road trips.

“I learn something new from him every day,” Shamet says. “I’ve been lucky to have him take me in and want to work with me and reaching out unprovoked to teach me things and talk to me and coach me up.”

By all accounts, Shamet is thriving in his role this season for the Sixers. Providing much-needed floor spacing, he’s connecting on 40.8 percent of his three-point attempts (second among rookies). And he’s scoring at a highly efficient rate—only four players this season have made more threes per 100 possessions while shooting a higher percentage (minimum 300 minutes played).

He’s drained at least one three in all but four of Philly’s 32 games, including a stretch of 22 straight games. And still, Shamet’s rookie season has flown mostly under the radar outside of Philly.

“I’ve always felt overlooked. Even in college, I’ve always felt kind of disrespected and overlooked. That’s how I carry myself even in the NBA,” he says. “I’m always going to have that chip on my shoulder.”

The road from Kansas City to Philadelphia was anything but easy, but the adversities have prepared Shamet for whatever comes his way. He didn’t make it alone, so Shamet is taking steps to repay his family, especially his mother, for all the sacrifices along the way.

“It’s relieving knowing—especially if I do things right—that there will never be a worry or a need or a concern financially, not only for [my mom] but for the rest of my family, because I know they’ve all played a huge part in taking care of me,” he says.


Shamet will always have the chip on his shoulder, the injuries he overcame, and his mother’s sacrifice to provide him with motivation. Add in a desire to learn and be coached, and Shamet could have a long career ahead of him.

“I work hard, I’m coachable, and I know I don’t have all the answers,” he says. “I’m willing to find the answers. I just need to have an open mind as a young player in the NBA to continue to grow.”

Ryne Nelson is a Senior Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @slaman10.

Photos via Getty.

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Klay Thompson: Warriors vs Raptors ‘Might Be a Preview of June’ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/klay-thompson-warriors-vs-raptors-might-preview-june/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/klay-thompson-warriors-vs-raptors-might-preview-june/#respond Wed, 28 Nov 2018 11:50:29 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=516656 Toronto has won six in a row.

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The Golden State Warriors are visiting Toronto on Thursday night, in what Klay Thompson thinks “might be a preview of June.”

Thompson says the Raptors have got “something really special up there in Canada right now.”

“Right now they’re the best, and I expect them to be there throughout the whole season,” Thompson told reporters Monday night.

“They’ve got tremendous length and so many two-way players. Obviously Kawhi (Leonard) is back and playing at an MVP level. Kyle Lowry is a great leader, as well as a bulldog out there. So it’s going to be a great test for us. Who knows, it might be a preview of June. They’ve got something really special up there in Canada right now.”

The Raps, the top team in the Eastern Conference, earned their sixth win in a row Tuesday night, a 122-114 road victory in Memphis.

Per the AP:

Kyle Lowry had 24 points and six assists, and Fred VanVleet added 18 points to lead the Raptors. VanVleet made all six shots on the night, including three from outside the arc in the fourth.

“We know I haven’t been shooting the ball well,” VanVleet said. “That’s no secret. So, to get back on track a little bit is always fun.”

Kawhi Leonard finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Serge Ibaka scored 16 points as the Raptors won their sixth straight and maintained the best record in the NBA (18-4).

“They put a ton of pressure on you. Their style won the fight,” Memphis coach J.B. Bickerstaff said of the Raptors, later adding: “I think we got rushed to be honest with you. They turned up their defensive pressure and we got sped up. Again, we play a certain style, and we weren’t comfortable with some of the shots because they were rushed.”

Related
Klay Thompson: Celtics are the Warriors’ Biggest Threat

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Post Up: Raptors Rally in Memphis for 6th Straight Win https://www.slamonline.com/postup/raptors-rally-grizzlies-sixth-straight-win/ https://www.slamonline.com/postup/raptors-rally-grizzlies-sixth-straight-win/#respond Wed, 28 Nov 2018 07:21:03 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=516624 Knicks 108 (7-15), Pistons 115 (11-7) Detroit built a double-digit lead by the second quarter and never let their foot off the pedal. The Pistons shot just 7-24 from three, but destroyed the Knicks with 56 points in the paint. Detroit also had 20 fastbreak points to New York’s 4. Blake Griffin once again led […]

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Knicks 108 (7-15), Pistons 115 (11-7)

Detroit built a double-digit lead by the second quarter and never let their foot off the pedal.

The Pistons shot just 7-24 from three, but destroyed the Knicks with 56 points in the paint. Detroit also had 20 fastbreak points to New York’s 4.

Blake Griffin once again led the way with 30 points, and Stanley Johnson (21 points) had a big game off the bench.

Hawks 115 (5-16), Heat 113 (7-13)

Miami picked up yet another demoralizing loss, falling for the second time to the Hawks this month.

The Heat fought back from a 19-point deficit in the third quarter, and even regained the lead briefly during the fourth, but failed to score on the last possession.

Perhaps more striking than their 2-8 record in their last 10 games, the Heat have now lost all 6 games that they’ve worn their “Miami Vice” uniforms.

Trae Young had 17 points and 10 dimes to lead ATL.

Raptors 122 (18-4), Grizzlies 114 (12-8)

Trailing by 17 points in the beginning of the third quarter, Toronto would go on to outscore the Grizzlies by 20 during the second half.

The Raptors made Memphis play their fast-paced brand of basketball. With 18 threes (on 54.5 percent shooting) and a 27-6 advantage in fast-break points, Toronto was able to pull away late in the fourth.

Facing constant double-teams, Kawhi Leonard (17 points, 10 boards, 5 dimes) smartly deferred to his teammates, who often ended up with wide-open looks. Fred VanVleet had 18 points on 6-6 shooting.

Toronto is now riding their third streak of 6+ wins this season.

Lakers 85 (11-9), Nuggets 117 (14-7)

The Lakers, plain and simple, could not hit a shot in this game.

Los Angeles connected on just 39.1 percent of their attempts and shot an abysmal 5-35 from three. To add insult to injury, the Lakers were out-rebounded 39-60.

In the second half alone, the Lakers were outscored by 24 points, as the game reached blowout status early in the fourth quarter.

After going through a rough stretch in mid-November, Denver has now won four straight. Rocking a headband, Paul Millsap put up 20 and 11 in just 23 minutes to lead the Nuggets.

Jamal Murray and Malik Beasley also chipped-in 20 points, respectively.

Pacers 109 (13-8), Suns 104 (4-16)

Indy picked up its second of back-to-back wins to start a four-game road trip.

The Pacers are valiantly keeping the ship afloat without Victor Oladipo, who sat out his fifth straight game with a sore knee.

Domas Sabonis had 21 and 16 off the bench, Myles Turner had 16, 13 and 5 blocks, and Darren Collison had 11 points, 11 dimes and one vicious crossover.

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NBA Kicks of the Night https://www.slamonline.com/kicks/nba-sneakers-2018-1104/ https://www.slamonline.com/kicks/nba-sneakers-2018-1104/#respond Mon, 05 Nov 2018 17:08:19 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=513990 The Lakers may have laid an egg against the visiting Raptors, but their kicks certainly didn’t disappoint. Lance Stephenson caught our attention in a pair of Levi’s x Air Jordan IV Retro “Black Denim” release and then followed with a pair of the Air Jordan XVIII “Sport Royal” Retro. LeBron James wore another white-based PE […]

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The Lakers may have laid an egg against the visiting Raptors, but their kicks certainly didn’t disappoint. Lance Stephenson caught our attention in a pair of Levi’s x Air Jordan IV Retro “Black Denim” release and then followed with a pair of the Air Jordan XVIII “Sport Royal” Retro. LeBron James wore another white-based PE model of his Nike LeBron 16 while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope also wore the King’s latest silhouette as he donned the “1 Thru 5” and Lonzo Ball broke out another wild pair of his BBB ZO2.19. For the Raptors, Fred VanVleet rocked the eye catching “Demar DeRozan PE” model of the Nike Zoom Kobe 1 Protro.

Continuing with Kobes, Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped a triple-double in a red colorway of the Nike Kobe A.D. Exodus and Kelly Oubre Jr. went with the coveted Nike Zoom Kobe 4 “Prelude” and DeMar DeRozan hit the floor in a lowkey Nike Kobe 11 Elite Low.

Aaron Gordon and Markieff Morris represented for Foamposite fans as Gordon donned the all-black Nike Zoom Rookie LWP and Morris suited up in the “Fighter Jet” Nike Air Foamposite One.

Catch the rest of Sunday’s NBA kicks in our gallery below.

