A pair of former White Sox employees allegedly funneled almost 35,000 tickets to an outside broker, who flipped them online for profit.
Former White Sox employees charged in fraudulent ticket sales scheme — HardballTalk | NBC Sports
The Boston Celtics could be without their top player Saturday night. Kemba Walker might be out when the Celtics host the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden in a clash of Eastern Conference powerhouses. The Celtics on Friday released an injury report, and Walker was listed as questionable with left knee soreness. The point guard did not…
Celtics Injury Report: Kemba Walker Added Ahead Of Game Vs. 76ers — NESN.com
GAME #49 – TORONTO RAPTORS (34-14) at DETROIT PISTONS (17-32) FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 2020 – 7 P.M. (ET) – LITTLE CAESARS ARENA TV: SPORTSNET – RADIO: SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN
INJURY REPORT AT 1:30 P.M. FRIDAY
TOR@DET Detroit Pistons Bone, Jordan Out G League – Two-Way
Brown, Bruce Available Injury/Illness – Right Thumb; Sprain
Griffin, Blake Out Injury/Illness – Left Knee; Surgery
Kennard, Luke Out Injury/Illness – Bilateral Knee; Patellar Tendinitis
King, Louis Out G League – Two-Way
Morris, Markieff Questionable Injury/Illness – Body; Illness
Thomas, Khyri Out Injury/Illness – Right Foot; Surgery
Toronto Raptors Gasol, Marc Out Injury/Illness – Left Hamstring; Tightness
Hernandez, Dewan Out Injury/Illness – Right Ankle; Sprain
Hollis-Jefferson, Rondae Out Injury/Illness – Right Ankle; Sprain
Miller, Malcolm Out Injury/Illness – Neck; Strain
RAPTORS NOTES
• The Toronto Raptors play the second game of a back-to-back set Friday night when they visit the Detroit Pistons. This is the third of four meetings between the two teams, with Toronto winning the first two games. With a victory Friday, Toronto would capture the season-series with the Pistons for the fourth time in the past five seasons. Since the start of the 2015-16 campaign, the Raptors are 11-5 against Detroit. Toronto is 4-3 (.571) this season in the second game of a back-to-back set.
• The Raptors have won a season-high nine straight games (Jan. 15-30) – tied for the third longest winning streak in team history. Toronto won a franchise record 11 consecutive games twice (Feb. 26 – Mar. 16, 2018 and Jan. 6-30, 2016). Over the past nine games, the Raptors are averaging 121.6 points and shooting .496 (400-806) from the field, including .394 (134-340) from 3-point range. Toronto also has a +55 (121-to-176) turnover differential during this stretch and leads the NBA in points per game off turnovers (25.7). Pascal Siakam is averaging a team-best 20.4 points during the current winning streak.
• The Raptors are 11-3 in the month of January. Toronto has finished with a winning record each of the past 21 calendar months (February 2017 – January 2020). The streak is the longest in franchise history and the longest current streak in the NBA. The last month in which Toronto did not have a winning record was January 2017 (8–9). With a victory tonight, the Raptors would also tie the franchise record for most wins in a calendar month. Toronto won 12 games in Nov. 2014, Jan. 2016, March 2018 and Nov. 2018.
• Kyle Lowry has been named a reserve for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game. Lowry will participate in his sixth All-Star Game (2015-20), the most in franchise history. He is the first player in NBA history to be selected to at least six All-Star teams after not being picked in any of his first eight seasons. Lowry will join forward Pascal Siakam in Chicago, who was voted a starter. Siakam’s selection extends a streak of six consecutive years that a Raptor has been voted into the starting five – Lowry (2015, 2016), DeMar DeRozan (2017,
2018) and Kawhi Leonard (2019). Chicago also marks the fifth straight year (2016-20) two players will represent Toronto in the All-Star Game.
• Serge Ibaka scored a season-high 26 points Jan. 30 at Cleveland. Ibaka has scored in double digits in five straight games; averaging 18.4 points and shooting .617 (37-60) from the floor during this span.
• Toronto has won eight straight games on the road (Jan. 4-30) – the second longest road win streak in team history. The Raptors won a franchise record nine in a row on the road Feb. 11 – Mar. 20, 2018. After starting the season 4-4 away from Scotiabank Arena, Toronto has won 13 of its last 16 games on the road. The Raptors have finished with a +.500 record on the road each of the past six seasons (2013-19).
• Kyle Lowry needs 61 points to tie Vince Carter (9,420) for third place on the Raptors’ all-time scoring list. DeMar DeRozan (13,296) is the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, followed by Chris Bosh (10,275).
