DALLAS — Rick Bowness brought out some old Toronto bling for some reverse luck against the high-scoring Maple Leafs. The interim coach of the Dallas Stars showed off the 1938 gold NHL all-star ring that belonged to Gordie Drillon, the Leafs’ last scoring champion in 1937-38, a gift to Bowness’s father Bob from when the […]
Stars interim coach Rick Bowness hopes lucky ring can help beat Maple Leafs — Toronto Sun
With the Raiders off to Las Vegas, and the Rams and Chargers about to move into their new shared space in Los Angeles, the league’s stockpile of cities to use as leverage for new stadium deals has dwindled. And if Toronto wants to become one, they better be ready to do some construction. Commissioner Roger…
NFL likes the idea of Toronto, but stadium a factor — ProFootballTalk
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (26-17-7 – 59 Points) vs.
DALLAS STARS (28-17-4 – 60 Points)
JANUARY 29, 2020 ▪ 7:30 PM EST
AMERICAN AIRLINES CENTER (DALLAS, TX) ▪
TV: SPORTSNET ▪ RADIO: SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN
MAPLE LEAFS HISTORY versus DALLAS
| ALL-TIME RECORD: | 96-91-28-1 (216 Games) |
| ALL-TIME ON THE ROAD: | 41-53-11-1 (106 Games) |
| 2018-19: | 1-1-0 |
| LAST FIVE: | 4-1-0 |
| LAST 10: | 8-2-0 |
MAPLE LEAFS CAREER LEADERS versus DALLAS
| GAMES PLAYED: | Tyson Barrie (25), Jake Muzzin (23), John Tavares (16) |
| GOALS: | John Tavares (8), Tyson Barrie (6), Jason Spezza (5) |
| ASSISTS: | Tyson Barrie (15), Morgan Rielly (10), John Tavares (10) |
| POINTS: | Tyson Barrie (21), John Tavares (18), Morgan Rielly (10) |
| PENALTY MINUTES: | Tyson Barrie (20), Jake Muzzin (10), Kasperi Kapanen (8) |
MAPLE LEAFS – STARS TEAM STATS
| TORONTO | DALLAS | |
| GOALS FOR (Rank): | 180 (t-1st) | 126 (28th) |
| GOALS AGAINST (Rank): | 163 (26th) | 120 (1st) |
| POWER PLAY [%] (Rank): | 33/137 [24.1%] (6th) | 27/141 [19.1%] (21st) |
| PENALTY KILL [%] (Rank): | 107/140 [76.4%] (25th) | 135/163 [82.8%] (t-6th) |
| SHOTS (Rank): | 1681 (t-3rd) | 1497 (23rd) |
| 5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPTS FOR (Rank): | 2538 (3rd) | 2128 (24th) |
| 5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT % (Rank): | 52.6% (t-5th) | 48.9% (t-19th) |
| FACEOFF % (Rank): | 52.9% (3rd) | 52.4% (4th) |
MAPLE LEAFS – STARS NOTES
| FIRST MATCHUP BETWEEN CLUBS: | November 11, 1967 (Minnesota 2, Toronto 1) |
| ALL-TIME RECORD: | 96-91-28-1 (216 Games) |
| ALL-TIME RECORD AT HOME: | 55-38-17-0 (110 Games) |
| ALL-TIME RECORD ON THE ROAD: | 41-53-11-1 (106 Games) |
| LAST WIN VS. OPPONENT ON THE ROAD: | October 9, 2018 (Toronto 7, Dallas 4) |
MAPLE LEAFS MILESTONES vs. STARS
| Frederik Andersen | First NHL game (Oct. 20, 2013 (ANA) vs. DAL) First NHL win (Oct. 20, 2013 (ANA) vs. DAL) |
| Tyson Barrie | 300th NHL point (Mar. 21, 2019 (COL) at DAL) |
| Tyler Gaudet | First NHL goal (Feb. 18, 2016 (ARI) vs. DAL) |
| Andreas Johnsson | First NHL game (March 14, 2018 vs. DAL) |
| Jason Spezza | Skated in 379 games for Dallas from 2014-19, recording 228 points (81 goals, 147 assists) |
MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS
| CATEGORY | LEADER |
| GOALS | 35 (Matthews) |
| ASSISTS | 35 (Marner) |
| POINTS | 58 (Matthews) |
| POWER PLAY POINTS | 17 (Marner, Matthews) |
| SHORTHANDED POINTS | 2 (Engvall, Kapanen) |
| PIMs | 34 (Muzzin) |
| SHOTS | 199 (Matthews) |
| FACEOFF WIN% | 58.3% (Gauthier) |
| 5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT % | 55.4% (Matthews) |
| BLOCKED SHOTS | 73 (Ceci) |
| TAKEAWAYS | 53 (Matthews) |
| HITS | 91 (Muzzin) |
| TOI PER GAME | 24:15 (Rielly) |
| PP TOI PER GAME | 3:09 (Marner) |
| SH TOI PER GAME | 2:51 (Ceci) |
MAPLE LEAFS PLAYER NOTES
| Frederik Andersen | – Is 13-4-0 on the road this season with a 2.49 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. – Tied for second in the NHL in wins (23).- Third in the NHL in total saves (1,128) and second in even-strength saves (962). |
| Tyson Barrie | – Has five multi-assist games, which is tied for ninth-most among NHL defencemen.- Tied for eighth among NHL defencemen in multi-point games (8) – One of 20 NHL defencemen to have recorded at least 115 shots on goal. Tied for 10th among defencemen in shots (128).- Has registered seven assists in nine games during the month of January. |
| Cody Ceci | – 19th among NHL skaters in shorthanded time on ice (142:51).- Has played 61.5 percent of Toronto’s shorthanded ice time, which is tied for the 12th-highest shorthanded time on ice percentage among NHLers who have appeared in at least 40 games. |
| Pierre Engvall | – Third among NHL rookies who have appeared in at least 20 games in goals per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time (0.98).- Fourth among NHL rookie forwards in shorthanded time on ice per game (1:07). |
| Justin Holl | – Has started 44.7 percent of his 5-on-5 shifts in the offensive zone, which is the lowest mark among Toronto defencemen who have appeared in at least 20 games.- Has an unblocked shot attempt percentage of 52.5 percent at 5-on-5, which is the third-highest percentage among Toronto defencemen who have appeared in at least 20 games.- Has a 5-on-5 on-ice goals-for percentage of 52.8 percent, which is the second-highest percentage among Maple Leafs defencemen who have appeared in at least 20 games. |
