Column: Chicago Bulls fans were ready to rock the United Center — but Grayson Allen plays the villain to perfection — Twin Cities

Chicago Bulls fans were ready to rock Friday night before Game 3 at the United Center. But they also were ready to boo and got it out of their system in the second half of the Bulls’ embarrassing 111-81 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. A night that began with so much anticipation turned ugly early…

Column: Chicago Bulls fans were ready to rock the United Center — but Grayson Allen plays the villain to perfection — Twin Cities

Marlies 5, Laval 1

TORONTO MARLIES (36-28-3-1 – 76 Points) vs.
LAVAL ROCKET (37-24-4-2 – 80 Points)
FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2022
1 2 3 OT FINAL
TORONTO 0 3 2 – 5
LAVAL 1 0 0 – 1


SCORING SUMMARY

Toronto: J. Anderson (23) (B. Seney), R. Clune (4) (J. Ho-Sang, J. Duszak), P. Myers (1) (N. Robertson, C. Dahlström), N. Robertson (15) (Unassisted), P. Holmberg (1) EN (B. Seney, J. Anderson)
Goaltender: M. Hutchinson (35/36) W

Laval: J. Teasdale (13) (L. Condotta, T. Paquette-Bisson)
Goaltender: K. Poulin (26/30) L
ON THE SCORESHEET

  • Joey Anderson put the Marlies on the board at 9:26 of the second period and later added the secondary assist on Holmberg’s third period goal. He has points (2-1-3) in consecutive games. Anderson has 38 points (23 goals, 15 assists) in 52 games this season.
  • Rich Clune scored the game-winning goal at 14:06 of the second period. This was his fourth goal and first game-winning goal in 55 games this season.
  • Phil Myers scored at 15:51 of the second period. He has points (1-1-2) in consecutive games. This was his first goal with the Marlies.
  • Nick Robertson scored unassisted at 10:13 of the third period and earlier picked up the primary assist on Myers’ second period goal. He has points (7-3-10) in eight consecutive games.
  • Pontus Holmberg scored on the empty net at 14:33 of the third period. This was his first career AHL goal in his second game.
  • Brett Seney had the lone assist on Anderson’s second period goal and the primary assist on Holmberg’s third period goal. He has eight points (1 goal, 7 assists) in his last five games.
  • Josh Ho-Sang recorded the lone assist on Clune’s second period goal. He has 32 points (15 goals, 17 assists) in 44 games this season.
  • Joseph Duszak had the secondary assist on Clune’s second period goal. He has assists (2) in consecutive games. Duszak has 51 points (7 goals, 44 assists) in 58 games this season.
  • Carl Dahlström collected the secondary assist on Myers’ second period goal. He has 14 assists in 47 games this season.
  • Michael Hutchinson stopped 35 of 36 shots he faced.
    OF NOTE
  • The Marlies went 6-for-6 on the penalty kill and 0-for-2 on the power play. Toronto is 12-20-2-1 when not scoring on the power play and 18-11-1-0 when not allowing a goal on the penalty kill.
  • Laval had a 36-31 edge in shots in all situations. Joey Anderson led the Marlies with five shots on goal. Toronto is 22-20-2-1 when outshot by their opponents.
  • The Marlies are 19-14-2-1 against North Division opponents and are 2-3-0-1 against the Rocket. Laval has outscored Toronto 25-21 through six games.
    RECORD WHEN

Not scoring first 10-18-2-0
Trailing after 1st 10-17-1-0
Leading after 2nd 27-4-2-1
On the road 18-14-1-0
April 4-5-0-0
Friday 7-5-0-0 MARLIES LEADERS *Amongst active players

Goals 23 (J. Anderson)
Assists 44 (J. Duszak)
Points 57 (B. Seney)
PPG 8 (J. Anderson, A. Steeves)
Shots 168 (A. Steeves)
+/- +17 (B. Seney)
PIMS 103 (R. Clune)
POSTGAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH GREG MOORE
On tonight’s game:
This is a tough building to come in in the first period, sold out crowd. This team plays very heavy. I thought our team did a really good job being prepared and ready for that. Once we go through that energy and that push by Laval, we got stronger, we got better. A couple of big kills by our penalty kill, they were really important in the win today. Hutchy making some big saves. We’ve been chasing a 60-minute game all year, I think this was as close to it as we’ve had.

On Rich Clune and his game-winning goal:
It’s electric. Cluner does a lot for our group and when he can add offensively like that, it’s a big lift. The boys get really vibrant on the bench and excited for him. He does so much for us in other areas.

On Filip Král leaving the game in the first period:
Kind of a weird play. It was a great play by him. A good hit on the entry against, put the guy into the glass and got a stall. Things we definitely ask our D to do. Just unfortunate how the skate, probably of the opponent, grazed him on the inside of the leg. A leg laceration so just for precautionary reasons, we made sure we kept him out, not knowing how deep it was or what was the damage.