• The Raptors continue a stretch of seven consecutive games (Jan. 26 – Feb. 8) vs. Eastern Conference opponents Friday night. Toronto is 24-7 (.774) against the East this season – the third best winning percentage in the NBA behind Milwaukee (.897) and LA Clippers (.778).
PROBABLE STARTERS
G – OG ANUNOBY #3
MIN: 29.3 REB: 5.5 AST: 1.7 STL: 1.1 TO: 1.2 BLK: 0.7 PTS: 10.5
• Contributed nine points, three rebounds and one assist in 31 minutes Jan. 30 at Cleveland.
• Toronto is 19-4 this season when Anunoby scores 10 or more points.
• Averaging a career-high 10.5 points and shooting a career-best .489 from the field through 47 games this season.
F – PASCAL SIAKAM #43
MIN: 34.9 REB: 7.6 AST: 3.4 STL: 1.0 TO: 2.5 BLK: 1.0 PTS: 23.7
• Recorded 19 points, five rebounds and a career high-tying four steals in 34 minutes Jan. 30 at Cleveland.
• Ranks 15th in the NBA in scoring (23.7); averaging 25.3 points over the last four games (Jan. 24-30).
• Has scored 30+ points 11 times; had five 30-point performances in 80 games played last season.
C – SERGE IBAKA #9
MIN: 26.4 REB: 8.1 AST: 1.3 STL: 0.6 TO: 1.8 BLK: 0.8 PTS: 15.3
• Scored a season and game-high 26 points Jan. 30 at Cleveland; added four rebounds in 33 minutes.
• Averaging 18.2 points, 9.5 rebounds and 31.8 minutes in 15 games as a starter this season.
• Has scored in double figures in five straight games (Jan. 22-30); averaging 18.4 points during this stretch.
G – KYLE LOWRY #7
MIN: 36.9 REB: 4.6 AST: 7.3 STL: 1.3 TO: 2.8 BLK: 0.4 PTS: 19.9
• Totaled 23 points, five assists, five rebounds and a season-high tying four steals Jan. 30 at Cleveland.
• Ranks 10th in the NBA in assists per game (7.3); has dished out 10+ assists seven times.
• Became the franchise’s all-time leader in assists Jan. 28 vs. Atlanta, passing Jose Calderon (3,770).
G – FRED VANVLEET #23
MIN: 36.0 REB: 3.8 AST: 6.9 STL: 2.0 TO: 2.3 BLK: 0.3 PTS: 18.0
• Finished with eight points, seven rebounds and a season-high 12 assists in 37 minutes Jan. 30 at Cleveland.
• Ranks fifth in the NBA in steals per game (1.95); has registered multiple steals in 18 games.
• Averaging 18.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 6.7 assists in nine games during the month of January.
INJURY REPORT
Marc Gasol (Left hamstring; tightness) – Out
Dewan Hernandez (Right ankle; sprain) – Out
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (Right ankle sprain) – Out
Malcolm Miller (Neck; strain) – Out
TONIGHT’S GAME DETAILS– Opponent: Detroit Pistons Date: Friday, January 31 Tip-Off: 7 p.m. (ET) Venue: Little Caesars Arena Television: Sportsnet Radio: Sportsnet 590 The FAN
SERIES RECAP VS. DETROIT
OVERALL HOME ROAD 2019-20
2-0 1-0 1-0
ALL-TIME
37-54 19-25 18-29
STREAKS
Won 2 Won 1 Won 1
LAST WIN: December 18, 2019 (112-99)
LAST ROAD WIN: December 18, 2019 (112-99)
LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY: +30, December 23, 2009
LARGEST MARGIN OF DEFEAT: -44, January 4, 1997
LAST TIME VS. DETROIT
GAME 27 – DECEMBER 18, 2019 TORONTO 112, DETROIT 99
DETROIT — Kyle Lowry had 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for a triple-double and the Raptors had an 11-0 run in the third quarter on their way to a 112-99 victory over the Pistons … By the time the game ended, Toronto was short a few key players after Marc Gasol and Norman Powell left with injuries … The Raptors were without guard Fred VanVleet because of a right knee injury … Then Gasol left in the first quarter with a left hamstring strain … With 3:17 left in the fourth, Powell departed holding onto his left shoulder … Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond were back from injuries, but Detroit still allowed 70 points in the first half and 40 in the second quarter … Lowry fed Serge Ibaka for a dunk with 37.4 seconds left for the assist he needed for a triple-double … Toronto led 81-76 before its 11-point run in the third … Pascal Siakam and Ibaka had backto-back dunks that made it 90-76, and a layup by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson pushed the lead to 16 … Drummond had 22 points and 18 rebounds for Detroit … There were four technical fouls handed out: Lowry, Siakam and Drummond received theirs in the second quarter, and Griffin got one in the third … Detroit came into the game shooting 38.5% from beyond the arc, but the Pistons went just 6 of 35 this game.