| Michael Hutchinson | – Has made the fourth most saves (309) among NHL goaltenders who have appeared in fewer than 15 games. |
| Zach Hyman | – Has a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 54.3 percent, which is tied for fourth among Toronto skaters who have played 20 games.- Has an on-ice goals for percentage of 54.9 percent at 5-on-5, which is fourth highest among Toronto skaters who have played 20 games. – Averaging 15:15 per game in 5-on-5 ice time, which ranks seventh among Maple Leafs. |
| Kasperi Kapanen | – Fifth among Toronto skaters in even-strength points (8-15-23).- One of five NHL right wingers with multiple shorthanded goals this season.- Averages 11.89 shot attempts per 60 minutes of ice time. |
| Alex Kerfoot | – Tied for seventh among Maple Leafs in even-strength goals (7). – 10th among Maple Leafs in even-strength points (7-10-17).- Only Toronto forward to have recorded at least 25 hits (37) and 25 blocked shots (32) this season. |
| Mitch Marner | – Has nine multi-assist games, which is tied for the eighth-most among NHL skaters.- Averaging 1.23 points per game, which is the 11th-highest average in the NHL.- Averaging 1.37 primary assists per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5, which is third among NHLers who have appeared in at least 30 games.- Tied for ninth in the NHL in primary assists (23). His 23 primary assists are the most among NHLers who have appeared in fewer than 40 games.- Ninth among NHL forwards in time on ice per game (20:57). |
| Auston Matthews | – Second among NHL skaters in goals (35).- First NHLer to score 20 even-strength goals this season. Currently leads the League with 26 even-strength goals.- Leads the NHL in goals scored at 5-on-5 (21).- Tied for the NHL lead in multi-goal games (9).- 10th among NHL skaters in 5-on-5 points (21-11-32).- Fifth in the NHL with 199 shots on goal. |
| William Nylander | – Averages 1.23 goals per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5, which ranks second among Toronto skaters and is 21st among NHL skaters who have appeared in 40 games.- One of 11 NHLers to average at least 14:00 minutes per game at 5-on-5 (14:35) while maintaining a goal per 60-minute rate of at least 1.20 (1.23).- Has 24 points (12 goals, 12 assists) in 25 road games this season. |
| Jason Spezza | – Averaging 2.19 points per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5 this season, which is the fifth-highest average among Toronto skaters who have appeared in at least 20 games.- Averaging 1.18 assists per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5 this season, which is tied for fourth among Maple Leafs who have appeared in at least 20 games. |
| John Tavares | – Tied for 20th among NHL skaters in multi-point games (13).- Tied for 22nd among NHLers in even-strength goals (15). His 15 even-strength goals are tied for the most among NHLers who have appeared in 45 or fewer games.- Averaging 17.37 shot attempts per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5, which is the fifth-highest average among NHL centres who have appeared in 30 games.- Averaging 9.22 shots on goal at 5-on-5 per 60 minutes of ice time, which is eighth among NHL centres who have appeared in 30 games.- Has 24 points (12 goals, 12 assists) in 22 road games this season. |
CURRENT POINT STREAKS
| Tyson Barrie | Has assists (4) in three consecutive games. |
| Alex Kerfoot | Has points (1-1-2) in two consecutive games. |
| Mitch Marner | Has assists (2) in two consecutive games. |
| William Nylander | Has goals (4) in four consecutive games and points (4-3-7) in five consecutive games. |
UPCOMING MILESTONES
| Jason Spezza | Five assists from 600 assists |
RECENT MILESTONES
| Rasmus Sandin | First NHL goal (January 27 at Nashville) |
INJURY REPORT
| Kasperi Kapanen (Arm) | Left Toronto’s game on January 27 at Nashville and did not return. |
| Ilya Mikheyev (Wrist Laceration) | On injured reserve. |
| Morgan Rielly (Foot) | On injured reserve. |
| Man Games Lost: 121 |
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
| January 27 | Activated forward Trevor Moore and defenceman Jake Muzzin from injured reserve. |
| January 26 | Recalled forward Tyler Gaudet from the Toronto Marlies (AHL). |
| January 25 | Recalled forward Trevor Moore and defenceman Jake Muzzin from their conditioning loans with the Toronto Marlies (AHL). |
| January 23 | Assigned defenceman Jake Muzzin to the Toronto Marlies (AHL) on a conditioning loan. |
(12-36) ATLANTA HAWKS, 114 VS. (33-14) TORONTO RAPTORS, 130 SCOTIABANK ARENA TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2020
TORONTO RAPTORS QUOTES
NICK NURSE (HEAD COACH)
What did you think of Kyle Lowry, and him becoming the franchise all-time assist leader? Well, I thought it was good. I didn’t have any idea of what the heck was going on, and then I thought when he got to number nine or whatever it was to get him there, somebody said something, all-time assists. It’s cool. Been here a long time and he’s put some numbers and kind of things start happening when you are really good player and play you play in the same place for a number of years.