Photos via Getty Images

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Post Up: Lakers-Rockets Fight Erupts at Staples Center 🍿 https://www.slamonline.com/postup/lakers-rockets-fight-takes-over-staples-center/ https://www.slamonline.com/postup/lakers-rockets-fight-takes-over-staples-center/#respond Sun, 21 Oct 2018 08:25:16 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=512142 Nets 112 (1-2), Pacers 132 (2-1) Indiana took a 10-point lead heading into the fourth and quickly expanded it to nearly 30. Victor Oladipo had 25 points, 7 boards and 4 steals. Raptors 117 (3-0), Wizards 113 (0-2) With Kawhi Leonard (rest) out, Kyle Lowry stepped up and carried Toronto to victory. K-Low finished with […]

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Nets 112 (1-2), Pacers 132 (2-1)

Indiana took a 10-point lead heading into the fourth and quickly expanded it to nearly 30. Victor Oladipo had 25 points, 7 boards and 4 steals.

Raptors 117 (3-0), Wizards 113 (0-2)

With Kawhi Leonard (rest) out, Kyle Lowry stepped up and carried Toronto to victory. K-Low finished with 28 points (13 in the fourth) and 12 dimes.

Fred VanVleet dealt the critical blow by sinking an off-balance deuce with just under 14 seconds remaining.

Celtics 103 (2-1), Knicks 101 (1-2)

Once again, the Celtics went to their 20-year-old star Jayson Tatum to get them a bucket when the game was on the line. Once again, he delivered.

The SLAM 218 cover subject drained a fadeaway over Tim Hardaway Jr’s outstretched arm to give Boston the lead with 21 seconds left. He finished with 24 and 14 at Madison Square Garden.

He’s built for the big time.

Magic 115 (1-2), Sixers 116 (2-1)

Orlando got off to a hot start, and then Philly decided to pull Ben Simmons out of the game because of “back tightness.”

But thanks to JJ Redick’s 8 threes (the last of which was the game-winner) and Joel Embiid’s 32 points, the Sixers were able to outlast the Magic.

Hornets 113 (2-1), Heat 112 (1-2)

Charlotte nearly lost after building a 26-point third quarter lead, but none other than Kemba Walker kept the ship afloat.

After dropping 39 points, Walker is now averaging 35.3 points over the first three games of the season. Dude has to be Player of the Week in the East, right?

Pistons 118 (2-0), Bulls 116 (0-2)

In another game that went down to the wire, Zach LaVine had a chance to win the game. But he lost the ball on the last play and the Bulls never got a shot off.

Blake Griffin had 33 points and 12 rebounds for Detroit.

Wolves 136 (1-2), Mavs 140 (1-1)

In the highest scoring game of the evening, Minnesota and Dallas went neck-and-neck during the second half with very little defense.

DeAndre Jordan was his usual self with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 5 blocks, while Dennis Smith Jr (19 points, 6 dimes) came up with the super-clutch and one with just 6 seconds remaining.

Suns 91 (1-1), Nuggets 119 (2-0)

Only two players have recorded a triple-double without missing a shot: Wilt Chamberlain and Nikola Jokic.

Jokic scored 35 points on just 11 shots and get this: He didn’t commit a turnover while playing just under 31 minutes. Unreal.

Spurs 108 (1-1), Blazers 121 (2-0)

Damian Lillard quietly turned in yet another gem in this one: 29 points (on 15 shots), 9 assists with 0 turnovers and 0 fouls.

CJ McCollum added 24 points (on 15 shots) and crossed up Bryn Forbes into oblivion.

Rockets 124 (1-1), Lakers 115 (0-2)

Here’s hoping you didn’t turn this game off early! Staples Center erupted in a brawl late in the fourth quarter.

Brandon Ingram shoved James Harden in the back after Ingram was called for a shooting foul. Then longtime foes, Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo, went at it—shoving and throwing blows at each other.

As #ThemHands were being thrown, Ingram ran back to the fray to add a couple punches to the mix. He connected on a punch to Paul before the players were separated.

All three were ejected from the game and will be facing fines and suspensions in the days to come!

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Westbrook, Durant, Harden Reunite at UCLA Pick-up Run https://www.slamonline.com/slam-tv/russell-westbrook-kevin-durant-james-harden-pick-up-run-ucla/ https://www.slamonline.com/slam-tv/russell-westbrook-kevin-durant-james-harden-pick-up-run-ucla/#respond Tue, 21 Aug 2018 16:41:54 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=507471 Kevin Durant, James Harden and Russell Westbrook made their way to Los Angeles on Monday to join the Rico Hines Open Run at UCLA. Paul George, Buddy Hied, Jordan Bell, Kevon Looney, Fred VanVleet and others were also in attendance. The three MVPs reunited earlier this summer in the Team USA minicamp in Las Vegas […]

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Kevin Durant, James Harden and Russell Westbrook made their way to Los Angeles on Monday to join the Rico Hines Open Run at UCLA.

Paul George, Buddy Hied, Jordan Bell, Kevon Looney, Fred VanVleet and others were also in attendance.

The three MVPs reunited earlier this summer in the Team USA minicamp in Las Vegas last month.

RELATED:
Durant, Westbrook, Harden REUNITE at Team USA Camp 🇺🇸

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On The Rise: Fred VanVleet Just Put the League on Notice 🚨 https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/rise-fred-vanvleet/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/rise-fred-vanvleet/#respond Fri, 06 Jul 2018 15:09:56 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=503742 Since he was a little boy growing up in Rockford, Illinois, Fred VanVleet has always set the bar high for himself. Before the 2017-18 season, VanVleet’s second in the NBA, the young Raptors point guard made a list of goals in a journal he keeps. It’s an exercise he has done in the past and […]

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Since he was a little boy growing up in Rockford, Illinois, Fred VanVleet has always set the bar high for himself.

Before the 2017-18 season, VanVleet’s second in the NBA, the young Raptors point guard made a list of goals in a journal he keeps. It’s an exercise he has done in the past and revels in, as it helps him mentally prepare for the upcoming year. This isn’t some quick, half-assed list scribbled untidily. VanVleet takes pride in assembling it, going into detail about both individual and team goals and including everything “from minutes played to games played to every stat you can imagine.”

Somewhere on that list, which was created during the preseason, VanVleet wrote the goal: Win Sixth Man of the Year. For an undersized (6-0), undrafted player who spent his rookie campaign bouncing back and forth from the G League, appearing in just 37 total games, it was a bold inclusion. But that’s Fred.

“I don’t try to put limits on myself,” he tells SLAM. “Before the season, when I didn’t even know how much I’d be playing, I still felt like that’s the type of impact I could have so I threw it down.”

It’s true: On a roster loaded with guards and headlined by the backcourt duo of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, VanVleet entered the year unsure of how much court time he’d be logging. And he ended it as the team’s leader in fourth quarter minutes per game (9.0) and as a finalist for – yep, you guessed it – Sixth Man of the Year.


VanVleet didn’t end up claiming the award, but the Wichita State product more than proved his worth, averaging 8.6 points (on 41 percent shooting from three) and 3.2 assists per contest. As a free agent this summer, he inked a two-year, $18 million contract to remain with the Raptors.

Making it to the NBA, and reaching such a milestone, was Fred’s dream from the very beginning; and in keeping with his go-getting personality, there was no plan B. At the age of seven, VanVleet’s first memory of the sport is watching the Lakers and 76ers battle in the 2001 Finals.

“I was hooked,” he recalls. “That was my dream to be on that stage one day.”

Where Fred was raised, those dreams can tend to feel impossibly distant. Rockford is a city about 90 miles northwest of Chicago that can be rough to come up in.

When VanVleet was in kindergarten, his father, Fred Manning, was shot and killed. It was a devastating introduction to the violence that plagued the environment — violence that only continued as VanVleet grew older.

“I’m going to middle school and some of my friends and people I’m in class with are getting murdered and going to jail — that type of thing was just normal,” he explains. “You just kind of get used to it and get numb to it.”

In his neighborhood, basketball was viewed as an outlet, a “ray of light” that provided some hope of escape. With the support and sacrifices of his mother and stepfather, Fred was able to shield himself from a lot of the negative influences around him. He stayed focused on basketball, constantly challenging his three brothers to play in the backyard. These games were aggressive and ruthless, sometimes turning bloody. As the second youngest, Fred used to get pushed around and beat up on.

It was here, in the backyard fighting for his brother’s respect, that Fred’s competitive spirit was born. He became increasingly eager to prove himself through the game. He adopted the mentality of one of his role models, Kobe Bryant, using every slight as motivation. And the slights kept coming.

“Once I finally became a really good player in high school, I wasn’t recruited the way we thought I should’ve been, so that just added to that fire,” he says.

Before Wichita State called, VanVleet, who led Auburn HS to its first Class 4A state finals appearance since 1975, had only received scholarship offers from Kent State and Northern Illinois.

“Fast forward to college – same thing, with [going undrafted],” he continues.

VanVleet guided the Shockers to nine NCAA Tournament wins in four consecutive trips and left as the school’s all time leader in assists (637) and steals (225). With him in the starting lineup, the program went an absurd 90-12. And yet, his name wasn’t called on draft night.


