Day: January 4, 2022

Grizzlies’ Desmond Bane: Ja Morant belongs in debate of NBA’s best point guard — ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports

Ja Morant is a star.

Grizzlies’ Desmond Bane: Ja Morant belongs in debate of NBA’s best point guard — ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports

SPURS-RAPTORS PREGAME NOTES

GAME #34 – TORONTO RAPTORS (16-17) vs. SAN ANTONIO SPURS (14-21)
TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022 – 7 P.M. (ET) – SCOTIABANK ARENA
TV: SPORTSNET – RADIO: TSN 1050 TORONTO

SAS@TOR San Antonio Spurs Bates-Diop, Keita Available Injury/Illness – Right Hamstring; Tightness
Cacok, Devontae Out Health and Safety Protocols
Collins, Zach Out Injury/Illness – Left Ankle; Stress Fracture
McDermott, Doug Out Health and Safety Protocols
Murray, Dejounte Out Return to Competition Reconditioning
Walker IV, Lonnie Out Health and Safety Protocols
Toronto Raptors Bonga, Isaac Questionable Return to Competition Reconditioning
Dragic, Goran Out Not With Team
Johnson, David Out Injury/Illness – Left Calf; Strain
Mykhailiuk, Svi Out Health and Safety Protocols
Watanabe, Yuta Out Health and Safety Protocol


• The Toronto Raptors (16-17) complete a four-game homestand (Dec. 28 – Jan. 4) Tuesday night vs. the San Antonio Spurs (14-21) at Scotiabank Arena. Toronto and San Antonio split the season series last year
(1-1), with the home team winning both contests. The Raptors have won seven of their last nine games at home (Dec. 2 – Jan. 2), after beating New York 120-105 on Sunday afternoon.
• Fred VanVleet finished with a season-high 35 points, and made a season-best seven three-point field goals, Sunday vs. New York. VanVleet has scored 30+ points in consecutive games, and three of his last four games played (Dec. 14 – Jan. 2). He is averaging 31.0 points and shooting .476 (40-84) from the field,
including .460 (23-50) from beyond the arc, over the last four. VanVleet has scored 30+ points in a teamhigh five games this season, something he did six times in 52 contest last year.
• The Raptors outrebounded New York 44-30, including 11-7 on the offensive glass, Sunday afternoon. Toronto has held opponents to fewer than 10 offensive rebounds in three consecutive games (Dec. 28-Jan. 2). During this span, the Raptors have outrebounded opponents 141-109 and 38-18 on the offensive
end. Toronto ranks second in the NBA in offensive rebounds per game (12.9) and second-chance points (15.9), trailing only Memphis in both categories.
• Pascal Siakam finished with 20 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists in Sunday’s win over the Knicks. Siakam has now tallied 20+ points in four straight games (Dec. 14 – Jan. 2). He is averaging 24.5 points
and shooting .519 (40-77) from the field during this streak. Siakam is just the third player in Raptors franchise history to record 20/10/5 in back-to-back games, joining Chris Bosh (2X) and Kyle Lowry.
• Fred VanVleet (115) and Gary Trent Jr. (109) currently rank second and third, respectively, in the NBA in
total deflections. Trent Jr. also ranks second in the league in steals per game (2.03) and has recorded
multiple steals in 19 games, while VanVleet has led the NBA in deflections per game each of the past two seasons. The Raptors lead the NBA in deflections per game (18.7) and rank third in steals (9.1).
• Rookie Scottie Barnes has scored in double figures in 13 straight games played (Nov. 21 – Jan. 2). He is averaging 16.2 points and shooting .494 (80-162) from the floor, including .412 (21-51) from beyond the
arc, during this streak. He currently leads all rookies in minutes (35.8), ranks second in points (15.5) and rebounds (8.1), and fourth with a .493 field goal percentage.
• Fred VanVleet is one of just seven players in the NBA averaging 20+ points, 6+ assists and 5+ rebounds this season, along with Steph Curry, Luka Doncic, James Harden, LeBron James, Nikola Jokic and Ja Morant. VanVleet has posted 20/6/5 in four games this season.
• Spurs centre Jakob Poeltl was picked ninth overall by the Raptors in the 2016 NBA Draft. Poeltl spent two seasons in Toronto, averaging 5.4 points and 4.1 rebounds in 136 games played. In 2018, Poeltl was traded to San Antonio with DeMar DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green.
PROBABLE STARTERS
F – OG ANUNOBY #3

MIN: 36.3 REB: 5.2 AST: 2.4 STL: 1.7 TO: 1.5 BLK: 0.5 PTS: 19.4


• Recorded 14 points, three rebounds, three steals and one assists in 30 minutes Jan. 2 vs. New York.
• Had missed 15 of the last 17 games (Nov. 18 – Dec. 28), including 13 (Nov. 18 – Dec. 14) with a left hip pointer.
• Has totaled seven steals in last two games (Dec. 31 – Jan. 2); has recorded 3+ steals five times this season.
F – SCOTTIE BARNES #4