On do you think going up against a marquee young point guard gives Kyle a little bit more of an edge? No, I just think he’s just really enjoys his teammates, and competing and playing. But just isn’t too many times out there when he doesn’t really like show that he loves to play ball, loves the game and all that stuff. That’s all I think it is, he just kind of goes out there. He was having more fun than most guys were tonight out there, which was good.
Do you have an update on Marc (Gasol)? Did OG (Anunoby) get banged up as well? Looked like it, looked like OG hurt his shoulder a little bit there at the end. Marc was nothing, just him getting a little tight as he left the floor. However, we’ll have to wait until we get it checked out.
KYLE LOWRY (12 points, 11 assist, eight rebounds)
On passing Jose Calderon as franchise assist leader… To pass a guy like Jose means a tremendous amount. He was one of the best players in the history, one of the best passers this organization has ever had, and one of the greatest people ever. It means a lot for me to pass him, but to be here and to do it this long and do it for this franchise means the world.
On the bench reaction to reaching the record… I love them so much. My teammates are the reason I’m able to do this stuff. I wouldn’t be here without them. Honestly, I wouldn’t be here without these coaches, the organization, I wouldn’t be here without DeMar (DeRozan). I wouldn’t be here without my friends, guys who have been here before me, Vince (Carter), yeah, I’m just really happy right now.
What did Vince Carter say to you? He’s proud of me. I said I wanted to get the record today while he was here. He didn’t start this franchise, but he put it on the map and I wanted to do it while he was in this building. Me and Vince are close friends and I wanted to do it tonight in front of him and I know he’s happy for me.
On the passing of Kobe Bryant… It’s been tough. Honestly, whenever you turn the news on that’s how you know the man was a world icon. …it’s hard to look at it and it’s just hard to know what his family is possibly going through, and it’s tough. I mean every time you think about it you get sad and it sucks because him being him, but the others lost in that and the young children lost in that. They hadn’t even had a chance to live their life and the biggest thing is his family, his kids won’t be able to say ‘dad, can you pick me up’, that’s the stuff that just hurts me.
FRED VANVLEET (19 points, three assists)
On seeing Kyle Lowry become franchise leader in assists… It’s special, man. I think we all should be in the mood of giving people their flowers while we can and it’s amazing. It’s a fantastic accomplishment for him, his career trajectory and the Raptors history here to not have really that many long tenure guys, for him to still be here, still be kicking, still be playing at a high level is pretty special. So we gave him some crap for it, it took too long for him to get it. He definitely went out of his way to make sure he got it at home, so it’s pretty cool for him and obviously we are all happy for him.
Are kids from this generation now looking at Kyle Lowry like they did with Vince Carter? When you think about Raptors now for young kids, you think probably DeMar (DeRozan) and Kyle for sure and so like I said two – Vince as well – staples of a franchise and this franchise means so much to the game of basketball in Canada as a whole, so they are kind of transcending just the sport and definitely mean a lot to the culture of the game and we should appreciate them for sure.
PASCAL SIAKAM (19 points, three assists)
On Kyle setting franchise assists record… It’s great to be part of moments like that, being number one in assists. I mean the work he’s able to do here and seeing all the struggle and to be able to bring this team to wins and winning the championship, now being the leader in assists is an incredible achievement and I’m happy for him. He’s my brother, someone that took me under his wings since I got here and I just want to show my support and I’m really proud of him.
ATLANTA HAWKS QUOTES
LLOYD PIERCE (HEAD COACH)
On tonight’s game… It’s a tough loss, because it was a very winnable game for us and I think the easy answer is we missed a lot of wide-open shots that we take every night we step out on the court. The reality is, we didn’t change the game defensively and physicality- wise because we weren’t making shots. We let our offence really dictate our energy, our tempo, and our pace and our mood. Whereas, I thought we were in the game. It was 12 or 14 point game for the most of it and we had some clean looks. The opportunity for us defensively to try and get some stops, no pressure on the ball, (and) tried to get back in transition. We could have made this game a little bit different with the defensive intensity and we lacked that early because the shots weren’t falling.
Did the Raptors set a tone with their defence in the first quarter? No. You know, again, we had 28 assists in this game and we were 12-for-47 from three and I think we should have shot 60 3s, and I think we should’ve got to the rim a lot more as a result of closeouts, and being able to attack. We turned the ball over early and we got our shots blocked. At the end of the first quarter, it was six turnovers, I believe, and five blocked shots, nine turnovers at halftime and five blocked shots. That’s a lot in a game where they are giving us a lot of open 3s. I didn’t think they took anything away from us. They were giving us a lot of 3s. We just didn’t have that aggression, that intensity offensively and it affected us because we were looking for shots to go in the basket to give us our mojo and our energy and that’s the frustrating part.