“Not getting the type of respect that you think you deserve,” he says. “So you just keep adding it, and the pile becomes pretty big after awhile.”

By the time Toronto decided to take a chance on him, that pile was massive. Yet the doubters never deterred VanVleet — he has always remained confident in his abilities and patient for his opportunity.

Which brings us back to the journal, to that list of goals, and to this past season.

It began as VanVleet anticipated it might. He was summoned sparingly, inserted to provide a quick spark off the pine, but usually popping in and out. An injury to Delon Wright afforded VanVleet more time, and he took full advantage. At merely 6-0, he played with an edge and energy that inspired former coach Dwane Casey to rely on him down the stretch of games. Fred relished being a pest on defense, and with his knockdown perimeter shooting, had several scoring outbursts.

“He’s giving us a lot. Most of all his toughness,” Casey said, after VanVleet erupted for a career-high 25 points in a 123-111 win over the Lakers in January. “That kid gets hit every time he goes in, hits the floor, gets up and gets back in the play. He has all my respect. Here’s a kid undrafted, comes in and makes our team. And he’s an important part of what we do just because of his toughness. Size to him is nothing. He goes in there and challenges, finds people. He’s a big piece of our physical and mental toughness.”

VanVleet blossomed into the leader of the League’s most dangerous bench unit, helping the Raptors to a franchise best 59-23 record. What was an encouraging regular season ended in disappointment, however, as Toronto was swept by the Cavaliers in the second round of the playoffs. It marked the fifth straight year that a Raptors squad with 48 or more wins did not reach the Finals.

The way it concluded was a tough pill to swallow for the 24-year-old VanVleet, who struggled to find his shot in the postseason. But another setback just means more logs on that ever-growing pile.

“Would we have liked to have gone a lot further? Hell yeah,” he tells SLAM. “But it didn’t happen and you have to keep moving on. Hold on to that for too long and you dig yourself a bigger hole. So discuss, flush it, move forward, take the experience and learn from it.”

The business side of things has been settled. After signing a two-year deal earlier this week, VanVleet will be returning to the organization and to the city that he loves. The rest of the summer will be dedicated to getting fully healthy — Fred has been dealing with a nagging shoulder injury — and refining various aspects of his game. He wants to get quicker, improve his three-pointer even more, and become a better one-on-one scorer.


While VanVleet is determined to take another leap forward, he also understands that his journey is just beginning. No rush. No pressure. There are lot of years of basketball ahead, and patience can be key at this level.

“I’m not in it for hype or highlights or Instagram videos,” he stresses. “I’m trying to play the long game and have a really long career.”

For the foreseeable future, that career will be spent in Toronto; and while questions about the potential of the present roster continue to be raised, VanVleet believes they have what it takes.

It’s that “mamba mentality” in him, that go-getting personality.

“Yeah, we got it. We got the team, we got the guys, we just got to perform,” he says, without any trace of hesitation or doubt in his tone. “I mean you don’t win 59 games if you’re not good enough.

“We had a crack at it and next year we’ll have another crack at it. And I’m confident that we’ll breakthrough.”

Alex Squadron is an Associate News Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @asquad510.

Photos via Getty.

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2018 NBA Free Agent Tracker https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2018-nba-free-agent-tracker/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/2018-nba-free-agent-tracker/#respond Sun, 01 Jul 2018 07:00:07 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=503331 Staying Put Paul George: four years, $167 million with Thunder Chris Paul: four years, $160 million with Rockets Kevin Durant: two years, $61.5 million with Warriors Nikola Jokic: five years, $146.5 million with Nuggets Clint Capela: five years, $90 million with Rockets Aaron Gordon: four years, $84 million with Magic Zach LaVine: four years, $78 million […]

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Staying Put

Paul George: four years, $167 million with Thunder

Chris Paul: four years, $160 million with Rockets

Kevin Durant: two years, $61.5 million with Warriors

Nikola Jokic: five years, $146.5 million with Nuggets

Clint Capela: five years, $90 million with Rockets

Aaron Gordon: four years, $84 million with Magic

Zach LaVine: four years, $78 million with Bulls

Marcus Smart: four years, $52 million with Celtics

Dirk Nowitzki: one year, $5 million with Mavs

Jusuf Nurkic: four years, $48 million with Blazers

Derrick Favors: two years, $36 million with Jazz

Will Barton: four years, $54 million with Nuggets

Dante Exum: three years, $33 million with Jazz

Jerami Grant: three years, $27 million with Thunder

Avery Bradley: two years, $25 million with Clippers

Fred VanVleet: two years, $18 million with Raptors

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: one year, $12 million with Lakers

JJ Redick: one year, $12 million with Sixers

Rudy Gay: one year, $10 million with Spurs

Joe Harris: two years, $16 million with Nets

Montrezl Harrell: two years, $12 million with Clippers

Aron Baynes: two years, $11 million with Celtics

Wayne Ellington: one year, $6.3 million with Heat

Derrick Rose: one year, $2.1 million with Timberwolves

Davis Bertans: four years, $20 million with Spurs

Raul Neto: 2 years, $4.4 million with Jazz

Monte Morris: three years, $4.8 million with Nuggets

Torrey Craig: two years, $4 million with Nuggets

Raymond Felton: one year, $2.4 million with Thunder

Amir Johnson: one year, $2.4 million with Sixers

Gerald Green: one year, $2.4 million with Rockets

Shabazz Muhammad: one year, $1.8 million with Bucks

Kevon Looney: one year, $1.6 million with Warriors

Ian Clark: one year, $1.6 million with Pelicans

Derrick Jones Jr: one year, $1.6 million with Heat

Salah Mejri: one year, $1.6 million with Mavs

On the Move

LeBron James: four years, $154 million with Lakers

DeMarcus Cousins: one year, $5.3 million with Warriors

DeAndre Jordan: one year, $24.1 million with Mavericks

Jabari Parker: two years, $40 million with Bulls

Isaiah Thomas: one year, $2 million with Nuggets

Julius Randle: two years, $18 million with Pelicans

Trevor Ariza: one year, $15 million with Suns

Tyreke Evans: one year, $12 million with Pacers

Rajon Rondo: one year, $9 million with Lakers

Dwight Howard: one year, $5.3 million with Wizards

Kyle Anderson: four years, $37 million with Grizzlies

Doug McDermott: three years, $22 million with Pacers

Ersan Ilyasova: three years, $21 million with Bucks

Nemanja Bjelica: three years, $20.5 million with Kings

Mario Hezonja: one year, $6.5 million with Knicks

Marco Belinelli: two years, $12 million with Spurs

Tony Parker: two years, $10 million with Hornets

Alex Len: two years, $8.5 million with Hawks

Kyle O’Quinn: one year, $4.5 million with Pacers

Luc Mbah a Moute: one year, $4.3 million with Clippers

Brook Lopez: one year, $3.4 million with Bucks

Channing Frye: one year, $2.4 million with Cavaliers

Glenn Robinson III: two years, $8.3 million with Pistons

Yogi Ferrell: two years, $6.2 million with Kings

Seth Curry: two years, $5.6 million with Blazers

Nerlens Noel: two years, $3.5 million with Thunder

Bryn Forbes: two years with Spurs

Anthony Tolliver: one year, $5.8 million with Timberwolves

Lance Stephenson: one year, $4.5 million with Lakers

Ed Davis: one year, $4.4 million with Nets

Shabazz Napier: two years, $3.5 million with Nets

Michael Beasley: one year, $3.5 million with Lakers

James Ennis: two years, $3.4 million with Rockets

Pat Connaughton: two years, $3.4 million with Bucks

Elfrid Payton: one year, $2.7 million with Pelicans

Vince Carter: one year, $2.4 million with Hawks

Jeff Green: one year, $2.5 million with Wizards

Dante Cunningham: one year, $2.5 million with Spurs

Jose Calderon: one year, $2.4 million with Pistons

Omri Casspi: one year, $2.4 million with Grizzlies

Zaza Pachulia: one year, $2.4 million with Pistons

Greg Monroe: one year, $2.2 million with Raptors

JaVale McGee: one year, $2.1 million with Lakers

Shelvin Mack: one year, $2 million with Grizzlies

Mike Scott: one year, $1.9 million with the Clippers

Michael Carter-Williams: one year, $1.8 million with Rockets

Nik Stauskas: one year, $1.5 million with Blazers

Noah Vonleh: one year deal with Knicks

Troy Williams: one year, $1.5 million with Pelicans

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Gobert, Davis Lead All-Defensive First Team https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/rudy-gobert-anthony-davis-lead-all-defensive-first-team/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/rudy-gobert-anthony-davis-lead-all-defensive-first-team/#respond Wed, 23 May 2018 18:32:58 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=497510 Jazz center Rudy Gobert and Pelicans forward Anthony Davis received the most votes among the 2017-18 All-Defense First Teamers, the NBA announced on Wednesday. The big men are joined by Victor Oladipo, Jrue Holiday and Robert Covington—all first time All-Defensive selections. A panel of 100 media members voted for the 2017-18 NBA All-Defensive Teams, with a […]

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Jazz center Rudy Gobert and Pelicans forward Anthony Davis received the most votes among the 2017-18 All-Defense First Teamers, the NBA announced on Wednesday.

