The Toronto Raptors closed out a memorable decade by rolling past the Cleveland Cavaliers 117-97 on New Year’s Eve. Read More
Champion Raptors close decade with easy win over Cavaliers — Toronto Sun
TORONTO MARLIES (19-10-2-1 – 41 Points) vs. CLEVELAND MONSTERS (15-15-1-2 – 33 Points)
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2019
| 1 | 2 | 3 | OT | FINAL | |
| CLEVELAND | 1 | 0 | 3 | – | 4 |
| TORONTO | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 1 |
GAME SUMMARY | GAME SHEET | PHOTOS | SCRUMS
SCORING SUMMARY
Cleveland: P. Bittner (4) (D. Simpson), J. Scott (5) (S. Johnson, D. DeSalvo), K. Sherwood (4) (D. DeSalvo), J. Scott (6) EN (A. Clendening, M. Fortier)
Goaltender: V. Vehvilainen (28/29)
Toronto: K. Agostino (17) (T. Liljegren, M. Read)
Goaltender: K. Kaskisuo (32/35)
ON THE SCORESHEET
A DECADE OF MARLIES
OF NOTE…
REGULAR SEASON LEADERS
RECORD WHEN…
CURRENT POINT STREAKS
MARLIES UPDATES.
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
POSTGAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH GREG MOORE
On the team’s first period:
I was actually really happy with it. I liked our energy, I liked our focus, I liked our execution of our details. Our bench was really good and we got some looks, so I was really happy with the start. The second period, I thought early on got away from us a little bit. We got in our D-zone, just need at the end to close out some plays a little bit quicker. But overall, I liked our process to start the game.
On Kasimir Kaskisuo:
He definitely made big saves. He’s been playing well lately. He had a good weekend this past week and it’s just one of those nights. I thought their goalie played really well, too. We had some backdoor empty nets on the power play we just couldn’t finish on, so we got our looks. Our staff really liked our process, our energy and a lot of things that we talked about the guys were executing. So, we’ll just build on focusing on the process and not the result.
NEXT GAME:
January 3 at Syracuse – 7:00 p.m. ET
January 4 vs Rochester – 4:00 p.m. ET
January 5 vs Lehigh Valley – 4:00 p.m. ET
January 10 at Texas – 7:00 p.m. ET
January 11 at Texas – 7:00 p.m. ET
(10-23) CLEVELAND CAVALIERS, 97 VS. (23-11) TORONTO RAPTORS, 117 SCOTIABANK ARENA TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2019
TORONTO RAPTORS QUOTES
NICK NURSE (HEAD COACH)
On the starting lineup change … You guys know that I like to mix it up a little bit, I haven’t been doing it all that much this year and I thought maybe get both of them going – both Rondae (Hollis-Jefferson) and OG (Anunoby) … It seemed like it worked out okay, they both played really well tonight, I liked the energy from both of them.
On getting OG into the small forward position being a factor … Yeah, it did, I think that is an interesting part of it. Out of position is sometimes out of position, and getting him back there and getting him more comfortable. I just liked again, both of them were more focused, way more energetic, they were down and guarding, they were rebounding and when you are like that other good things, you know your shooting, your making strong moves and stuff seem to follow.
On using Rondae to start moving forward … I don’t know. Mixing up the starting lineup here for a little bit is probably something that you are going to see. I am just going to see what it looks like and feels like depending on who we are playing a little bit and go from there.
On Terence Davis being more energetic and not effected by the end of the last game … Yeah, which is good. He is a shooter and we need him to vault up and take them when he has got them and he found some rhythm tonight. I think we got a couple of set plays for him too and he made those, so that’s a good sign. It’s good that he came out and put that one in the past as history and moved on.
TERENCE DAVIS II (19 points, four rebounds)
On bouncing back after last game… I went home and watched the film and really (learned) from those mistakes. Down the stretch I looked at the clock and didn’t really tick in the time and score but that’s to take home with me down the road, just learning from those mistakes.
What does it feel like when you’re on an offensive role like that? Well I see it like this, when I see one go in I feel pretty good. I see another go in, I say okay, then another and it’s just the game of basketball, it’s how the game of basketball goes. Starts falling, you feel good, a good state of mind, actually.
FRED VANVLEET (12 points, seven assists)
On having chemistry with Terence Davis II tonight… I think offensively he’s a microwave, you know he heats up pretty quick. Know where to find him and usually if you get him in a good spot and he gets his feet down he’s got a quick release, so he can get them off, so tonight I thought he did a good of finding spots. Just playing confident and this is one of those games where a guy could find some rhythm, start off really hot then kind of hit the wall a little bit so to speak. I try to look for him to get his rhythm back and get his swagger back.