1 2 3 4 TOT
TORONTO 30 40 26 16 112
DETROIT 29 35 15 20 99
PISTONS NOTES
TORONTO RAPTORS (34-14) AT DETROIT PISTONS (17-32)
REGULAR SEASON GAME #50 / HOME GAME #26
LITTLE CAESARS ARENA
FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 2020 AT 7:00 P.M. ET
TV: FSD RADIO: 950 AM
INJURY/STATUS REPORT:
Jordan Bone (G League – Two-Way), Blake Griffin (Left Knee Surgery), Luke Kennard (Bilateral Knee Tendinitis), Louis King (G League – Two-Way), Khyri Thomas (Right Foot Surgery) are OUT…Markieff Morris (Illness) is QUESTIONABLE.
QUICK FACTS:
ÿ Derrick Rose has scored at least 20 points in 13-straight games, extending the longest 20-plus point streak of his career. He is just the 8th Piston to ever record such a streak and the first to do so since J. Stackhouse (21-straight in 2000-01).
ÿ Andre Drummond ranks tied for 1st in the NBA with 38 double-doubles in 2019-20.
LAST GAME STARTERS
POS. PLAYERS 2019-20 REGULAR SEASON STATS AND NOTES
Ht: 6-7 Wt: 213
New Mexico
Averages: 8.0 Pts 1.8 Rebs 1.4 Asts 0.4 Stls 26.4 Min
LAST GAME: Six points (two 3-pointers), three rebounds, three assists and one block in 25 minutes at BKN (1/29)….First start since 1/22; missed three games due to illness.
THIS SEASON: Ranks T-13th in NBA in 3FG% (.426, 78-183 3FG)…15 double-digit scoring games…25 games with multiple triples, five games with at least four 3-pointers made…Six-straight games with two+ threes (11/2-11/12), four-straight with three+ 3-pointers (11/4-11/11); career-long streaks…Five-straight games with 10+ pts (11/2-11/11); tied career-long streak…Season-high 24 pts (9-9 FG, 6-6 3FG) vs. NYK (11/6)…1st Piston, 9th NBA player ever to make six 3s, shoot 1.000 from the field.
F
Ht: 6-9 Wt: 230
France
Averages: 6.7 Pts 3.1 Rebs 0.4 Asts 0.5 Stls 19.2 Min
LAST GAME: One steal in eight minutes at BKN (1/29)…14
th career start.
THIS SEASON: Career-high 24 points (10-13 FG) at BOS (1/15)…Seven games with 10-plus points…Four-straight games scoring in double figures (1/2-1/7) and streak of three straight such games (1/11-1/15)…Became first Pistons rookie since at least 1970-71 (first- year starters were listed) to record double-double in each of first two starts (1/2-1/4)…Saw first NBA action at MIL (11/23).
Ht: 6-11 Wt: 279
Connecticut
Averages: 17.2 Pts 15.6 Rebs 2.8 Asts 2.1 Stls 33.7 Min
LAST GAME: 12 points, 13 rebounds (6 OREB, 7 DREB), four assists, two steals and two blocks in 35 minutes at BKN (1/29)…NBA-leading 18th game with at least two steals and two blocks.
THIS SEASON: Only NBA player to rank in top 10 in both steals per game (2.1 spg, 2nd) and blocks per game (1.8 bpg, 9th)…Leads NBA in REB, OREB and DREB per game…NBA-leading eight games with at least 20 points/20 rebounds and 40 career 20/20 games…38 double-double; ranks tied for first in NBA in total double-doubles…NBA-leading 18 games with at least 15 pts/15 rebs…NBA-leading 11 games with at least 20 rebs…Franchise record 26th game with at least 10 OREB (1/9)…First player in team history with four-straight games with at least 15 pts/20 rebs (10/30-11/4)…Five straight games with 15+ pts/15+ rebs (10/28-11/4); tied career-long streak…Became 2nd Piston to record three-straight 20/20 games (B. Lanier); 3rd NBA player in last 25 seasons.
Ht: 6-5 Wt: 202
Miami
Averages: 8.7 Pts 4.2 Rebs 3.9 Asts 1.2 Stls 27.1 Min
LAST GAME: Six points (3-5 FG), three rebounds, two assists and one steal in 18
minutes at BKN (1/29).