On Kyle Lowry… He’s a valuable player in a non-statistical way. I think a lot of times, at the end of games, you’re always looking at stats and you’re always looking at numbers, and you’re always looking at plus-minus and things like that. You take any player out of the game, and someone is going to fill the stat sheet in some way, some form, somehow. He’s the guy when you take away the stat sheet, you watch the film, it’s the transition play he made on Jeff (Teague) just to get down there and not give up on the play and Jeff misses a layup. Those things don’t show up, but it’s the effort, it’s the will, it’s the winning play mentality that he has. But, you know, the assists – he’s a natural point guard. It’s just part of his longevity and playing here and being a facilitator and a team guy, but it’s the other stuff that’s valuable.
VINCE CARTER (10 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals)
On Kyle Lowry becoming the franchise all-time leader in assists… He said he was trying to make sure he got it done today. Kyle is a great guy, a great friend, somebody I talk to frequently, and we’re golf buddies, so we play a lot of golf in the summer when we can. All throughout the season we keep in touch and it’s just been a pretty cool relationship. He was the opponent I was darn happy to see.
Have you gotten used to getting a warm reception here now? Yes, it’s a cool feeling, you know, thanks to a lot of people. It’s a great feeling. It really is.
How did the scoring feel at the start? I was just happy to see a few shots go. Just trying to play my game (and) taking what’s there. I hadn’t been shooting the ball very well, so it was more so just having fun and making a dang old shot.
Was there any extra emotion with the ovation you got and the video tribute? No, I was trying to save it all for the next time because I know the next time is the final time. But at the same time, it helps that I missed the first couple seconds, to be honest with you, because like I said, every time you see it, you take a trip down memory lane. Obviously, all the other arenas where I’ve seen old Raptor clips has been cool, but when you see those clips and you’re actually in this building and you recall moments, situations, spots on the floor, how plays evolved, you know. I remember those things and it’s always more special when you’re actually right here in the building.
FINAL SCORE: TORONTO RAPTORS 130, ATLANTA HAWKS 114
DATE: JANUARY 28, 2020 ATTENDANCE: 19,800 (Sellout)
FINAL SCORE RECORD HIGH POINTS HIGH REBOUNDS HIGH ASSISTS
Atlanta 114 12-36 Collins – 28 Collins – 12 Young – 13
Toronto 130 33-14 Siakam/Ibaka – 24 Ibaka – 10 Lowry – 11
KEY RUN
Toronto led wire-to-wire … Leading 61-53 with 1:56 left in the second quarter, the Raptors scored seven
straight points and led 68-56 at the break … Toronto led by double figures the entire second half.
KEY STAT
With 11 assists, Kyle Lowry passed Jose Calderon (3,770) as the franchise’s all-time leader in assists … He added 12 points and eight rebounds in 33 minutes of action … Lowry is already the franchise leader in 3-point field goals and steals.
RAPTORS NOTES:
• With the win, Toronto improves to 33-14 this season and 17-7 at home … The Raptors have won a season-high eight straight games (Jan. 15-28), including three in a row at home … Toronto is now 10-3 in the month of January … Toronto’s next game is Thursday night at Cleveland.
• The Raptors have won 10 straight games vs. Atlanta, including the first three meetings this season.
• Toronto’s bench outscored the Hawks’ reserves 61-26.
• Serge Ibaka recorded his second consecutive double-double and 14th of the season with team highs of
24 points and 10 rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench.
• The Raptors had six players score double figures – Pascal Siakam (24), Ibaka (24), Fred VanVleet (19), Terence Davis ll (15), Lowry (12) and Marc Gasol (10) … Siakam is averaging 25.3 points in three games vs. Atlanta this season … Gasol (left hamstring tightness) left at the 8:53 mark of the third quarter and did not return.
HAWKS NOTES:
• With the loss, Atlanta falls to 12-36 on the season and 5-20 on the road … The Hawks have dropped two of their last three games (Jan. 24-28) and are now 5-9 in January … Atlanta’s next game is Thursday when they host Philadelphia.
• Vince Carter appeared in his 1,522nd career game tonight, tying him with Dirk Nowitzki for third place in league history in games played … Only Robert Parish (1,611) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1,560) have played in more games.
• John Collins posted his 10th double-double of the season with a game highs of 28 points and 12
rebounds in 33 minutes … Collins has scored 20+ points in three of the last four games (Jan. 22-28).
• Trae Young recorded his 17th double-double with 18 points and a game-high 13 assists.
• The Hawks had five players score in double digits – Collins (28), Cam Reddish (18), Young (18), De’Andre Hunter (15) and Carter (10).
Aside from the championships and aside from the statistics, Kobe Bryant had something most NBA players never achieve: mystique. Even as he was one of the biggest sports stars in the world, there were parts of the Black Mamba that seemed unknowable and enigmatic. He inspired legends as the first one to arrive the gym…
The best of Kobe Bryant’s legends and tall tales with the Lakers — Press Telegram
RAPTORS NOTES
• The Toronto Raptors host the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night at Scotiabank Arena. The Raptors have won nine straight games vs. Atlanta, including the first two meetings this season. Toronto has swept the season-series with the Hawks each of the past two seasons. Pascal Siakam is averaging a team-high 26.0 points in two games against the Hawks this season.