JOEY ANDERSON (1 GOAL, 1 ASSIST)

On tonight’s game:
This was one of our most complete games. It was a must-win for us. There are no excuses. It has to be that way and it’s got to be that way the rest of the year.

On the penalty kill:
Just like the rest of the game, we were winning battles. A lot of the inconsistencies with our team this year have been competing and battles and structure. Tonight, we battled the whole time. Even when things weren’t perfect, we competed, blocked shots, didn’t panic when things broke down. Those are the things we need to do if we want to do anything come into the springtime, we’ve got to have that effort every night.

RICH CLUNE (GAME-WINNING GOAL)

On tonight’s game:
Based on our penalty kills, that was probably the difference of us being down a few goals early. You could really see the character and the courage and what we know we have in that room, we have a tight-knit group who will do things for each other and it came out there with the blocks and the clears and the saves. That’s what gave us momentum to get going in that game

UPCOMING GAMES:
*All times Eastern Standard Time

April 24 vs. Belleville – 4:00 p.m.
April 27 at Laval – 7:00 p.m.
April 28 at Laval – 7:00 p.m.
April 30 at Belleville – 3:00 p.m.

76ERS AT RAPTORS GAME 3

Josh Lewenberg

@JLew1050

·

Scottie Barnes is OUT for tonight’s Game 3.


• The Toronto Raptors continue their first round playoff series Wednesday night when they host the Philadelphia 76ers at Scotiabank Arena. The Raptors dropped Game 2, 112-97, on Monday in Philadelphia. OG
Anunoby led Toronto with a postseason career-high 26 points (10-14 FG, 4-7 3PT, 2-2 FT) in 38 minutes after matching his then playoff career best with 20 points in Game 1. Through two games, Anunoby is
averaging a team-high 23.0 points and shooting .655 (19-29) from the field.
Pascal Siakam finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in Game 2 at Philadelphia. With his first basket, Siakam (752) moved into third place on the Raptors’ all-time postseason scoring list – behind only Kyle Lowry (1,435) and DeMar DeRozan (1,117). Siakam has now scored 20+ points in six straight
games played (Apr. 3-18), averaging 28.3 points during this stretch.
• This series marks the third time Toronto and Philadelphia have met in the playoffs. The previous two series
both went seven games. The 76ers edged out Toronto in second round in 2001, while the Raptors prevailed in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 2019 en route to the franchise’s first NBA title. Four players
remain from Toronto’s 2019 roster – OG Anunoby, Chris Boucher, Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet.
Chris Boucher recorded postseason career highs of 17 points and eight rebounds, including six offensive
boards, in 30 minutes off the bench in Game 2. Boucher became just the third Raptors reserve to grab five
or more offensive rebounds in a playoff game, joining Bismack Biyombo (Apr. 29, 2016 at Indiana) and
Jerome Williams (May 9, 2001 at Philadelphia). Boucher topped all reserves in the NBA during the regular
season with 155 offensive rebounds.
• Toronto won three of four regular season games against Philadelphia this season. Pascal Siakam averaged a team-high 30.3 points and shot .507 (35-69) from the field in three games vs. the Sixers this year.
He recorded his third career triple-double Apr. 7 with 37 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists. In four regular
season games, Toronto outrebounded Philadelphia 187-158 (+29), including 57-28 on the offensive end
(+29). Reserve Chris Boucher led the attack on the glass averaging 10.5 rebounds.
• Pascal Siakam averaged 22.8 points, and career bests of 8.5 rebounds and 5.3 assists, in 68 games this
season. Siakam was one of just five players in the NBA to average at least 22.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and
5.0 assists, along with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Nikola Jokic.
• Toronto ranked second in the NBA in offensive rebounds (13.4) and second chance points (16.5) this season. The Raptors had five different players collected more than 100 offensive rebounds: Scottie Barnes
(195), Chris Boucher (179), Precious Achiuwa (146), Pascal Siakam (128) & Khem Birch (122).
Fred VanVleet earned his first All-Star selection, becoming the first undrafted All-Star since Ben Wallace
in 2006. VanVleet averaged career highs of 20.3 points, 6.7 assists and 4.4 rebounds in 65 games. He is
averaging 19.0 points, 6.5 assists and 2.0 steals through two games against the Sixers.
PROBABLE STARTERS
F – OG ANUNOBY #3