THIS SEASON: 15-straight games with at least one steal
(12/20-1/20); marked longest such streak for any Piston in 2019-20…Ranks second on team in steals (54)…Led Pistons in passing in 14 games…17 games with 10+ pts, two games with 20+ pts…Three-straight games with 10+ pts; longest such streak of career (12/14-12/18)…Career highs in pts (22), FG (8), FGA (20), minutes (40) vs. BKN (11/2).
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 200
Memphis
Averages: 18.9 Pts 2.6 Rebs 6.0 Asts 0.8 Stls 26.7 Min
LAST GAME: 22 points (9-15 FG, 1-2 3FG), six rebounds and team-high-tying five assists in 31 minutes at BKN (1/29)…13th-straight 20-plus scoring game; extends career-long streak and first Piston to record such a streak since J. Stackhouse (21, 2000-01)…Eighth start of season.
THIS SEASON: Ranks T-22nd in NBA with 6.0 apg, T-19th in FT% (.872), 29th in FG% (.498)…Ranks 17th in East in ppg (18.9)…Ranks 4th in NBA among all guards with .498 FG% (min. 400 FGA)…Scored 11,000th career point vs.SAC (1/22)…27 games leading team in passing, has led Pistons in scoring 18 times…Scored at least 20 points a team-high 23 times, 10+ pts in 40 games…Four double-doubles (most recent – 1/22 vs. n scoring 18 times…Scored at least 20 points a team-high 23 times, 10+ pts in 40 games…Four double-doubles (most recent – 1/22 vs. SAC)….14th Piston to ever score 30+ points off bench.
QUICK FACTS: The Pistons are 0-2 against Toronto in 2019-20. Detroit has a 5-11 record against Toronto over the last four seasons. Detroit holds a 54-37 all-time record against the Raptors with a 29-18 home record and a 2519 road record. CONNECTIONS: Detroit head coach Dwane Casey coached the Toronto Raptors from 2011-12. Casey led the Raptors to a franchise record five-straight postseasons and won Coach of the Year in 201718. Casey went 320-238 in seven seasons with Toronto. Pistons guard Reggie Jackson played with Raptors forward Serge Ibaka in Oklahoma City from 2011-15. Raptors forward Stanley Johnson spent three-plus seasons in Detroit (2015-19), posting averages of 7.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.0 steals in 267 games (64 starts).
LAST GAME: Wednesday, December 18, 2019 vs. Toronto Raptors Little Caesars Arena (15,319) Detroit Pistons 99, Toronto Raptors 112 1 2 3 4 FINAL RECORD FG% 3FG% FT% REB AST STL BLK TOV Toronto 30 40 26 16 112 (19-8) .429 .371 .875 47 27 9 6 12 Detroit 29 35 15 20 99 (11-17) .448 .171 .682 48 19 7 6 15
Pistons High Scorer: Drummond 22 Raptors High Scorer: Siakam 26 Pistons High Rebounder: Drummond 18 Raptors High Rebounder: Ibaka 13 Pistons High Assists: Rose 5 Raptors High Assists: Lowry 10
Key Moments: Detroit’s biggest lead of the game was three (8-5) and the Raptors’ biggest lead was 18 (77-95)…There were 11 lead changes and nine ties, with Toronto never relinquishing the lead after the 4:23 mark of the second quarter…Toronto scored 70 points in the first half, the most by any Pistons’ opponent so far this season…Detroit cut the lead to nine with 4:02 to play, but a 5-0 run from the visitors put the game out of reach late for the Pistons. Top Performers for Detroit: Andre Drummond (22 points, 18 rebounds, two steals, two blocks in 37 minutes), Derrick Rose (16 points, four rebounds, five assists, one block in 28 minutes), Blake Griffin (15 points, two rebounds, four assists, two blocks in 32 minutes). Top Performers for Toronto: Kyle Lowry (20 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists), Serge Ibaka (25 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, one steal in 31 minutes), Pascal Siakam (26 points, five rebounds, three assists, one steal, four blocks in 35 minutes). Inactive for Detroit: Jordan Bone (G League – Two-Way), Sekou Doumbouya (G League Assignment), Reggie Jackson (Lumbar Spine Stress Reaction), Louis King (G League – Two-Way), Khyri Thomas (Right Foot Surgery). Inactive for Toronto: Oshae Brissett (G League – Two-Way), Dewan Hernandez (G League Assignment), Stanley Johnson (Left Groin Stress Reaction), Shamorie Ponds (G League – Two-Way), Matt Thomas (Left Middle Finger Distal Phalanx Fracture), Fred VanVleet (Right Knee Contusion).