• The Raptors have won a season high-tying seven straight games (Jan. 15-26). Toronto also won seven in
a row Nov. 18 – Dec. 1. The Raptors are averaging 119.8 points and shooting .500 (311-for-625) from the field, including .411 (109-for-265) from beyond the arc, over the last seven games. Toronto’s longest win streak in franchise history is 11 games (2X: Feb. 26 – Mar. 16, 2018 and Jan. 1 – 30, 2016).
• Pascal Siakam recorded his 11th 30-point performance of the season scoring a game-high 35 points Jan. 26 at San Antonio. Siakam set a franchise record for points in a quarter with 25 in the first against the Spurs. He shot 9-for-12 from the field, 5-for-7 from 3-point range and made both of his free throws
attempts in the first quarter. The Raptors are 10-1 when Siakam scores 30 or more points in game.
• Kyle Lowry needs nine assists to tie Jose Calderon (3,770) as the Raptors’ all-time leader in assists. Lowry is already the franchise leader in three-point field goals (1,325) and steals (789). 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 (who has not played a game this season). Lowry has recorded 10+ assists 112 times – second most in team history behind only Calderon (141).
• Kyle Lowry is one of two Eastern Conference players, along with Trae Young, averaging 20+ points and 7+ assists this season. Lowry is currently averaging 20.0 points in 35 games; +5.8 ppg from last season (14.2 ppg in 2018-19).
• 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 Friday’s win at New York, the Raptors are guaranteed to end the month of January with a winning record. Toronto has now 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).
• REMEMBERING KOBE BRYANT: In 16 career games in Toronto, Kobe Bryant averaged 26.6 points … Bryant scored a career-high 81 points Jan. 22, 2006 vs. the Raptors … He made his 18th and final all-star
appearance at Toronto in 2016 … Bryant shot better against the Raptors (.471 from the field) than against any other club … Norman Powell grew up idolizing Bryant and wears number 24 because of him.
PROBABLE STARTERS
G – OG ANUNOBY #3
MIN: 29.3 REB: 5.5 AST: 1.6 STL: 1.1 TO: 1.2 BLK: 0.7 PTS: 10.7
• Totaled 10 points, five rebounds, three assists and one steal in 24 minutes Jan. 26 at San Antonio.
• Toronto is 19-4 this season when Anunoby scores 10 or more points.
• Shooting a career-best .491 (192-391) from the field, including .475 (47-99) through 12 games in January.
F – PASCAL SIAKAM #43
MIN: 35.2 REB: 7.7 AST: 3.5 STL: 0.9 TO: 2.5 BLK: 0.9 PTS: 23.8
• Finished with a game-high 35 points, eight rebounds and three assists in 37 minutes Jan. 26 at San Antonio.
• Ranks 18th in the NBA in scoring (23.8) and 12th in minutes per game (35.2).
• Has scored 30+ points 11 times; had five 30-point performances in 80 games played last season.
C – MARC GASOL #33
MIN: 28.2 REB: 6.6 AST: 3.6 STL: 0.8 TO: 1.3 BLK: 0.9 PTS: 7.7
• Contributed eight points, a game-high 12 rebounds and five assists in 36 minutes Jan. 26 at San Antonio.
• Averaging 12.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists in seven games (Jan. 15-26) since returning to the lineup.
• Missed 12 games (Dec. 20 – Jan. 12) due to a left hamstring strain.
G – KYLE LOWRY #7
MIN: 37.0 REB: 4.5 AST: 7.3 STL: 1.2 TO: 2.8 BLK: 0.4 PTS: 20.0
• Recorded 16 points, four assists, four rebounds and one steal in 37 minutes Jan. 26 at San Antonio.
• Ranks 11th in the NBA in assists per game (7.3); averaging 6.9 assists through 12 games in January.
• Has scored 20+ points 19 times this season; scored 20+ points 15 times in 65 games last season.
G – FRED VANVLEET #23
MIN: 36.1 REB: 3.8 AST: 6.8 STL: 2.0 TO: 2.3 BLK: 0.4 PTS: 18.3
• Finished with 13 points, seven assists, four rebounds and four steals in 40 minutes Jan. 26 at San Antonio.
• Ranks fourth in the NBA in steals per game (2.0); has registered multiple steals in 18 games.
• Averaging 20.0 points and is shooting .556 (20-36) from three-point range over the last five games (Jan. 18-26).