The big men are joined by Victor Oladipo, Jrue Holiday and Robert Covington—all first time All-Defensive selections.

A panel of 100 media members voted for the 2017-18 NBA All-Defensive Teams, with a First Team vote counting for 2 points, and a Second Team vote counting for 1 point.

Check out the full results below:

First Team: Rudy Gobert (192), Anthony Davis (163), Victor Oladipo (136), Jrue Holiday (105), Robert Covington (90)

Second Team: Joel Embiid (90), Draymond Green (86), Al Horford (85), Dejounte Murray (80), Jimmy Butler (79)

Other players receiving votes: Chris Paul (74); Paul George (69); Giannis Antetokounmpo (43); Kevin Durant (31); Klay Thompson (24); Josh Richardson (22); Marcus Smart (18); Andre Roberson (17); Jaylen Brown (16); Ben Simmons (16); PJ Tucker (13); Kyle Lowry (7); Russell Westbrook (7); Danny Green (6); Luc Mbah a Moute (5); Ricky Rubio (4); Andre Drummond (3); Gary Harris (3); LaMarcus Aldridge (2); Al-Farouq Aminu (2); Avery Bradley (2); Steven Adams (1); Will Barton (1); Eric Bledsoe (1); Ed Davis (1); Derrick Favors (1); LeBron James (1); DeAndre Jordan (1); Damian Lillard (1); Donovan Mitchell (1); Fred VanVleet (1)

RELATED:
Mitchell, Simmons Voted Unanimous All-Rookie First Teamers

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Post Up: Cavs Steal Game 1 In Toronto, Warriors Take Big Lead Over Pelicans https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-lebron-cavs-comeback-raptors-warriors-steph-curry-return/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-lebron-cavs-comeback-raptors-warriors-steph-curry-return/#respond Wed, 02 May 2018 05:35:20 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=493780 Cavaliers 113, Raptors 112 (Cavaliers lead 1-0) — OT Man, what a game. The Raptors looked like they were going to run away with Game 1 in front of their home crowd before a 38-point second quarter for the Cavs made this a close one at the half. Toronto threatened to break away in both […]

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Cavaliers 113, Raptors 112 (Cavaliers lead 1-0) — OT

Man, what a game. The Raptors looked like they were going to run away with Game 1 in front of their home crowd before a 38-point second quarter for the Cavs made this a close one at the half. Toronto threatened to break away in both the third and fourth quarters, taking double-digit leads on multiple occasions only to have Cleveland fight right back.

As regulation wound down, the Cavs made their big push. Down 92-82 after a Delon Wright three early in the final frame, it was the non-LeBron Cavs — like Kevin Love (7 points, 13 rebounds), J.R. Smith (20 points on 5 threes) and Tristan Thompson (14 points, 12 rebounds) — that stepped up to bring Cleveland within striking distance. Then LeBron (26 points on 12-of-30 shooting, 11 rebounds, 13 assists) started to get going himself, and tied it up at 105 with 30 seconds left with one of his patented fadeaways.

Still the Raptors had a chance to win it before going to overtime. After Fred VanVleet’s three clanged off the rim, Toronto missed multiple putbacks that would have likely given them a Game 1 W. LeBron also had a chance to win it in regulation, but missed. Instead, it went on to overtime where the Cavs took an early lead on a Kyle Korver (19 points on 5 threes) triple and never looked back.

Down 113-112 with the shot clock off, though, the Raptors had another opportunity for the win. However, DeMar DeRozan (22 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists) passed it out to VanVleet who missed once again from deep. Thompson grabbed the game-clinching rebound and the Air Canada Centre crowd — and the Raptors — were left stunned and without homecourt advantage.

Warriors 121, Pelicans 116 (Warriors lead 2-0)

With Playoff Rondo (22 points, 7 rebounds, 12 assists, 5 steals) in full force and strong play from Anthony Davis (25 points, 15 rebounds) and Jrue Holiday (24 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists), the Pelicans had a real chance to swing momentum in their favor by stealing a game in Oakland. But, with Steph Curry (28 points in 27 minutes) making his long-awaited return and Kevin Durant (29 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists) knocking down shot after shot down the stretch, it just wasn’t meant to be.

A sloppy, back-and-forth first quarter ended with New Orleans taking a small lead which disappeared by halftime when Klay Thompson (10 points on 4-of-20 shooting) drilled an almost-impossible buzzer-beating three off the glass. The Pelicans were able to push back ahead at points yet couldn’t get any separation not only due to Steph and KD being locked in but also because Draymond Green (20 points, 9 assists, 12 rebounds) and Andre Iguodala (15 points, 8 rebounds) helped out with the scoring load.

Even with that said, the Pelicans found themselves down just 99-98 with over seven minutes to play after Rondo drilled one of his three triples on the night. But Iguodala responded with a quick bucket and the Dubs rolled off a 11-0 run that essentially put New Orleans away. The real capper was an Iggy three-point play consisting of a fastbreak dunk that bounced 20 feet over the rim before falling right through the hoop. It sent Oracle into a frenzy and made it clear that the Warriors were going to head on the road up 2-0.

Definitely a better showing for New Orleans than in Game 1 but it just wasn’t enough. This was as close to 100 percent as the Warriors have been in weeks and they were downright scary at points. The Pelicans are going to need to step it up another level going forward — especially on defense — if they’re going to have a chance. It would also help to get to the free throw line a bit more (only nine attempts on the night).

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Post Up: Donovan Mitchell Silences Thunder, Victor Oladipo Destroys Cavs and Raps Knock Out Wizards https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-donovan-mitchell-silences-thunder-victor-oladipo-destroys-cavs-raps-knock-wizards/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-donovan-mitchell-silences-thunder-victor-oladipo-destroys-cavs-raps-knock-wizards/#respond Sat, 28 Apr 2018 06:05:29 +0000 https://www.slamonline.com/?p=493135 Raptors 102, Wizards 92 (Raptors win series 4-2) The Wizards built a 12-point lead behind a monster offensive effort from Bradley Beal. The 24-year-old sharpshooter ended up with 32 points. But the Raptors clawed back in the second half and took control in the fourth quarter when they allowed only 14 points. Kyle Lowry scored […]

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Raptors 102, Wizards 92 (Raptors win series 4-2)

The Wizards built a 12-point lead behind a monster offensive effort from Bradley Beal. The 24-year-old sharpshooter ended up with 32 points. But the Raptors clawed back in the second half and took control in the fourth quarter when they allowed only 14 points. Kyle Lowry scored 13 of his 24 points in the final frame and Toronto got a major boost from their bench. Pascal Siakam, Delon Wright and Fred VanVleet combined to be a +42 during their time on the floor.

Pacers 121, Cavs 87 (Series tied 3-3)

Victor Oladipo delivered a triple-double to fuel a Pacers onslaught.

They had seven players score in double-figures and they held the Cavs to 31 percent three-point shooting. Plus Lance Stephenson put on a show.

Jazz 96, Thunder 91 (Jazz win series 4-2)

Donovan Mitchell caught fire in the third quarter, scoring 22 points. He helped push the Jazz’s lead up to 13 points. But Russell Westbrook was also scoring at will and he fueled a major comeback that eventually brought the Thunder to within one point of the Jazz. Spida and Russ finished with 38 and 46 points, respectively.

Paul George was fouled on a potentially game-tying three-pointer in the game’s final moments but the refs didn’t blow the whistle. Instead the Jazz advance to the next round and the Thunder are going fishing.

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Post Up: Pacers, Wizards And Bucks Hold Serve At Home https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-pacers-wizards-bucks-hold-serve-home/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-pacers-wizards-bucks-hold-serve-home/#respond Sat, 21 Apr 2018 04:24:23 +0000 http://www.slamonline.com/?p=491960 Pacers 92, Cavaliers 90 (Pacers lead 2-1) These Pacers just don’t stop fighting. Despite Cleveland holding a 17-point halftime lead, Indiana came all the way back in the second half, holding the Cavs to 33 points in the game’s final two quarters to grab a crucial series lead. On a relative off-night for Victor Oladipo […]

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Pacers 92, Cavaliers 90 (Pacers lead 2-1)

These Pacers just don’t stop fighting. Despite Cleveland holding a 17-point halftime lead, Indiana came all the way back in the second half, holding the Cavs to 33 points in the game’s final two quarters to grab a crucial series lead.

