Raptors did what they said they would do: Play harder, play better and win
That was type of a loopy, out-of-nowhere night time however all due credit score to the Raptors as a result of they did exactly what they stated they’d do.
The put two ugly losses behind them, performed far tougher and higher than that they had and gained a giant street sport with ease.
Perhaps it wasn’t the tip of days Saturday in Atlanta now that we give it some thought, proper?
Anyway, it needs to be enjoyable across the previous gymnasium tonight however I ponder simply how large the gang shall be. Will probably be boisterous, of that I’m positive, however I ponder if it’ll run out to twenty,000 or so as a result of I get a way a number of of us are nonetheless very leery about going from all types of restrictions to mainly one. I do know I’m, a minimum of a little bit bit and it’d seemingly ease my thoughts a bit if I knew everybody else within the place was totally vaccinated however MLSE didn’t really feel that was obligatory, a really odd name by an organization that took a management position from Day 1 of this mess.
However that’s for tonight.
For this morning, there’s this final have a look at final night time’s win.
(Oh, a digression: Anybody who remotely thinks of praising MLB homeowners for being allegedly near deal right this moment after they deliberately dithered for months to get to the precipice of catastrophe simply doesn’t get it)
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THREE POINTERS
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Setting a tone
Scottie Barnes stripping a considerably lazy James Johnson of the ball seconds after the opening tip – Johnson was easing into the possession when Barnes shocked him, compelled a turnover and finally received fouled – was an lively begin.
And it gave Nick Nurse an concept.
Together with his group clearly extra filled with vim and vigour than it was on the weekend, he determined to inform them to drive the problem much more.
It received the Raptors going, it received the Nets off guard and away they went.
“You would see we have been type of prepared and energetic and I believed I’d take benefit,” he stated.
“I simply stated, let’s keep up all people, let’s rise up and we created one other turnover early off the strain.
Yeah, they jump-started themselves however I used to be simply placing a little bit, ensuring we maintain going by calling a few of that stuff.”
It in all probability gained’t work a second time on consecutive nights nevertheless it positive set a tone final night time.
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Getting revenge, type of.
Keep in mind final season when Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards dunked viciously on Yuta Watanabe and Watanabe stated he didn’t care, that he’d all the time go for the block as a result of that’s the proper play to attempt to make?
Effectively, he received a little bit of revenge in probably the most electrifying play of the sport, a reasonably thunderous dunk that had everybody out of their seats. It wasn’t a simple play however you possibly can really feel the sense of satisfaction Yuta was feeling when it was over.
“Yuta made a troublesome play,” Nurse stated. “He is by no means afraid to go in and make a play, a consequence play on the rim at each side. Proper. And he was on the delivering this time. It was good to see.”
Mighty spectacular certainly.
Prompted Nick to make this remark to our pal Takeshi Shibata in Tokyo, who covers Yuta and the Raptors from afar.
“They’re going to be enjoying that one in Japan, Takeshi, don’t you suppose?”
And Takeshi, being a cool dude, was fairly impressed but in addition fairly worldly after we tweeted at one another.
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A powerful outing
It actually was a stable sport from Malachi Flynn and we’ll take a deeper have a look at him someday over the subsequent couple of video games.
Undecided what clicked final night time however after a really up and down season when he merely didn’t play arduous sufficient or sensible sufficient to fulfill the calls for of his coach or his group, he positive did final night time.
Calm however aggressive, powerful however not overly-active, he was a real level guard on an evening when his group wanted him so all of the credit score on the earth to him.
“I believe my principal factor is simply attempting to be aggressive, not essentially to attain or to cross, simply being aggressive and seeing what the defence provides you and simply type of studying them after which going off of that,” he stated.
I don’t know if it’s sustainable as a result of it hasn’t been all season however whether it is, the happiest man on the earth goes to be Fred VanVleet, who gained’t need to play 38 minutes an evening.
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Okay, we should always begin compiling the mail for the weekend and also you try this by clicking on askdoug@thestar.ca and sending in your questions.
Do it right this moment, please.