INJURY REPORT
Dewan Hernandez (Right ankle; sprain) – Out
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (Right ankle sprain) – TBD
Patrick McCaw (Nose; fracture) – TBD
TONIGHT’S GAME DETAILS
Opponent: Atlanta Hawks
Date: Tuesday, January 28
Tip-Off: 7:30 p.m. (ET)
Venue: Scotiabank Arena
Television: TSN
Radio: Sportsnet 590 The FAN
SERIES RECAP VS. ATLANTA
OVERALL HOME ROAD
2019-20 2-0 0-0 2-0
ALL-TIME 46-45 23-21 23-24
STREAKS Won 9 Won 3 Won 6
LAST WIN:
January 20, 2020 (122-117)
LAST HOME WIN:
January 8, 2019 (104-101)
LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY:
+44, December 3, 2016
LARGEST MARGIN OF DEFEAT:
-31, December 2, 2009
LAST TIME VS. ATLANTA
GAME 43 – JANUARY 20, 2020
TORONTO 122, ATLANTA 117
ATLANTA — Norman Powell scored 27 points, including 17 in the final
period, and the Raptors withstood Atlanta’s late charge to beat the Hawks
122-117 on Monday … Trae Young had 42 points and season-high 15
assists for Atlanta … Powell has scored 20 or more points in five straight
games, the longest stretch of his career… Toronto led 112-91 before surviving a late comeback by the Hawks, who pulled within two points at 117-
115 … Fred VanVleet, who had 20 points, sank three free throws with 14.2
seconds remaining after he was fouled by John Collins, pushing the lead
to five … Powell had only 10 points through three quarters before finding
his 3-point range in the final period to lead Toronto’s productive second
unit … The backups were on the floor when Toronto made its comeback in
the third quarter and remained in the game for most of the final period …
Young’s four-point play cut Toronto’s lead to 114-107 with 1:39 remaining
… Collins’ layup reduced the deficit to two points … Powell made three
straight 3s to lead the Raptors’ decisive surge early in the final period …
Powell made 6 of 9 3s … Pascal Siakam scored 18 points.
1 2 3 4 TOT
TORONTO 36 21 26 39 122
ATLANTA 25 35 22 35 117
NEXT GAME DETAILS
Opponent: Cleveland Cavaliers
Date: Thursday, January 30
Tip-Off: 7 p.m. (ET)
Venue: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
Television: Sportsnet
Radio: TSN 1050 Toronto
SERIES RECAP VS. CLEVELAND
OVERALL HOME ROAD
2019-20 2-0 2-0 0-0
ALL-TIME 43-49 25-22 18-27
STREAKS Won 2 Won 5 Lost 1
LAST WIN:
December 31, 2019 (117-97)
LAST ROAD WIN:
December 1, 2018 (106-95)
LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY:
+34, January 11, 2018
LARGEST MARGIN OF DEFEAT:
-34, March 4, 1998
LAST TIME VS. CLEVELAND
GAME 34 – DECEMBER 31, 2019
TORONTO 117, CLEVELAND 97
TORONTO — Kyle Lowry scored 24 points and dished out eight assists as
the Toronto Raptors won 117-97 against the Cleveland Cavaliers … Six
Raptors scored in double figures … Serge Ibaka had 20 points and 10
rebounds, Terence Davis matched his career high with 19 points, Rondae
Hollis-Jefferson had 14, and Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby had 12
points apiece … The Raptors went 9-7 in December, and played the past
seven games without Pascal Siakam (groin), Marc Gasol (hamstring) and
Norm Powell (shoulder) … Collin Sexton had 22 points to top the Cavaliers, while Thompson had 14 points and 11 rebounds … The Raptors had
a double-digit lead in the second quarter, and by the time Ibaka hit a hook
shot with 3:33 to play in the third, Toronto was up by 21 … The Raptors
led 86-69 to start the fourth … Davis had 14 points in the fourth …
VanVleet had four blocks on the night … The Raptors connected on 43.6
per cent from long distance, while the Cavs were good on just 26.3 per
cent … Anunoby nailed three consecutive shots when he subbed in …
Lowry’s 33-footer put the Raptors up by 14 points late in the second quarter … A running layup by Hollis-Jefferson with 1.6 seconds left in the half
had Toronto up 59-43 at halftime.
1 2 3 4 TOT
CLEVELAND 25 18 26 28 97
TORONTO 27 32 27 31 117
GAME 46 – JANUARY 26, 2020
TORONTO 110, SAN ANTONIO 106
SAN ANTONIO — Pascal Siakam scored 35 points to lead the Raptors
past the Spurs 110-106 on a day when many players’ thoughts were elsewhere … The teams did not contest the opening tipoff … Instead, Toronto
point guard Fred VanVleet held onto the ball for 24 seconds, incurring a
shot-clock violation. San Antonio point guard Dejounte Murray did the
same as the crowd gave a standing ovation and chanted, “Kobe! Kobe!”
… The Raptors raced to a 29-12 lead … The Spurs battled back, outscoring the Raptors 34-23 in the third quarter after trailing by as many as 19
points in the first half … Marc Gasol scored eight straight points, helping
Toronto tie the game at 97 … VanVleet scored the Raptors’ final five
points, including a 3-pointer, to help Toronto win its seventh straight game
… Kyle Lowry had 16 points … Toronto forward Rondae HollisJefferson was assisted off the court and did not return after spraining his
right ankle with 8:02 remaining in the second quarter … Derrick White
had 14 points for San Antonio … DeMar DeRozan was limited to 14 points
on 2-for-7 shooting.