On a relative off-night for Victor Oladipo (18 points on 5-of-15 shooting) and Myles Turner (8 points and 10 rebounds), it was Bojan Bogdanovic (30 points) who led the way. He knocked down seven triples and, at one point in the fourth quarter, scored 12 straight points for Indiana. LeBron (28 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists) answered Bogey’s personal 7-0 run with one of his own, but couldn’t get any help from his supporting cast down the stretch other than a Kevin Love (19 points, 6 rebounds) three.

In the final nine minutes of the game, only Love and LeBron scored for Cleveland. With that said, the Cavs had a chance to win at the buzzer after Darren Collison split a pair of free throws. However, J.R. Smith’s halfcourt heave was a little bit short, securing the W for the home team.

Safe to say this was a bad loss for the Cavs who, yet again, looked like a completely different after halftime than they did before it. Now, Indy firmly has homecourt advantage heading into Game 4, in which Cleveland will need a lot more help from the bench/shooters in if it’s going to be a winnable one.

Wizards 122, Raptors 103 (Raptors lead 2-1)

No sweep incoming for No. 1 seed Toronto. The Washington backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal (28 points apiece) dominated on both ends of the floor, scoring at will and helping force a bunch of turnovers (they combined for 7 steals as Toronto committed 18 miscues). Mike Scott and Kelly Oubre (12 points apiece) played well off the bench.

While it wasn’t particularly close score-wise after Washington’s big second quarter, this was a pretty physical game with some fiery scuffles. Markieff Morris and O.G. Anunoby got into it just 2.5 minutes after tip, with both earning techs. Then, later on, Wall, Beal and Serge Ibaka got T’d up after Jonas Valanciunas wouldn’t give up the ball following an offensive foul.

DeMar DeRozan (23 points) and Kyle Lowry (19 points, 8 assists) paced Toronto offensively but, without the injured Fred VanVleet, the Raptors’ bench struggled again. If VanVleet’s shoulder keeps limiting him, Toronto will have some issues to contend with.

Bucks 116, Celtics 92 (Celtics lead 2-1)

Somehow, after weak showings in Boston, the Bucks are right back in this series. Milwaukee got out to a hot start and never looked back, holding the Celtics to 12 points in the first quarter and building a 23-point lead by the break. It was never really close at any point.

Khris Middleton (23 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists), Giannis Antetokounmpo (19 points) and Eric Bledsoe (17 points) got the Milwaukee offense going early on and the Bucks stayed in rhythm all night. It helps when Thon Maker (14 points, 5 blocks) and Giannis are making unicorn-like plays on both offense and defense.

With Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown held in check — and Terry Rozier essentially a non-factor — Boston just had a hard time scoring. The Celtics still control this series but there’s the risk that getting such a dominant W could kickstart Milwaukee a little bit going forward.

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Fred VanVleet Has Been Proving People Wrong His Entire Life https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/vanvleet-feature/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/vanvleet-feature/#respond Mon, 02 Apr 2018 16:10:04 +0000 http://www.slamonline.com/?p=485212 Growing up in Rockford, Illinois, Fred VanVleet adopted an underdog mentality at a very young age. “It’s been like that my whole life,” VanVleet says. “Growing up with three brothers, with that many boys in the house, you’re always fighting for respect and attention.” As an All-State player, VanVleet spent four successful seasons at Wichita […]

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Growing up in Rockford, Illinois, Fred VanVleet adopted an underdog mentality at a very young age.

“It’s been like that my whole life,” VanVleet says. “Growing up with three brothers, with that many boys in the house, you’re always fighting for respect and attention.”

As an All-State player, VanVleet spent four successful seasons at Wichita State, but went undrafted in 2016. After impressing at Summer League and in training camp, he landed an NBA contract and a roster spot with the Toronto Raptors.

During his rookie season, VanVleet split time between the NBA and the G League, appearing in just 37 games with the Raptors. At the time, it was hard to see how he would fit long-term. Kyle Lowry was entrenched as the team’s starting point guard, and behind him were Cory Joseph and Delon Wright.

Toronto re-signed Lowry and Serge Ibaka this offseason, but lost some of their depth when they traded Joseph and DeMarre Carroll, and watched PJ Tucker and Patrick Patterson leave in free agency. It meant an opportunity for VanVleet to earn minutes with the second unit in the 2017-18 campaign.

And the 24-year-old has taken full advantage, currently leading the Raptors in fourth quarter minutes (9.0). In a 34-point home win over the Cavaliers in January, VanVleet came off the bench and scored a career-high 22 points. Two weeks later, he set a new career-high with 25 points in a win over the Lakers. Through 71 games, he is averaging 8.8 points and 3.2 assists on 41 percent shooting from three.


To hear VanVleet describe his game, it feels like a perfect fit for what the Raptors need, a steady influence off the bench who can contribute on both ends and isn’t afraid of crunch time.

“I like to be a coach on the floor,” VanVleet says. “I like taking shots late and making plays late. It’s something I take a lot of pride in.”

Toronto enters the playoffs with a realistic shot at making a deep run. VanVleet and the team’s second unit will have to continue playing a significant role if they want to erase the disappointment of last year’s postseason, which ended in the second round with a four-game sweep to Cleveland.

The bench has become the best secret weapon in the League, blowing the doors off opposing team’s second units and giving Toronto’s starters plenty of rest in the fourth quarter. VanVleet believes the camaraderie between the guys off the court has helped them on it.

“We joke and laugh all day long,” VanVleet says. “That’s all we do, whether it’s on the bus, on the bench, during the game, that’s all we do. We crack jokes, have fun and laugh. We talk about everything. Nothing is off limits. It’s a pretty tight knit group. We’ve practiced together, we’ve spent summer leagues together. We spend a lot of time together.”

VanVleet, who has now made a habit of proving people wrong, is ready for the challenge ahead, and believes the younger guys on the team will support Lowry and DeMar DeRozan when the time comes.


“It gives us options and it gives us flexibility,” VanVleet says. “You saw when Kyle went down with an ankle injury [during the regular season]. In those situations, you want guys to be ready. The rotation might shorten towards the end of the season, but we’re playing and we’re getting experience. Guys will be ready to pop off the bench if we get an opportunity. We’ll be more seasoned as well with all the experience.”

As the resume grows, VanVleet is less motivated by the people who doubt him, and more driven by earning respect from players around the League.

“I’ve grown to the point where I don’t care about what people think about me,” VanVleet says. “You just want the respect of your peers. I care about what they think, they my teammates think, and what my coaches think. You want to earn that respect as a young player.”

He’ll be doing it for everyone who believed in him back home in Rockford, Illinois.

“It’s the place that raised me and made me,” VanVleet says. “It shaped me into the man that I’ve become. Where I come from, they don’t have the brightest lights in the world. But it’s home, so I’ll always view it in a positive light.”

Photos via Getty Images. 

Alex Wong is a writer living in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter @steven_lebron.

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Post Up: The Rockets And Blazers Are Unstoppable https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-rockets-trail-blazers-unstoppable/ https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-rockets-trail-blazers-unstoppable/#respond Wed, 28 Mar 2018 05:16:15 +0000 http://www.slamonline.com/?p=487621 Wizards 116 (41-33), Spurs 106 (43-32) LaMarcus Aldridge didn’t play in the second half with a left knee contusion as the Spurs’ uncharacteristic road struggles continued. Washington got whatever it wanted offensively after a slow opening frame. Seven Wizards scored in double figures as Washington won the rebounding battle 50-36 and had 33 assists on […]

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Wizards 116 (41-33), Spurs 106 (43-32)

LaMarcus Aldridge didn’t play in the second half with a left knee contusion as the Spurs’ uncharacteristic road struggles continued. Washington got whatever it wanted offensively after a slow opening frame. Seven Wizards scored in double figures as Washington won the rebounding battle 50-36 and had 33 assists on 46 field goals.

Aldridge limped off the floor in the second quarter and never returned, playing just 17 minutes. Still, he led the Spurs with 13 points. Bryn Forbes added 12 points off the bench. This looks like a team that desperately needs Kawhi Leonard to make a surprise return before, or even during, the playoffs.

Raptors 114 (55-20), Nuggets 110 (40-35)

With each loss, Denver slips further and further away from the No. 8 seed in the West. The Nuggets are just 2-4 on their current seven-game road trip, which ends Friday night in Oklahoma City, and — as has been the case in recent years — can’t figure it out away from Pepsi Center.

Nikola Jokic (29 points, 16 rebounds, 8 assists) had a monster game but it wasn’t enough for the Nuggets, who led by eight at the start of the fourth quarter. However, they went cold right as the Raptors’ really good bench got hot, leading to a gamechanging 15-2 run that swung the momentum in favor of the home team.

Neither Kyle Lowry nor DeMar DeRozan (26 points and 16 assists combined) were particularly effective offensively, so solid games from Jonas Valanciunas (15 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks) and Fred VanVleet (15 points in 25 minutes off the bench) helped a lot. The Raptors also blocked 16 shots as a team, as four players had three or more swats.