CLEVELAND (WJW) — Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry claims he was pushed by a fan during Thursday night’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The alleged incident occurred late in the fourth quarter during the game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Video shows Lowry land on two fans in the front row of the stands after saving a loose ball. One fan is then shown placing his hand on the player’s back before he returns to the court. It is unclear […]
Raptors’ Kyle Lowry claims he was pushed by fan after diving for loose ball during Cavs game — fox8.com
CLEVELAND — No team can easily withstand the loss of its starting centre, but Toronto is more equipped than most to do so. Read More
Raptors will let Gasol heal up but he has ‘slight’ hamstring issue — Toronto Sun
DALLAS — Leading the NHL in road goals, perhaps the Maple Leafs thought another night out of town would mean sweet dreams of sustaining that scoring at home. Actually, the rare decision to extend their stay here after a win over the Stars on Wednesday night was made in part by the team’s sports science […]
Can the Maple Leafs bring road magic home? — Toronto Sun.
CLEVELAND — Make it six for the King of the 6ix. Read More
Lowry an all-star for sixth time and leads Raptors to win in Cleveland — Toronto Sun.
Bradley Beal is not a happy camper. The Washington Wizards star was not among the seven players named Eastern Conference reserves for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game on Thursday despite an impressive 2019-20 season. Beal is averaging 28.6 points through 39 games, the highest average since joining the NBA in 2012. So, the 26-year-old made…
Wizards’ Bradley Beal Calls His All-Star Game Snub ‘Disrespectful’ — NESN.com
PHOTO BY EDDIE MICHELS
GAME #48 – TORONTO RAPTORS (33-14) vs. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (13-35) THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 2020 – 7 P.M. (ET) – ROCKET MORTGAGE FIELDHOUSE TV: SPORTSET ONE – RADIO: TSN 1050 TORONTO
RAPTORS NOTES • The Toronto Raptors play the first game of a back-to-back set Thursday night when they visit the Cleveland Cavaliers. This is the third and final meeting between the two teams this season, with Toronto taking the first two games – both played at Scotiabank Arena. Kyle Lowry led all scorers with 24 points and recorded eights assists in the Raptors’ 117-97 victory New Year’s Eve. Lowry is averaging 22.0 points and 9.5 assists against the Cavaliers this season. With a win Thursday, the Raptors would sweep the season series with Cleveland for the first time since 2000-01.
• The Raptors have won a season-high eight straight games (Jan. 15-28). Toronto is averaging 122.4 points and shooting .497 (359-722) from the field, including .396 (122-308) from beyond the arc over the last eight games. Pascal Siakam is averaging a team-high 20.6 points during this stretch. The Raptors’ longest winning streak in franchise history is 11 games (2X: Feb. 26 – Mar. 16, 2018 and Jan. 1 – 30, 2016).
• Kyle Lowry needs 84 points to tie Vince Carter (9,420) for third on the Raptors’ all-time points list (top-five on page three). On Tuesday night, Lowry surpassed Jose Calderon (3,770) as Toronto’s all-time leader in assists, finishing the night with 11 assists. Lowry was already the franchise leader in 3-point field goals and steals. The only NBA players who are their current franchise’s all-time leader in assists are Houston’s James Harden and Washington’s John Wall.
• Toronto has won seven straight games on the road (Jan. 4-26) – tied for the second longest streak in team history. The Raptors won a franchise record nine in a row on the road Feb. 11 – Mar. 20, 2018.
• The Raptors continue a stretch on seven consecutive games (Jan. 26 – Feb. 8) vs. Eastern Conference opponents Thursday night. Toronto is 23-7 (.767) against the East this season – the third best winning percentage in the NBA behind Milwaukee (.897) and LA Clippers (.778). Toronto has won nine of their last 10 games against Eastern Conference foes. During this stretch, Toronto is averaging 115.6 points and shooting .466 (417-895) from the field.
• Pascal Siakam was named a starter for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game in Chicago. Siakam becomes the seventh player in franchise history to earn an All-Star selection, joining Chris Bosh (five times), Vince Carter (five times), Kyle Lowry (five times), DeMar DeRozan (four times), Antonio Davis and Kawhi Leonard. Siakam’s selection also extends a streak of six consecutive years that a Raptor has been voted into the starting five – Lowry (2015, 2016), DeRozan (2017, 2018) and Leonard (2019). • With Tuesday’s win vs. Atlanta, the Raptors improved to 10-3 in the month of January. Toronto has finished with a winning record each of the past 21 calendar months (February 2017 – January 2020). The streak is the longest in franchise history and the longest current streak in the NBA. The last month in which Toronto did not have a winning record was January 2017 (8–9).