1 2 3 4 TOT
TORONTO 37 26 23 24 110
SAN ANTONIO 21 30 34 21 106
ATLANTA’S LAST GAME STARTERS
POS NO. PLAYER HT. WT. G GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG MPG FG% 3FG% FT%
F 12 DE’ANDRE HUNTER 6-7 225 46 45 12.2 3.7 1.7 0.7 0.3 30.9 .407 .330 .771
F 20 JOHN COLLINS 6-9 235 21 21 18.7 9.6 1.3 0.7 2.0 30.1 .535 .354 .789
C 24 BRUNO FERNANDO 6-9 240 42 11 4.1 3.4 0.9 0.3 0.4 12.5 .503 .133 .615
G 3 KEVIN HUERTER 6-7 190 36 28 11.5 4.4 3.3 0.9 0.5 28.4 .414 .397 .826
G 11 TRAE YOUNG 6-1 180 42 42 29.5 4.6 8.9 1.2 0.1 35.2 .448 .375 .838
NOTES
On 1/23, Trae Young was announced as a starter for the Eastern Conference in the 2020 NBA All-Star Game. Young led all guards in the East in votes and became the first Hawks player selected to the All-Star Game in his first or second season since John Drew in 1975-76.
• The Hawks recorded their two highest scoring halves of the season (78 – first half, 74 – second half) and set season-highs in points scored, FG%, FTM and FGM on 1/26 vs. Washington. Atlanta knocked down a season-high 29 FTs and recorded 54 FGM on .581 FG% for 152 points. Atlanta reached at least 150 points in regulation for the first time since scoring 155 points on 2/11/70 at San Diego.
• On 1/26 vs. Washington, Trae Young notched his 16th double-double of the season with 45 points (13-24 FGs, 6-11 3FGs), 14 assists, six rebounds and one steal in 39 minutes. Young posted 40+ points for the eighth time this season. Young owns the second-most 40-point games in the NBA this season (James Harden, 16). With six 3FGM, Trae Young became the 13th Atlanta Hawk with 300 career 3FGM (303) and passed Paul Millsap for 12th on the Hawks’ all-time three pointers list. He recorded his 23rd game this season of 30-or-more points, the third-most in the NBA (Harden 29, Antetokounmpo 24). Young also ranks second in the NBA in games of 30 points and 10 assists with 10 such performances (Luka Doncic, 12)
• Since Jan. 1, Trae Young leads the Eastern Conference in assists (118), FTM (104) and points per game (32.3).
• Kevin Huerter posted 18 points (7-11 FGs, 4-7 3FGs) to go along with six rebounds, two assists and two steals in 39 minutes on 1/26 vs. Washington. Huerter passed Craig Ehlo for 18th on the Hawks’ all-time three-pointers list (213 total). Huerter is now two 3FGM shy of tying Marvin Williams for 17th.
• On 1/26 vs. Washington, Bruno Fernando recorded his first career double-double with a career-high 14 points (career-high 7-9 FGs), a careerhigh 12 rebounds, and one block in 19 minutes.
• On 1/26 vs. Washington, Cam Reddish led the Hawks reserves in scoring with 13 points (4-8 FGs), adding two rebounds and two assists in 23 minutes. Reddish has scored in double-figures in 16 contests this season, including five out of his last six.
• Per Basketball Reference, Trae Young’s 29.5 points per game are the most for a second-year player since Bob McAdoo averaged 30.6 points in 1973-74.
• De’Andre Hunter scored 25 points (8-11 FGs, 2-4 3FGs), adding three rebounds, two assists and one steal in 28 minutes on 1/26 vs. Washington. Hunter has recorded at least one steal in six consecutive games (the longest streak of his career) and it is the sixth time this season Hunter has scored 20-or-more.
HEAD COACH SHELDON KEEFE
On what he liked about the team’s performance tonight:
I liked it through different periods of the game. I thought we did a really nice job of doing the things that we wanted to do. You get the sense going in it wasn’t going to look pretty all the time in a game like this, you’re not really sure what you’re going to get coming off that type of a break. But, all in all, I thought that we executed well enough, obviously to score enough goals to put us in a good spot. I liked parts of the game and other parts that we want to make sure we continue to grow on for sure.
On Sandin scoring his first goal and the poise he has shown since his recall:
I’m pumped for him to score the goal. It was a big goal for us at that point in the game as well. I’m not surprised by the poise. I’ve come to expect that from him. I think we all have. He showed that through training camp and through this first recall as well, I think. He’s building really nicely there for us he and fits in well too just having another player who puts the puck into our forwards’ hands well and keeps the offence moving.
On Muzzin’s play after his conditioning stint with the Marlies:
The guys were giving him a little crap for that after the game. It was a great recall; I think he got the ball after the game. So, it’s good. I talked to Muzz about that situation. It was a good chance for him to kind of knock the rust off like you inevitably have to do. It just makes a little more sense to get it done there rather than here. So, today is another step in that process for him building up the confidence again and just continuing to get better and more comfortable in games.
FREDERIK ANDERSEN (34 SAVES)
On the club’s strong second period:
Yeah, we definitely quieted down the game a little bit. We got the lead obviously after the first and I thought we did a good job of not forcing too much, trying to slow things down and making sure we didn’t turn the puck over as much at crucial sports. I thought we played really smart.
On how he remained calm in the third period:
Good habits, I think, most importantly. I thought we did a good job.
JAKE MUZZIN (22:38 TOI)
On how tonight felt for him:
For me personally it felt pretty good. Glad I went down and played a game and got that feel back in me. Felt like my hands felt good out there and I was moving the puck well and stuff like that, so it was good for me.
On what he liked from the team:
A bunch of stuff. We created lots. There’s still some areas where we can improve on as far as having an F3 and not diving in. I think we had a few too many turnovers, allowing them to gain access in our zone very easily. If we can manage the puck a little bit better, I think we have an even better result. I liked our O-zone play. I thought we created lots, capitalized on some chances. It was a good first game back.