MIN: 35.8 REB: 8.1 AST: 3.3 STL: 1.1 TO: 1.9 BLK: 1.0 PTS: 15.5
• Tallied 13 points and four rebounds in 30 minutes Jan. 2 vs. New York.
• Leads all rookies in minutes (35.8), and ranks second in points (15.5) and rebounds (8.1).
• Has scored in double figures in 13 straight games played (Nov. 21 – Jan. 2), averaging 16.2 points.
F – PASCAL SIAKAM #43

MIN: 35.1 REB: 8.4 AST: 4.3 STL: 0.8 TO: 2.5 BLK: 0.9 PTS: 19.9
• Finished with 20 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists in 35 minutes Jan. 2 vs. New York.
• Has collected 10+ rebounds in consecutive games, including a career high-tying 19 boards Dec. 31 vs. LAC.
• Moved into 10th on the Raptors’ all-time assists list Sunday (966); averaging 7.3 assists in last three games.
G – GARY TRENT JR. #33

MIN: 34.1 REB: 3.0 AST: 2.1 STL: 2.1 TO: 0.9 BLK: 0.3 PTS: 16.2
• Contributed five points, four rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes Jan. 2 vs. New York.
• Ranks second in the NBA in steals per game (2.03); has recorded multiple steals in 19 games.
• Averaged 15.1 points, 3.1 assists and shot .386 (27-70) from three-point range in nine games in December.
G – FRED VANVLEET #23
• Scored a season-high 35 points Jan. 2 vs. New York; added five rebounds and five assists in 31 minutes.
• Leads the NBA in minutes per game (37.7), has logged 40+ minutes seven times.
• Toronto is 12-3 all-time when VanVleet scores 30+ points, including 4-1 this season.

MIN: 37.7 REB: 5.0 AST: 6.7 STL: 1.6 TO: 2.9 BLK: 0.6 PTS: 20.9

INJURY REPORT
Isaac Bonga (Return to Competition Reconditioning) – Questionable
Goran Dragic (NWT) – Out
David Johnson (Left Calf; Strain) – Out

2021-22 RECORDS
W-L EAST WEST
OVERALL 16-17 11-11 5-6
HOME 9-10 6-7 3-3
AWAY 7-7 5-4 2-3
OVERTIME 0-1 0-1 0-0



NEXT GAME DETAILS
Opponent: Milwaukee Bucks
Date: Wednesday, January 5
Tip-Off: 8 p.m. (ET)
Venue: Fiserv Forum
Television: Sportsnet
Radio: TSN 1050 Toronto
SERIES RECAP VS. MILWAUKEE
OVERALL HOME ROAD
2021-22 1-0 1-0 0-0
ALL-TIME 42-54 21-27 21-27
STREAKS Won 3 Won 1 Won 3
LAST WIN: Dec. 2, 2021 (97-93)
LAST ROAD WIN: Feb. 18, 2021 (110-96)
LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY: +42 (Nov. 21, 2014)
LARGEST MARGIN OF DEFEAT: -27 (Nov. 6, 2007)


SPURS LAST GAME STARTERS


DEVIN
VASSELL

24

G • 6-6 • 195
FLORIDA STATE
GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3PG% FT% MPG
30/2 10.8 3.9 1.5 1.03 0.70 .450 .350 .724 24.7
2021-22: Devin Vassell hit his 100th career three-pointer, joining Gary Neal and Danny Green as the only
Spur players to make 100+ threes in their first 100 career games … on 11/10, Vassell became one of five
Spurs in history with multiple outings of 5+ three-pointers in his first 100 career games (Neal, Bertans,
Green, Forbes) … in 20-21, Vassell posted a streak of 11 games with 1+ steals and 0 turnovers, marking
the longest streak all-time in NBA history … only the second Spur in history to record 30+ three-pointers
and 30+ steals in their first 30 career games, joining Tony Parker … became the seventh rookie in
franchise history to record 50-plus three pointers in their first season.


TRE
JONES

33

G • 6-2 • 185
DUKE
GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3PG% FT% MPG
33/1 4.3 2.1 2.2 0.33 0.00 .508 .182 1.000 12.4
2021-22: In his first-career start, scored a career-best 15 points and 6 field goals on 1/1 … on 12/26, set a new
career-high in assists, dishing out 11 in Detroit and one of two Spurs to total 10+ assists in the same game; the
first duo since Jan. 18, 2021 and before that when Avery Johnson and Sean Elliot did it in 1996.