• Averaged a career-high 17.1 points and shot .363 (115-317) from three-point range in 48 games this season.
• Scored 20+ points in 19 games; something he did 13 times in 43 games last season.
• Missed three-of-four meetings against the Sixers this year.
F – PASCAL SIAKAM #43
• Recorded a career-high 30 double-doubles – the most by a Raptor since Chris Bosh (49) in 2009-10.
• Ranked 15th in the NBA in scoring; Toronto was 12-2 when he scored 30+ points.
• Became first player in franchise history to averaged 22+ points, 8+ rebounds and 5+ assists for an entire season.
C – SCOTTIE BARNES #4
• Was the only rookie to rank in the top-five in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and minutes.
• Scored 20+ points in 17 games this season – the most by a Raptors rookie since Vince Carter (23) in 1998-99.
• Led the Raptors with a franchise rookie record 195 offensive rebounds (15th in the NBA).
G – GARY TRENT JR. #33
• Ranked third in the NBA in steals per game, fifth in total deflections (237) and 17th in three-pointers made (209).
• Matched his career high with five steals six times (last: Feb. 28 at Brooklyn).
• Scored 30+ points in five straight games (Jan. 25 – Feb. 1), tying the franchise record set by DeMar DeRozan.
G – FRED VANVLEET #23
• Was the first undrafted player to be named an All-Star since Ben Wallace in 2006.
• Ranked sixth in the NBA in steals per game, second in total deflections (254) and third in threes (240).
• Set the single-season franchise record for made three-pointers

Report: Optimism Luka Doncic will return for Mavericks-Jazz Game 3 or Game 4 — ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports

Doncic could make a massive difference in this series.

Report: Optimism Luka Doncic will return for Mavericks-Jazz Game 3 or Game 4 — ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports

Chicago Bulls stepped up defensively in Game 1 against the Milwaukee Bucks. Here’s what worked. — The Denver Post

The Chicago Bulls defense stood out in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks, holding the reigning NBA champions 22.5 points below their regular-season average despite the 93-86 loss. Coach Billy Donovan believes this level of physical buy-in is“ just the price of admission” for guarding the Bucks. “You don’ t do that, you have no…

Chicago Bulls stepped up defensively in Game 1 against the Milwaukee Bucks. Here’s what worked. — The Denver Post

Armed with their young, bright stars and fun style of play, Memphis and Minnesota don’t belong on NBA TV — Twin Cities

First-round NBA playoff games have a few different potential television destinations. Most first-round games are aired on each team’s respective regional sports network — hence why you can catch every Timberwolves-Grizzlies game on Bally Sports North this series, if you have it. Then there’s the national broadcasts. The games deemed to be the most attractive […]

Armed with their young, bright stars and fun style of play, Memphis and Minnesota don’t belong on NBA TV — Twin Cities

Timberwolves have massive 3-point shooting advantage over Grizzlies — Twin Cities

The Timberwolves made 16 three-point shots in Saturday’s NBA playoff victory in Memphis, while the Grizzlies hit just seven. That’s 27 additional points in Minnesota’s column before considering anything else that takes place on the floor. The math problem that befuddled the Timberwolves’ organization for the better part of a decade is working distinctly in…

Timberwolves have massive 3-point shooting advantage over Grizzlies — Twin Cities

Rudy Gobert: If anyone not named Rudy Gobert had my season, they’d be clear Defensive Player of the Year favorite — ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports

Gobert is right.

Rudy Gobert: If anyone not named Rudy Gobert had my season, they’d be clear Defensive Player of the Year favorite — ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports

Patrick Beverley seems to be shifting gears for playoffs, turning into Timberwolves’ calming force — Twin Cities

MEMPHIS — The Timberwolves got off to a lightning-quick start in their NBA playoff opener Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies, opening up a 9-2 lead on the strength of an Anthony Edwards surge just moments into the game, causing the Grizzlies to call timeout. Immediately after that whistle, veteran Timberwolves guard Patrick Beverley looked at […]

Patrick Beverley seems to be shifting gears for playoffs, turning into Timberwolves’ calming force — Twin Cities

After Game 1 loss, four ways Nets can adjust to Celtics’ punishing defense and rebounding — Boston Herald

BOSTON — Offensive rebounds, turnovers, poor transition defense, and touches for Seth Curry, all underscored by a particularly poor shooting night for Kevin Durant. The film from the Nets’ one-point, buzzer-beating defeat in Game 1 shows a team that fought hard for about 44 minutes. But a three-minute stretch at the top of the third…

After Game 1 loss, four ways Nets can adjust to Celtics’ punishing defense and rebounding — Boston Herald

In Curry, Thompson and Green’s return to the playoffs, a new ‘death lineup’ is created — East Bay Times

SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors needed just four minutes to win. All it took was a lineup they’d never used. Of course, that lineup featured Golden State’s Big 3 — Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson. 767 more words

In Curry, Thompson and Green’s return to the playoffs, a new ‘death lineup’ is created — East Bay Times

Knicks have 2% chance of No. 1 pick after landing lottery position No. 11 — Boston Herald

Lucky number eleven? The Knicks draft lottery position moved up a spot and is set at No. 11 after the Clippers lost Friday night to the Pelicans in the final play-in game. It means the Knicks have a two percent chance of landing the No. 1 pick and a decent 9.4% chance of cracking the…

Knicks have 2% chance of No. 1 pick after landing lottery position No. 11 — Boston Herald