Rockets 118 (61-14), Bulls 86 (24-50)

Even with James Harden resting, the Rockets cruised, knocking down 18 threes and forcing 18 Chicago turnovers. Eric Gordon (31 points) and Chris Paul (13 points, 10 assists) paced the offense in a game Houston led by 21 at the half. The win was the Rockets’ 10th straight, another double-digit winning streak that has managed to go under the radar for a team that has lost just once since January 26th.

With the loss, the Bulls clinched their first 50-loss season since the 2003-04 campaign. They’ve lost six games in a row. Lauri Markkanen (22 points) was the only Chicago starter to make more than two shots on the night.

Trail Blazers 107 (46-28), Pelicans 103 (43-32)

New Orleans survived another Anthony Davis injury scare but wasted a monster game (36 points, 14 rebounds, 6 blocks) from its superstar as Damian Lillard (41 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals) and Jusuf Nurkic (21 points, 10 rebounds) were just too much down the stretch.

Lillard is definitely on the outside looking in with regards to the MVP race — behind the likes of Harden and LeBron, maybe AD too — but he continues to put up ridiculous numbers every night for a Blazers team that just keeps winning. He picked up the backcourt slack for his partner-in-crime, C.J. McCollum, who was just 3-for-19 from the field.

Jrue Holiday (21 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists) notched his first triple-double of the season. Down 105-103 with the shot clock off, the Pelicans had a pair of great chances to take the lead but E’Twaun Moore missed two good looks from three and Portland sealed the deal at the free throw line.

Heat 98 (40-35), Cavaliers 79 (44-30)

LeBron’s latest return to South Beach — against his now twice-former teammate Dwyane Wade — didn’t go so well, either for him or the Cavaliers. LBJ (18 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists) just seemed a little out of it on both ends of the floor, as he committed six turnovers and posted a -19. The Heat came out with energy and kept Cleveland at hand the rest of the way, making good use of a strong first quarter.

The Cavs were just 4-for-26 from three-point range. James Johnson and Josh Richardson (15 points apiece) played good defense for Miami and were solid on the boards. Kelly Olynyk added 19 points off the bench.

Mavericks 103 (23-51), Kings 97 (24-51)

For the second time in a week, what happened outside the Golden 1 Center overshadowed what went on inside. With the city of Sacramento mired in protests after the death of Stephon Clark, the Mavs’ win over the Kings in a battle of lottery teams took a backseat to real life.

Harrison Barnes (20 points) and Dennis Smith Jr. (19 points in 25 minutes) led the way for Dallas, which won just its ninth road game of the season. Skal Labissiere (19 points, 8 rebounds) helped spur a furious comeback for Sacramento at the end of regulation but it fell just short.

Pacers 92 (44-31), Warriors 81 (54-20)

Golden State — without Steph, KD, Klay Thompson or Draymond Green — somehow led this one by 15 at one point before Indiana locked down defensively in the second half, holding the Warriors to 33 points over the final 24 minutes. Fresh off clinching a playoff spot, the Pacers kept up with the 76ers and moved within a half-game of No. 3 Cleveland.

Victor Oladipo (24 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists) made big after big play while Thad Young (17 points, 10 rebounds) and Bojan Bogdanovic (17 points) hit some huge shots to help the Pacers come back against a somewhat handicapped version of the defending champs.

Clippers 105 (40-34), Bucks 98 (39-35)

With the Pistons five games out, the Bucks aren’t really in danger of missing the playoffs but their iffy play as of late is a little bit concerning entering the postseason. On the other hand, the Clippers picked up a big game on the No. 8 Timberwolves (who lost last night to Memphis) and moved in front of the Nuggets.

It was a pretty balanced effort for LA, which made 15 threes (on just 28 attempts) and had five players in double figures. Tobias Harris (19 points) was solid against his former team and Austin Rivers knocked down the dagger with 94 seconds left to play. Giannis (26 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 blocks) and the rest of the starters played well, despite not getting much help from Jabari Parker (1-for-12 from the field) and the rest of the bench.

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DeMar DeRozan Has Only One Goal On His Mind https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/demar-derozan-interview/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/demar-derozan-interview/#respond Wed, 21 Mar 2018 14:44:41 +0000 http://www.slamonline.com/?p=485902 On a recent cold and windy late February night, DeMar DeRozan sauntered into the Toronto Raptors‘ practice facility with a small entourage for his first solo SLAM cover shoot. The 28-year-old, four-time All-Star posed for hundreds of pictures, threw a football around with his friends, calmly answered questions, refused to big up himself, and said […]

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On a recent cold and windy late February night, DeMar DeRozan sauntered into the Toronto Raptors‘ practice facility with a small entourage for his first solo SLAM cover shoot.

The 28-year-old, four-time All-Star posed for hundreds of pictures, threw a football around with his friends, calmly answered questions, refused to big up himself, and said the Raptors can win the NBA title this season.

So, how did we get here? How did DeRozan establish himself as a bonafide superstar, lead the Raptors to the very top of the standings in the Eastern Conference and establish his team as an unlikely championship contender?

Through sheer hard work, for one.

Dwane Casey, the Raptors’ head coach since June 2011, recalls encountering DeRozan for the first time as a “snotty-nosed second-year guy” with all the tools and talent in the world.


Casey credits DeRozan’s evolution mostly to him being a gym rat. DeMar routinely gets a workout in late in the evening, and has added critical elements to his game each offseason.

Now he’s a perennial All-Star “who should be in the conversation for MVP,” says Casey. “He has made himself into a superstar.”

Chris Farr has been DeRozan’s trainer since the 2009 NBA Draft. Farr says the Compton, CA, native typically doesn’t like working out with others, which DeMar confirmed.

DeRozan prefers the intimacy of an empty gym. He doesn’t care for others seeing just how hard he goes. He’s also at a point in his career where a mental edge holds more value than anything physical.

Farr, who also trains Damian Lillard, convinced the two All-Stars to shoot together last summer, the plan being that Dame’s superior outside marksmanship would force DeMar to concentrate a little bit more and get his competitive juices flowing.

“Everybody don’t have that Beyoncé Syndrome,” Farr says. “He had to work to get this good. He didn’t just wake up looking like Beyoncé—he had to work at it.”

For years, critics have pointed out DeRozan’s lack of three-point shooting as something that held him back, a theory he fought before eventually coming to the conclusion that it was a necessary part of his game.

“He always worked on three-pointers,” Farr says. “He just never chose to take them during the game, because he felt his mid-range [jumper] was so strong that he didn’t accept that he wasn’t a complete player without taking three-pointers.”

DeMar is now shooting and making the most threes in his career—hitting 32.7 percent of his attempts (a career high) and making over 1/game for the first time ever as well—and has the Raptors’ braintrust believing he’s just scratching the surface of his long-range potential.


“I think he can become one of the premier three-point shooters in the League,” Casey says. “And once he does that, that’ll be a huge step up in his skillset.”

Bruce Arthur, the Toronto Star‘s award-winning columnist and one of the most insightful Raptors observers, agrees that DeRozan’s growth and maturity as a player have been the result of a painstaking process.

“There are so few guys who’ve had a career arc like his,” Arthur says. “For his first four years, if you look at his per-minute numbers, he didn’t get better. He was athletic, and he worked hard, and he just spun his wheels and they never caught.”

DeRozan, the thinking goes, was far too predictable early on in his career, prone to repeatedly driving towards the hoop with tunnel vision and little feel for the game.

DeMar kept hitting the gym, improving his shooting and playmaking, and the 6-7, 220-pound shooting guard now has a command of the game that’s vaulted him into the rarefied air of the NBA’s elite.

DeRozan, who grew up in Los Angeles idolizing Kobe Bryant and cribbing elements of the Black Mamba’s game, now has his peers watching his every move. Today, headliners like Kevin Durant and rookies such as Frank Ntilikina study DeMar’s footwork and try to incorporate it into their own repertoires.

Nine seasons into his career, DeRozan holds many of Toronto’s most meaningful team records, and you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who would argue that he’s not already the greatest Raptor of all-time. Plus he’s shown a loyalty to the team and city that’s been rare, if not non-existent, among other stars who’ve donned a Toronto uniform. In the mid-90s, point guard Damon Stoudamire left—followed by Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter and Chris Bosh. Hell, even Antonio Davis didn’t want to stick around.

Vince’s run in Toronto is an especially interesting contrast. Carter’s relatively brief, six-year Raptors tenure was so immensely impactful—his talent, charisma and otherworldly athleticism put the Raptors on the NBA map—that it continues to loom large in the public’s imagination.

DeRozan, perhaps more by accumulation than intensity, has elevated himself above anything Carter and any other Raptors star who came before him was able to accomplish. Beyond inking a five-year, $139 million contract extension two summers ago, DeRozan has also wed himself to the city in a remarkable way.