• All-Star forward Pascal Siakam was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played Jan. 20-26. He earned the honour for the third time in his career and the second time this season. Siakam averaged team highs of 23.5 points and 9.0 rebounds in four wins last week.
PROBABLE STARTERS
G – OG ANUNOBY #3
MIN: 29.2 REB: 5.5 AST: 1.7 STL: 1.1 TO: 1.2 BLK: 0.7 PTS: 10.5
• Finished with four points, six rebounds and three blocks in 27 minutes Jan. 28 vs. Atlanta. • Toronto is 19-4 this season when Anunoby scores 10 or more points. • Shooting a career-best .490 (193-394) from the field, including .471 (48-102) through 13 games in January.
F – PASCAL SIAKAM #43
MIN: 35.0 REB: 7.7 AST: 3.4 STL: 0.9 TO: 2.5 BLK: 0.9 PTS: 23.8
• Totaled a team high-tying 24 points, nine rebounds and two assists in 27 minutes Jan. 28 vs. Atlanta. • Ranks 15th in the NBA in scoring (23.8); averaging 27.3 points over the last three games (Jan. 24-28). • Has scored 30+ points 11 times; had five 30-point performances in 80 games played last season.
C – SERGE IBAKA #9
MIN: 26.2 REB: 8.2 AST: 1.3 STL: 0.6 TO: 1.8 BLK: 0.8 PTS: 15.0
• Scored a team-high trying 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench Jan. 28 vs. Atlanta. • Averaging 17.6 points, 9.9 rebounds and 31.7 minutes in 14 games as a starter this season. • Has scored in double figures each of the last four games (Jan. 22-28); averaging 16.5 points during this span.
G – KYLE LOWRY #7
MIN: 36.9 REB: 4.6 AST: 7.4 STL: 1.2 TO: 2.8 BLK: 0.4 PTS: 19.8
• Recorded his seventh double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 assists Jan. 28 vs. Atlanta. • Tied for eighth in the NBA in assists per game (7.4); averaging 7.2 assists through 13 games in January. • Has scored 20+ points in 19 games this season; scored 20+ points 15 times in 65 games last season.
G – FRED VANVLEET #23
MIN: 26.2 REB: 8.2 AST: 1.3 STL: 0.6 TO: 1.8 BLK: 0.8 PTS: 15.0
• Finished with 19 points, three assists and one steal in 29 minutes Jan. 28 vs. Atlanta. • Tied for fourth in the NBA in steals per game (1.97); has registered multiple steals in 18 games. • Averaging 19.8 points and is shooting .535 (23-43) from three-point range over the last six games (Jan. 18-28).
INJURY REPORT Marc Gasol (Left hamstring; tightness) – Out Dewan Hernandez (Right ankle; sprain) – Out Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (Right ankle sprain) – Out Patrick McCaw (Nose; fracture) – Questionable.
CLEVELAND’S LAST GAME STARTERS
POS NO. PLAYER HT. WT. G GS PPG RPG APG FG% MPG
F 16 CEDI OSMAN 6-7 230 19-20: 48 48 11.0 3.4 2.3 .447 29.1
F 0 KEVIN LOVE 6-8 247 19-20: 41 41 17.4 9.9 2.8 .450 31.1
C 13 TRISTAN THOMPSON 6-9 254 19-20: 46 46 12.2 10.3 2.1 .515 31.2
G 1 DANTÉ EXUM 6-5 214 19-20: 26 1 4.3 1.7 1.1 .465 13.5
G 2 COLLIN SEXTON 6-1 192 19-20: 48 48 19.5 3.3 2.5 .458 32.0
CAVALIERS INJURY REPORT
Brandon Knight (Left Knee; Soreness) – OUT
Dylan Windler (Left Lower Leg; Stress Reaction) – OUT
Ante Zizic (Illness) – OUT
2019-20 GAME RECAPS (Raptors Lead Series 2-0)
CAVALIERS 97, RAPTORS 117 – SCOTIABANK ARENA – TORONTO, ON (12/31/19) – REGULAR SEASON GAME #33
KEY PERFORMERS: Collin Sexton recorded a team-high 22 points on 8-15 (.533) shooting from the field and one steal in 32 minutes…Tristan Thompson notched his 17th double-double of the season with 14 points on 5-6 (.833) shooting and a game-high tying 11 rebounds in 32 minutes of work…Kevin Love also registered a double-double, his 14th of the season, with 10 points, a game-high tying 11 rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 30 minutes…Cedi Osman shot 4-8 (.500) from three-point range and finished with 14 points, four rebounds, four assists and one block in 25 minutes…Darius Garland had 12 points, four assists and one steal in 34 minutes…Kevin Porter Jr. added 13 points, four rebounds and four assists in 28 minutes…For Toronto, Kyle Lowry had game highs of 24 points and eight assists in 36 minutes…Serge Ibaka recorded a double-double with 20 points and a team-high 10 rebounds in 33 minutes.