RASMUS SANDIN (1 GOAL, 1 ASSIST)
On scoring his first career NHL goal:
I’m going to remember that for the rest of my life for sure.
On how the goal happened:
I was just standing a little bit behind the play and then the puck just popped out. I saw it at the last second and he was covering the low ice and leaning forward so I just tried to put it high and lucky it went it.
On his celebration:
I think I’ve had a lot of dreams about how I would have celebrated. I don’t think I did any of them today except for the screaming so that was a great feeling.
JASON SPEZZA (1 GOAL)
On his goal tonight:
There was some traffic there and Holl did a great job of getting to the middle that allowed me to kind of walk and come right down. When you’ve got time like that you can usually try to pick a spot, so it worked out well.
On the performance of the team overall:
Just a good response. Coming out a break can be difficult games and I thought it was a good match for our team. Coming out and getting a lead, I thought we controlled play for a lot of the time. I still think there are still things we can do better but for the most part we did a lot of good things and that’s why we got rewarded with a win.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (26-17-7 – 59 Points) vs.
NASHVILLE PREDATORS (22-18-7 – 51 Points)
MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020
| 1 | 2 | 3 | OT | FINAL | |
| TORONTO | 2 | 2 | 1 | – | 5 |
| NASHVILLE | 1 | 0 | 1 | – | 2 |
GAME SUMMARY | EVENT SUMMARY | FACEOFF SUMMARY
ON THE SCORESHEET
SHOTS ON GOAL (5-on-5 in brackets)
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | OT | TOTAL | |
| TORONTO | 10 (10) | 12 (11) | 9 (8) | – | 31 (29) |
| NASHVILLE | 15 (15) | 8 (7) | 13 (12) | – | 36 (34) |
SHOT ATTEMPTS (5-on-5 in brackets)
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | OT | TOTAL | |
| TORONTO | 17 (17) | 21 (17) | 15 (14) | – | 53 (48) |
| NASHVILLE | 27 (27) | 12 (10) | 26 (22) | – | 65 (59) |
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
| Record at Home | 14-11-0 (25 Games) |
| All-Time Record vs. Nashville | 12-12-1-1 (26 Games) |
| All-Time Record vs. Nashville on the Road | 6-4-0-1 (11 Games) |
| Record vs. Western Conference | 12-7-2 (21 Games) |
| Record vs. Central Division | 6-4-1 (11 Games) |
MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS
| Shots | 4 (Four players tied) |
| Shot Attempts | 8 (Matthews) |
| Faceoff Wins | 9 (Matthews) |
| Faceoff Win Percentage | 69% (Matthews – 9 won, 4 lost) |
| Hits | 4 (Muzzin) |
| Blocked Shots | 2 (Holl, Kerfoot, Matthews) |
| Takeaways | 2 (Kerfoot) |
| TOI | 22:38 (Muzzin) |
| Power Play TOI | 1:43 (Barrie, Marner, Matthews) |
| Shorthanded TOI | 0:40 (Four players tied) |
| Shifts | 27 (Muzzin) |
| 5-on-5 Shot Attempt Percentage | 61.3% (Holl – 19 for, 12 against) |
RECORD WHEN…
| Scoring first | 18-3-1 |
| Lead after 1 | 14-2-1 |
| Lead after 2 | 19-1-2 |
| Do not score a power play goal | 10-11-3 |
| Do not allow a power play goal | 13-6-3 |
| Outshot by opponent | 13-10-3 |
| Monday | 2-2-1 |
OF NOTE…
UPCOMING GAMES:
— PHOTOGRAPHS AND TEXT PROVIDED BY EDDIE MICHELS —
The batters’ eye is being put in place on Sunday January, 26th at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, FL spring training home of the Toronto Blue Jays. The batters’ eye will have a four-stall rest room behind it for fans on the stadium’s walkway. Also one can notice a number of trees that have been planted outside the stadium’s fence. This is because Florida law requites that for every tree taken down two must be replanted on site. This has caused trees to be planted on the outside of the half field practice field behind the stadium’s right centre field fence.
Will the Blue Jays first spring training game just four weeks away as of Monday construction continues on the main gate of TD Ballpark at Grant Field in Dunedin. The photo shows the new walkway from the intersection of Douglas and Beltrees to the main gate through what used to be the stadium’s main parking lot. It has not been announced what parking will be available on site for games.
SIAKAM NAMED EASTERN CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
The National Basketball Association announced Monday that All-Star forward Pascal Siakam has been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played Jan. 20-26. He earns the honour for the third time in his career and the second time this season. Siakam will represent Toronto at the 2020 NBA All-Star Game in Chicago after being selected as a starter for the first time.
Siakam averaged team highs of 23.5 points and 9.0 rebounds while shooting .473 (35-for-74) from the field in four games last week, helping the Raptors tie a season-high with seven consecutive wins. He posted 18 points and 15 rebounds in a key Eastern Conference victory Jan. 22 vs. Philadelphia and finished the week with a team-high 35-point performance Jan. 26 at San Antonio.
A native of Cameroon, Siakam was selected 27th overall in the 2016 NBA Draft following two seasons at New Mexico State. He was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player during the 2018-19 campaign and the MVP of the 2017 NBA G League Finals.
The view from left field 