“There’s a generation of basketball fans in this town who’ve grown up with DeMar DeRozan,” Arthur says, “watching DeMar build himself year after year—and not just build himself on the court, but become such an admirable guy off the court. Someone who truly loves the city, who truly stands up for the city, who truly wants to be a Raptor for his whole career.”

DeMar says he hasn’t given any serious thought to his legacy.

But when asked about the new documentary The Carter Effect, a smart examination of Vince’s impact on the Raptors and the city of Toronto that made its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, DeRozan said he hopes to leave a similar mark on the only NBA franchise he’s ever known.

“Hopefully, 20 years from now, we can talk about something the team I’ve been a part of has done.”

Casey has no doubt about DeRozan’s standing in Toronto.


“His legacy is about winning. He’s done that; he’s the leader of our team. He has more franchise wins than any other [Raptor]. His numbers, as far as points scored and games won, will solidify his legacy in Toronto forever.”

Casey has been an assistant and head coach to some of the greatest players in NBA history—Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp in Seattle; Kevin Garnett in Minnesota; Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki in Dallas—and thinks DeRozan will eventually be “in that conversation with those guys” and that he’s well on his way to the Hall of Fame.

“Time will be good to him, as he continues to grow. We’ll be talking about DeMar DeRozan’s name the same way we talk about Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki and those guys.”

In the meantime, DeRozan says that he’ll continue to improve as a player, with defense being a particular point of pride. The silky-smooth All-Star was quick to point out that the Raptors are a top-5 defensive team. (The Raps have the fourth-best defensive rating in the League; they were eighth last season.)

The night before our shoot, DeRozan had the unenviable task of checking Giannis Antetokounmpo in the post on a few possessions in one of the wildest games of the season, a 122-119 overtime loss to the visiting Milwaukee Bucks.

Antetokounmpo’s eyes lit up when he was asked about DeRozan and the season he’s having.

“Oh wow, unbelievable,” Antetokounmpo said. “Great player—his game is unbelievable. He’s carrying his team, and they’re doing a great job as a team.”

Casey thinks DeRozan has the athletic ability and toughness to be an elite defender.

“As long as my legs can move, and I’m playing this game, I’ll figure out some type of way to get better,” DeRozan says.

Kyle Lowry, the Raptors’ other All-Star and starting point guard, views DeRozan as the engine that makes the Raptors go. DeRozan is having an “MVP-type season,” according to Lowry.

“He’s spectacular, he’s getting better every year, and all I can do is appreciate what he’s been doing.”

Prior to re-signing on a three-year, $100-million deal last summer, there were whispers that Lowry wanted out of Toronto. He seems perfectly content now, even if his overall numbers (and DeRozan’s) have taken a slight dip this season. Lowry says the Raptors’ depth and unselfish play has made everyone’s life a little bit easier.

“My points are down; his points are down; everyone’s points are down,” Lowry says. “Because six or seven guys are averaging, like, 8 points. It’s a good team effort—we’re all out there doing our job and being on the same page. It’s been fun.”

Lowry doesn’t want to look too far ahead at potential postseason matchups with Boston and Cleveland, insisting that Toronto needs to focus on the current task at hand of compiling the best possible regular season record.

“We gotta get to that point, right now we’re just focusing on ourselves. If we get to those situations, then we’ll focus on those later.”

Asked about his teammate’s MVP talk, DeRozan was quick to deflect the praise—”I’m rolling with whatever Kyle says”—and said personal accolades don’t motivate him.

“My ultimate goal is to win a championship.”


DeMar averaged a career-high 27.3 points last season—now, his points are down to 23.7, but he’s also dishing out a career-best 5.1 assists per night. It’s a mark of maturity and a growing trust in his teammates’ abilities.

“Everybody made a sacrifice,” DeRozan says. “Understanding some nights it’s going to be Kyle’s night, some nights it’ll be my night. Understanding that it takes more than just two guys to carry team. Every single guy on our team stepped up, from the No. 1 option to the 15th option. Every guy that steps on the court understands what they gotta do for us to win.”

Toronto’s bench is perhaps the most under-appreciated reason for their success this season.

Team president Masai Ujiri and the rest of the Raptors’ front-office has taken the long view over the years, patiently and cleverly constructing the deepest, most fun and most fearsome roster in franchise history.

Players like CJ Miles, Delon Wright, Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and Jakob Poeltl—several of whom have spent time with Raptors 905, Toronto’s G League squad—have turned into valuable contributors, allowing the team’s superstar backcourt to carry less of the burden on a nightly basis and save their energy for what should be a long and grueling playoff journey.

They’ve now been sent packing by the Cleveland Cavaliers two years in a row, including a humiliating four-game sweep in the 2017 East semis. But Toronto’s players and coaches insist they’re not solely focused on dethroning LeBron James.

“One team at a time. Whoever we line up against, our job is to go out there and beat them,” DeRozan says. “I wouldn’t say we’re going out there looking to go against just one dude.”

And yet, that one dude—to say nothing of upstarts like the Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards and Philadelphia Sixers—is what stands between another early exit in the playoffs and reaching the NBA Finals for the very first time.

The Raptors appeared to throw in the towel in their series against Cleveland last year, with DeRozan even jokingly offering $100 to anyone who could slow LeBron down.

This season, there remain causes for concern. They haven’t been very good in close games, and while their 21-16 record against teams above .500 is impressive, it certainly doesn’t stack up with teams like Houston (33-10 in such games) and Golden State (29-12).

And yet, the simple truth is that this is Toronto’s best shot at making history: Cleveland has been embroiled in turmoil all season, the Celtics are still figuring out exactly who they are, and no other serious challenger in the East has emerged.

When I asked if the Raptors have the requisite killer instinct, Casey hedged and said every team in the NBA has it to a degree. The challenge for the Raptors, according to Casey, is being mentally sharp enough each night and getting used to transitioning from “the hunter to the hunted.”


But he added that Toronto is “one of four teams” that can legitimately challenge for the Larry O’Brien trophy. “We’re one of the teams that I feel like can win it. Why not?”

If they are to ever shock the hoops world and reach the Finals, now would be the time to do so.

Before the photo shoot wrapped up, I had one final question for DeMar.

Can the Raptors, improbable as it may seem to those outside their locker room, win it all this season?

“Yes,” DeRozan responds. “If we didn’t think so, there’s no reason to be in this line of work. So, we definitely believe so.”

Marcel Mutoni is a News Editor at SLAM. Follow him on Twitter @marcel_mutoni.

Photos by Charlie Lindsay and Jamal Burger; action photos courtesy of Getty Images

Video by Due Pinlac

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Post Up: MVP Things https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-mvp-things/ https://www.slamonline.com/postup/post-up-mvp-things/#respond Wed, 21 Mar 2018 05:26:40 +0000 http://www.slamonline.com/?p=486306 Raptors 93 (53-18), Magic 86 (21-50) Orlando led for basically the first three quarters, taking advantage of a sluggish Toronto team that looks to be locked into the No. 1 seed in the East. The Raptors seemed to be coasting a bit coming off their first loss in almost a month. Then, once the final […]

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Raptors 93 (53-18), Magic 86 (21-50)

Orlando led for basically the first three quarters, taking advantage of a sluggish Toronto team that looks to be locked into the No. 1 seed in the East. The Raptors seemed to be coasting a bit coming off their first loss in almost a month. Then, once the final frame began, they turned it on. Toronto outscored the Magic 25-10 in the fourth quarter to close it out.

DeMar DeRozan (thigh) and Fred VanVleet (hand) both sat for the Raptors, forcing Kyle Lowry to handle most of the offensive burden. He scored an efficient 25 points on 17 shots — with eight assists — to lead Toronto, which committed an uncharacteristic 17 turnovers. Aaron Gordon (16 points, 6 rebounds) led the Magic but struggled from three-point range. The loss was Orlando’s second in a row and seventh in eight games.

Pelicans 115 (41-30), Mavericks 105 (22-49)

The Pelicans are right in the middle of the dogfight that is the second half of the Western Conference playoff race and every single game looms large for their postseason hopes. When Anthony Davis headed to the locker room at the end of the second quarter with an apparent leg injury, it seemed like a potentially huge blow for New Orleans. Also, with the Pelicans holding a slim lead over the fading Mavericks, the game was in jeopardy.

But AD (37 points on 15-21 shooting, 8 rebounds) checked back in after the break and continued to dominate Dallas, as the Pelicans scored 35 fourth quarter points to get some separation in a big win. Rajon Rondo (19 points, 9 rebounds, 14 assists) and Ian Clark (19 points off the bench) helped out. Dallas fell to 8-27 on the road this season.

Timberwolves 123 (41-31), Clippers 109 (37-33)

Minnesota kept pace with the Pelicans thanks to one of their stronger offensive performances of the season, as five different T-Wolves scored 20+ points. Karl-Anthony Towns (30 points, 10 rebounds) set the tone.