JAKOB
POELTL

25

C • 7-0 • 240
UTAH
GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3PG% FT% MPG
28/27 12.2 8.5 2.8 0.61 1.43 .598 — .358 28.3
2021-22: Last season, had 120 blocks, which ranked 5th in the NBA … Hit 2,000 career points on 4/22 …
15th player in San Antonio history with 250 career blocks … tied a career-high 20 points and a career-best
16 rebounds on 3/17 – first Spur with 20+ points and 15+ rebounds since 2018-19 … recorded 15 of his
24 career double-doubles … had 22 games with 3+ blocks this, the fourth-most in the NBA… He broke his
single season-career high with 123 last year, becoming the 14th player in Spurs history to reach 100
blocks in a single season and the first Spur not named Tim Duncan with 120+ blocks since Rasho Nesterovich (2003-04).


KELDON
JOHNSON

3

G/F • 6-6 • 210
KENTUCKY
GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3PG% FT% MPG
34/34 15.0 6.6 1.6 0.85 0.12 .458 .449 .686 30.9
2021-22: Keldon Jonson is leading the NBA in 3-pt percentage shooting .472 from three … recorded eight
of his nine career double-doubles last season … ninth player in franchise history selected to the Rising
Stars Challenge … third youngest and fifth-fastest Spur to reach 1,000 career points on 5/13 … scored 23
points with a career-high 21 rebounds on 3/19, first Spur to post a 20/20 game with 10+ offensive boards
since Tim Duncan in 2010 … scored a career-high 29 points, 1/14 … posted fifth-career 20/10 game on
4/3, only Tim Duncan had more before his 22nd birthday (37).


DERRICK
WHITE

4

G • 6-4 • 195
COLORADO
GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG FG% 3PG% FT% MPG
35/35 14.5 3.5 5.6 1.20 0.89 .423 .290 .863 30.8
2021-22: Set a career-best 14 assists at Detroit on 1/1 … on 12/26, dished out 10 assists in 16 minutes.
He is now the only player in Spurs franchise history to record 10+ assists in 16 minutes or less … fourth
player in Spurs history with 2,000 points, 600 rebounds and 600 assists in their first 200 games … reached
both 150 steals and 150 blocks in his career on 10/28. Only four players in Spurs history have 150/150 in
their first 200 games: David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Greg Anderson and Derrick White … 2020-21 recorded
a single-season career-high 84 three-pointers in 36 games … set Spurs record for three-pointers in the first
quarter with 4 treys in the opening frame on 4/19 … posted career-highs of 29 points, 7 three-pointers
made and tied a career-best 10 field goals made in a season-high 45 minutes of action vs. Atlanta on 4/1.
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
Oct. 11: Waived Luka Samanic; Oct. 18: Waived Al-Farouq Aminu; Oct. 18: Claimed Devontae Cacok off waivers; Signed Devontae Cacok to two-way contract; Oct. 27: Assigned Josh Primo to G League; Nov. 3:
Re-called Josh Primo; Nov. 10: Recalled Josh Primo from G League; Nov. 13: Assigned Josh Primo to G League; Nov. 26: Recalled Josh Primo from G League; Nov. 27: Assigned Josh Primo to G League; Nov. 29:
Recalled Josh Primo from G League; Dec. 2: Assigned Josh Primo to G League; Dec. 6: Recalled Josh Primo from G League; Dec. 8: Assigned Jock Landale to G League; Dec. 10: Assigned Josh Primo to G League;
Dec. 12: Recalled Jock Landale from G League; Jan. 1: Signed Jaylen Morris to 10-day contract.
INJURY/INACTIVE REPORT
Zach Collins (Left Ankle Stress fracture) – Out;
Keita Bates-Diop (Right Hamstring Tightness) – Questionable;
Devontae Cacok (Health and Safety Protocols) – Out;
Doug McDermott (Health and Safety Protocols) – Out;
Lonnie Walker IV (Health and Safety Protocols) – Out;
Dejounte Murray (Return to Competition Reconditioning) – Out


The Warriors just did something no team has accomplished in 27 years — Red Bluff Daily News

Steph Curry had an off scoring night Monday against the Miami Heat. Draymond Green was returning from a two-game absence due to health and safety protocols. The lack of playmaking in years past would spell disaster for the Warriors. Instead, the Warriors logged their second straight game with a season-high 39 assists, both coming against…

The Warriors just did something no team has accomplished in 27 years — Red Bluff Daily News

MARLIES 4, BELLEVILLE 2

BELLEVILLE SENATORS (12-13-0-0 – 24 Points) vs.
TORONTO MARLIES (12-10-1-1 – 26 Points)