TURNING POINT: The Raptors closed out the second half on a 20-8 run to go up 59-43 and led by double-digits the rest of the way. CAVS HIGHLIGHTS: Six players scored in double figures for Cleveland…The Cavs knocked down 10 three-pointers, shot 13-16 (.812) from the charity stripe and had 19 second chance points.
DECEMBER 31, 2019 SCORE HI SCORER HI REBOUND HI ASSISTS FG% FT% REB (O-D-T)
CAVALIERS 97-117 SEXTON – 22 LOVE/THOMPSON – 11 OSMAN/PORTER JR. – 4 37-87 (.425) 13-16 (.812) 8-33-41
at Raptors Lowry – 24 Ibaka – 10 Lowry – 8 40-84 (.476) 20-25 (.800) 10-35-45
CAVALIERS 113, RAPTORS 133 – SCOTIABANK ARENA – TORONTO, ON (12/16/19) – REGULAR SEASON GAME #27
KEY PERFORMERS: Collin Sexton posted a team-high 25 points on 10-16 (.625) shooting from the field, five rebounds and four assists in 31 minutes…Darius Garland finished with 20 points on 7-14 (.500) shooting, including 4-8 (.500) from long range, two rebounds, a team-high tying five assists and two steals in 38 minutes…Tristan Thompson tallied 18 points on 9-14 (.643) shooting, a teamhigh eight rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes…Cedi Osman shot 3-6 (.500) from deep and finished with 12 points, two rebounds and one steal in 25 minutes…For Toronto, Pascal Siakam had a game-high 33 points on 13-24 (.542) shooting, including 5-8 (.625) from three-point range, in 36 minutes…Normal Powell tallied 26 points on 11-15 (.733) shooting, including 4-6 (.667) from beyond the arc, six rebounds and five assists in 36 minutes…Kyle Lowry recorded a double-double with 20 points and a game-high 11 assists in 37 minutes.
TURNING POINT: With Toronto leading 16-11 midway through the first quarter, the Raptors increased their lead 35-17 after a 19-6 run and led by seven points or more the rest of the way. CAVS HIGHLIGHTS: The Cavs handed out 30 assists to 11 turnovers and scored 56 points in the paint…Cleveland also knocked down 12 three-pointers.
DECEMBER 16, 2019 SCORE HI SCORER HI REBOUND HI ASSISTS FG% FT% REB (O-D-T)
CAVALIERS 113-133 SEXTON – 25 THOMPSON – 8 GARLAND/HENSON – 5 44-90 (.489) 13-17 (.765) 9-30-39
Raptors Siakam – 33 Anunoby – 9 Lowry – 11 52-89 (.584) 13-17 (.765) 6-35-4
HEAD COACH SHELDON KEEFE
On the team improving to 20-1-2 when leading after two periods tonight:
I thought we had a real good period there, a good process. Obviously, wouldn’t like to give them a goal back like we did but I thought we started really well, we generated a number of really good scoring chances ourselves and maybe we could have had even more goals, especially early there. And then I just liked how we battled. Getting wins like this on the road, late penalty kill, goalie’s out for a long period of time there like this. Those are tough, tough sequences. You’re relying on a small number of guys to get that done. The guys just found a way.
On the team improving at defending late leads with more experience doing it:
Well, I think that’s part of it, for sure. We’d rather not be in that position. We had a two-goal lead and that’s where we would rather be. You score the first goal in the third period and that puts you in an even better spot. But certainly, if you give it back, then you’ve got to just battle and find a way and limit what you give up on the inside and know that they’re going to have a push, but try to keep it from stuff on the outside that you can block or Freddie can see.
On what he has seen from Matthews of late:
I don’t need to tell you that Auston is a very talented player. He puts himself in good spots. Obviously, today Mitch gave him a puck in a great spot and that’s a world class finish. We’ve become accustomed to seeing that and that’s what he’s capable of doing. When he’s really playing and really skating and when he’s engaged in the game he’s hard to stop.