The Clippers have now lost four in a row, and their chances of sneaking up to the last playoff spot in the West have dropped significantly over the past week. DeAndre Jordan (18 points, 12 rebounds) controlled the paint but LA’s shooters — just 8-24 from behind the arc — couldn’t keep up with Minnesota’s scoring.

Celtics 100 (48-23), Thunder 99 (43-30)

No Gordon Hayward. No Kyrie Irving. No Marcus Smart. No Jaylen Brown. During their roughest injury stretch of the season, the Celtics were severely undermanned on Tuesday against the Thunder and, early on, it showed. The offense was out-of-sorts and OKC was taking advantage, building a double-digit lead. But, Boston hung around and made a late push.

Thanks to free throw misses from Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony, Boston cut a six-point deficit with 24.7 seconds left to two just 17 seconds later. With the Celtics down 99-97 with the ball and shot clock off, Jayson Tatum penetrated and kicked off to Marcus Morris, who sent Paul George flying with a pump-fake and then calmly drilled the go-ahead three. That became the game-winner when Russ missed a last-second shot on the next possession.

Every Thunder starter scored in double figures but the bench contributed just 10 points. Tatum led Boston with 23 points and 11 rebounds as the Celtics got contributions from up and down the roster, including 17 points in 22 minutes from Greg Monroe.

Hawks 99 (21-50), Jazz 94 (40-31)

Entering Tuesday, the Hawks had just five road wins on the season season. Their sixth happened to come against a Jazz team that is pretty good at home. Dennis Schroder (career-high 41 points, 7 assists) had his patented floater working all night and Utah had no answers for it. Dewayne Dedmon (15 points, 15 rebounds) had a big game as well.

Donovan Mitchell (24 points) was Utah’s high-scorer but he, like the rest of the Jazz, couldn’t get in rhythm from three. The Rookie of the Year candidate was just 1-10 from range and Joe Ingles — the NBA’s leader in three-point percentage — was 1-8. If some of those looks went down, especially down the stretch, this one might have turned out differently.

Pistons 115 (32-39), Suns 88 (19-53)

Detroit got going after a slow opening quarter to run past Phoenix with ease. The Pistons had six players in double-digits and forced 19 Suns turnovers. Blake Griffin (26 points, 9 rebounds, 10 assists) was dominant from the perimeter and inside, which was enough to make up for a relatively quiet night from the rest of the starting lineup in Reggie Jackson‘s return from injury. Luke Kennard added 16 points off the bench.

Rockets 115 (57-14), Trail Blazers 111 (44-27)

You never want to play the Rockets, but especially not when on a 13-game winning streak. Portland learned that lesson the hard way on Tuesday, as the Blazers’ longest streak since 2007 was snapped thanks to another ridiculous performance by James Harden. The Beard had 42 points on 25 shots, and made a pair of enormous contested threes late in the fourth quarter to seal the deal.

Chris Paul (22 points, 8 rebounds) and Harden each made five triples as Houston knocked down 19 as a team — at a 52 percent clip. Both Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum (combined 9-32 shooting) couldn’t find their respective shot so Al-Farouq Aminu (22 points, 8 rebounds) and Jusuf Nurkic (21 points, 11 rebounds) stepped up and almost put Portland over the edge.

But, Harden and CP3 were just too good, especially in crunch-time. If there’s a team to lose by four to on an off-night for each of your top scorers, it’s Houston.

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DeMar DeRozan Hangs 42 Points on Detroit https://www.slamonline.com/slam-tv/demar-derozan-hangs-42-points-on-detroit/ https://www.slamonline.com/slam-tv/demar-derozan-hangs-42-points-on-detroit/#respond Thu, 08 Mar 2018 11:55:59 +0000 http://www.slamonline.com/?p=483681 DeMar comes up clutch.

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DeMar DeRozan‘s 42 points Wednesday night led the Toronto Raptors past the Detroit Pistons in a 121-119 overtime thriller.

DeRozan threw down a massive two-handed dunk late in regulation, and set up teammate Fred VanVleet for the game’s clinching bucket with time winding down in the extra session.

Toronto is the first NBA team to clinch a postseason berth.

Per the AP:

DeRozan finished with 42 points in the overtime win, and Toronto became the first NBA team to clinch a playoff berth this season.

“We need to be hardened and face some adversity,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey said.

“Tonight was one of those tests. I think each game we go into, everybody’s going to give us their best shot.”

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Post Up: DeMar’s Dunk https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-demars-dunk/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/post-up-demars-dunk/#respond Thu, 08 Mar 2018 06:07:52 +0000 http://www.slamonline.com/?p=483660 Raptors 121 (47-17), Pistons 119 (29-36) (OT) DeMar DeRozan scored 42 points, assisted on the game-winner in overtime, and provided the highlight of the game with an emphatic dunk in the closing seconds of regulation. All that made Toronto the first team in the NBA to clinch a playoff spot, despite the Raptors trailing by […]

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Raptors 121 (47-17), Pistons 119 (29-36) (OT)

DeMar DeRozan scored 42 points, assisted on the game-winner in overtime, and provided the highlight of the game with an emphatic dunk in the closing seconds of regulation. All that made Toronto the first team in the NBA to clinch a playoff spot, despite the Raptors trailing by as many as 17 in this one. Blake Griffin had 31 points and Andre Drummond had 10 points and 21 rebounds for the Pistons, but a jumper from Fred VanVleet as time ran down in overtime lifted the Raptors to the narrow victory.

Jazz 104 (36-30), Pacers 84 (37-28)

Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell, and Ricky Rubio all shined as the Jazz won their fourth in a row. Utah, a team that was once 17-26, is now closing in on the 8 seed in the West with 16 games remaining. Gobert had 23 points and 14 rebounds on 10-14 shooting, while Mitchell hit four threes, scored 20 points, and handed out six assists. As for Rubio, he filled the stat sheet with 18 points, seven assists, and six rebounds. Myles Turner had 24 to lead the Pacers.

Bulls 119 (22-42), Grizzlies 110 (18-46)

The Bulls nearly coughed up a 21-point lead but held on to hand the Grizzlies their 15th-straight loss — the longest in the NBA this season. Lauri Markkanen had 22 points in the win while Zach LaVine and Kris Dunn each had 21. Dillon Brooks had 29 points to lead Memphis.

Rockets 110 (51-13), Bucks 99 (34-31)

While Memphis has the longest losing streak in the league, the Rockets grabbed the longest winning streak, earning their 17th in a row behind 26 points from James Harden. The Rockets made 14 threes (though they took 40 of them) to hold on through a hotly contested second half. Giannis Antetokounmpo went 12-20 from the field and scored 30 points for the Bucks.

Pelicans 114 (38-26), Kings 101 (20-45)

Anthony Davis scored 17 points but left in the third quarter after rolling his ankle. Though he did not return to the game, x-rays came back negative. Davis’s injury did not stop New Orleans from winning its 10th in a row as Nikola Mirotic came off the bench to score 26 more and the Pelicans shot 57 percent as a team. Buddy Hield had 20 points for the Kings.

Lakers 108 (29-35), Magic 107 (20-45)

Aaron Gordon put the Magic ahead by a point on a layup with five seconds left, but Brook Lopez hit two free throws with less than a second to go to give the Lakers a thrilling win at Staples Center. Those two were also the scoring leaders for the game — Gordon had 28 and Lopez scored 27. Kyle Kuzma also had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who picked up their sixth win in seven games.

Cavaliers 113 (38-26), Nuggets 108 (35-30)

LeBron James went for 39 points, eight rebounds, and 10 assists to help the Cavaliers to their second win in a row. Cleveland led by 15 after the first quarter and withstood a second-half rally from a Denver team that came into the game 24-9 at home. Nikola Jokic had 36 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists to lead the Nuggets.

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DeMar DeRozan Scores 42 As Raptors Clinch A Playoff Spot https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/demar-derozan-highlights-raptors-3-7/ https://www.slamonline.com/news/nba/demar-derozan-highlights-raptors-3-7/#respond Thu, 08 Mar 2018 04:27:05 +0000 http://www.slamonline.com/?p=483655 DeMar DeRozan did more than just score 42 points on Wednesday. In the Raptors‘ 121-119 overtime win over the Pistons, DeRozan went for 42 on 16-28 shooting, assisted Fred VanVleet on the game-winning shot, and gave us the play of the game on this dunk: We’re going to overtime, but not before DeMar DeRozan did […]

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DeMar DeRozan did more than just score 42 points on Wednesday.

In the Raptors‘ 121-119 overtime win over the Pistons, DeRozan went for 42 on 16-28 shooting, assisted Fred VanVleet on the game-winning shot, and gave us the play of the game on this dunk:

And with that win, Toronto is now the first team in the NBA to clinch a postseason berth. The Raptors are 47-17 on the season and sit 2.5 games ahead of the Celtics for the best record in the Eastern Conference.

Here’s that game-winner from VanVleet:

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