MONDAY, JANUARY 3, 2022

 123OTFINAL
BELLEVILLE101–2
TORONTO301–4

GAME SUMMARY    |    GAME SHEET |    PHOTOS    |      SCRUMS

SCORING SUMMARY

Belleville: P. Kelly (2) (C. Martenet), R. Chartier (4) (Z. Leslie, E. Sokolov)
Goaltender: K. Mandolese (3/6), M. Sogaard (16/16)

Toronto: R. Chyzowski (2) (P. Gogolev, J. Blandisi), B. McMann (6) (J. Ho-Sang), M. Hollowell (2) (B. Seney, M. Abramov), J. Blandisi (1) EN, PP (C. Douglas, M. Hollowell)
Goaltender: J. Woll (24/26)

ON THE SCORESHEET

  • Ryan Chyzwoski opened the scoring at 2:46 of the first period. He has two goals in seven games with the Marlies this season.
  • Bobby McMann scored at 6:36 of the first period. He has nine points (6 goals, 3 assists) in 17 games this season.
  • Mac Hollowell scored at 8:21 of the first period and later added the secondary assist on Blandisi’s third period goal. He has seven points (2 goals, 5 assists) in 11 games this season. This was his first career AHL game-winning goal.
  • Joseph Blandisi scored an empty net goal at 19:01 of the third period and earlierregistered the secondary assist on Chyzowski’s first period goal. This was Blandisi’s first goal and assist with the Marlies in his second game this season.
  • Pavel Gogolev recorded the primary assist on Chyzowski’s first period goal.
  • Josh Ho-Sang had the lone assist on McMann’s first period goal. This was his 100th career AHL assist.
  • Brett Seney picked up the primary assist on Hollowell’s first period goal. This was his 100th career AHL point. He has 19 points (11 goals, 8 assists) in 22 games this season with the Marlies.
  • Mikhail Abramov recorded the secondary assist on Hollowell’s first period goal. He has 10 points (2 goals, 8 assists) in 24 games this season.
  • Curtis Douglas had the secondary assist on Blandisi’s third period goal. Douglas has three points (1 goal, 2 assists) in his last three games.
  • Joseph Woll stopped 24 of 26 shots he faced. He is 3-0-0 against Belleville this season, making 89 saves.

OF NOTE

  • Toronto went 4-for-4 on the penalty kill and 1-for-5 on the power play. Toronto is 8-6-1-0 when scoring on the power play and 8-5-0-0 when not allowing a goal on the penalty kill. This was Toronto’s fourth consecutive game recording a power play goal and their third consecutive game not allowing a goal on the penalty kill.
  • Belleville had a 26-23 edge in shots in all situations. Brett Seney led the Marlies with four shots on goal. Toronto is 9-7-1-1 when outshot by their opponent.
  • The Marlies are 7-7-1-1 against North Division opponents and 4-1-0-0 against the Belleville Senators. Toronto has outscored Belleville 20-10 this season.
  • Carl Dahlström and Josh Ho-Sang both appeared in their 200th career AHL game.
RECORD WHEN

Scoring first                            8-1-0-1
Leading after 1                         6-1-1-1
Leading after 2                        9-1-1-1
January                                   1-1-0-0
Monday                                    1-0-0-0
2 Goal Game                            2-1-0-0
MARLIES LEADERS

Goals               11 (B. Seney)
Assists            18 (J. Duszak)
Points              19 (J. Duszak, B. Seney)
PPG                 4 (J. Ho-Sang)
Shots               59 (B. Seney)
+/-                    +7 (B. Seney)
PIMS                50 (R. Clune)

POSTGAME QUOTES

HEAD COACH GREG MOORE

On Ryan Chyzowski’s performance:

Really happy for him. He’s one of those guys with an infectious personality. He’s always rooting and cheering on everyone regardless of his ice time or his opportunity. He’s the definition of a team player. So, it’s good to get him on the ice, get him some opportunities and he found some success early.

On Joseph Blandisi:

It’s been such a short window for us and our time with him, just his second game but you can tell the maturity he has and how he plays and how he manages situations. He’s a competitor, and you can tell he’s been a great addition.

JOSEPH BLANDISI (1 GOAL, 1 ASSIST)

On the locker room:
Everybody is really close in the dressing room. I know it’s a family type of atmosphere in there. The coaches are hanging out with the players and you can barely decipher who’s who because everybody gets a long really well. The training staff and everybody is looking out for us. I just think with the family atmosphere, everybody wants to go to battle for each other and that’s a good recipe for success.

UPCOMING GAMES:
*All times Eastern Standard Time

January 5 vs. Utica – 1:00 p.m.
January 10 vs. Springfield – 7:00 p.m.
January 12 vs. Belleville – 7:00 p.m.
January 15 at Hershey – 7:00 p.m.
January 16 at Lehigh Valley – 3:05 p.m.