FREDERIK ANDERSEN (31 SAVES)
On how it feels to put two wins together coming out of the All-Star break:
It’s nice. It’s always fun to win. I think we’ve been doing a lot of good things. We’ll look to continue to build on that and keep working at it and, like I said, build off of it.
On what exactly the team has done well these past two games:
Just playing as a group and playing smarter hockey. I think we’ve been good at not giving up too much and controlling the play a lot, going to the net hard and getting some good goals there at big times.
ZACH HYMAN (1 GOAL, 1 ASSIST)
On tonight’s game and the importance of each remaining game:
It was good. We knew we need to start getting on the right side of games. Especially coming off of the break, this was a hard-fought win. We really had to earn this one so it’s big.
On their success getting the first goal of the game on the road:
I think it just happens sometimes like that. We’ve definitely been starting strong on the road these past couple games. It’s important when you start a period you want to start ahead. Usually when you score the first goal more often than not you win the game, so the first goal is big.
AUSTON MATTHEWS (1 GOAL, 1 ASSIST)
On picking up an important two points:
All these games matter. It doesn’t really matter if it’s Western Conference, our conference or our division, all these points matter. They all add up, so we’ve got to make sure we’re taking advantage of these games.
On what he attributes his consistent scoring to:
My linemates. I think we’re just trying to stay consistent each night, just compete out there. We work off each other, make plays and obviously play as much offense as we can. We just want to continue that.
WILLIAM NYLANDER (1 GOAL)
On the team’s staying aggressive on offence against a tough defensive team:
Yeah, for sure. We need to keep doing it. We’re chasing in the standings here so we kind of have a playoff push right now. We’ve got to be sharp every game.
On how they generated five goals against the team with the fewest goals against:
I think we play that kind of game where we’re kind of unpredictable. We were able to create a lot of good, solid quality scoring chances, which eventually lead to goals.
On the play that led to Hyman’s goal:
Yeah, that was just a beautiful hockey goal. We were just smiling on the bench when we saw that goal, it was beautiful.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (27-17-7 – 61 Points) vs.
NASHVILLE PREDATORS (22-19-7 – 51 Points)
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2020
| 1 | 2 | 3 | OT | FINAL | |
| TORONTO | 1 | 2 | 2 | – | 5 |
| DALLAS | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | 3 |
GAME SUMMARY | EVENT SUMMARY | FACEOFF SUMMARY
ON THE SCORESHEET
SHOTS ON GOAL (5-on-5 in brackets)
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | OT | TOTAL | |
| TORONTO | 12 (12) | 8 (7) | 14 (10) | – | 34 (29) |
| DALLAS | 10 (10) | 15 (13) | 9 (6) | – | 34 (29) |
SHOT ATTEMPTS (5-on-5 in brackets)
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | OT | TOTAL | |
| TORONTO | 21 (21) | 15 (12) | 18 (14) | – | 54 (47) |
| DALLAS | 22 (22) | 28 (24) | 21 (14) | – | 71 (60) |
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
| Record on the Road | 15-11-0 (26 Games) |
| All-Time Record vs. Dallas | 97-91-28-1 (217 Games) |
| All-Time Record vs. Dallas on the Road | 42-53-11-1 (107 Games) |
| Record vs. Western Conference | 13-7-2 (22 Games) |
| Record vs. Central Division | 7-4-1 (12 Games) |
MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS
| Shots | 5 (Muzzin) |
| Shot Attempts | 7 (Holl) |
| Faceoff Wins | 11 (Matthews) |
| Faceoff Win Percentage | 67% (Tavares – 8 won, 4 lost) |
| Hits | 5 (Hyman) |
| Blocked Shots | 5 (Muzzin, Sandin) |
| Takeaways | 1 (Five players tied) |
| TOI | 22:18 (Muzzin) |
| Power Play TOI | 1:29 (Barrie) |
| Shorthanded TOI | 3:16 (Muzzin) |
| Shifts | 28 (Muzzin) |
| 5-on-5 Shot Attempt Percentage | 57.1% (Muzzin – 20 for, 15 against; Spezza – 4 for, 3 against) |
RECORD WHEN…
| Scoring first | 19-3-1 |
| Tied after 1 | 10-5-3 |
| Lead after 2 | 20-1-2 |
| Do not score a power play goal | 11-11-3 |
| Do not allow a power play goal | 14-6-3 |
| Even shots with opponent | 2-1-1 |
| Wednesday | 3-3-1 |
OF NOTE…
UPCOMING GAMES:
The view from left field 