Do you say anything to OG Anunoby coming off the bench? Not really, guys got to figure it out as it goes. We are all pretty close and maybe too close to the point that we don’t really give each other pep talks. I know I didn’t, at least. You expect a guy to play no matter what position he’s in. He did a good job of coming in, ready to go and played pretty much identical to the way he’s been playing, he just made shots tonight, so that is kind of the cure all in most situations. He made some shots and that’s all that you look for.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS QUOTES
JOHN BEILEIN (HEAD COACH)
On tonight’s game… Not a very good game for us, credit Toronto for that. They have such a great system that they are playing with. They have tremendous guards who really run that thing so well and they are really sound defensively. We were not good in many areas of the game today, end of the road trip, whatever, we just weren’t very good. I’ve got to watch the video and see what we can do to get better.
What was the most difficult thing tonight in containing them from the three-point line? They had the guys come off the bench with (Terence) Davis hitting the three, and OG (Anunoby) hitting the three and then of course just when you think maybe make a little run, (Kyle) Lowry will make a tough three. Their guard play is really experienced and really good, and it shows. They really have a great rhythm to what they do, they are hard to stop and then at the end of the first half, that last 45 seconds was just, frankly, was embarrassing.
How do you get your backcourt duo to play like Lowry and VanVleet? They just have to get the same experience those two have. They got years and years and years. Lowry was at Villanova when I was coaching at West Virginia, so that’s a long time ago. He’s got a lot of knowledge that I’m sure our guys will have over time. And then VanVleet, four years at Wichita State, led his team to the Final Four and really has earned this thing all the way through and really has done a great job. So those two guys are terrific. In today’s game, two guards like that, despite their size, can dominate and they really dominated the game today. They didn’t dominate our guards, they just dominated the game by making the right play.
COLLIN SEXTON (22 points)
What did you see out of the Raptors tonight? They’re a tough team, a championship team, so you know they’re going to put up a really good fight – and also they lost to OKC the other night so they had a chip on their shoulder and wanted to pretty much beat us. You could tell from the very start of the game that they had a different type of energy. The fans had a good type of energy that helped them tonight.
Where do you want to see the team improve offensively? Offensively? Just keep taking the shots. Making the right plays and doing what we do. I feel like most things come on defence. Not sprinting back, stopping in the backcourt, little things that we can control like boxing out. I don’t know how many offensive rebounds they had tonight, but it was a lot. We have to make sure we help the bigs and rebound. As a group we have to get better. Just get better and hopefully get some wins together.
TRISTAN THOMPSON (14 points, 11 rebounds)
What are some takeaways from this game? That everyone finished the game healthy. At the end of the day going into the new year, it’s bigger than basketball. You just want guys to finish out the year strong, finish out 2019 strong and be healthy. We got through the game, you guys saw what happened, the Raptors are a really good team. You have to give them credit. They play hard. It was their night tonight. Thinking about getting back to Cleveland and guys can spend time with their family because that’s what it’s all about.
On improving defensively… I think communication. Just talking, just have to open our mouth and call out the calls. If we see something we have to holler. Call it out loud and continuous so our teammates know what’s going on. We have to be on the same page with it.
What comes to your mind when you think of 2019 on the court? 2019? Some new faces, young guys getting better and adding some good young pieces. Collin, DG, KPG. It’s good. I’m happy with our young guys. They want to learn. They want to be great and they’re going to keep pushing themselves day in and day out.
On Kyle Lowry… Kyle Lowry is a Hall of Famer. He’s a (five)-time All-Star, Olympic gold medalist, an NBA champ. He’s their backbone. He’s been here since when they drew that charge against him in Brooklyn with Paul Pierce. He’s been through all that. When we were playing them in the Eastern Conference Finals and sweeping them. Then with Kawhi in the Finals, so he’s been through, just like myself, highs and lows, for him he keeps this ship running. He’s playing at a high level. Kyle is a bulldog. He competes every night. That’s why his teammates love him – because you can count on the guy every night.
FINAL SCORE: TORONTO RAPTORS 117, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS 97
DATE: DECEMBER 31, 2019 ATTENDANCE: 19,800 (Sellout)
FINAL SCORE RECORD HIGH POINTS HIGH REBOUNDS HIGH ASSISTS Cleveland 97 10-23 Sexton – 22 Love/Thompson – 11 Three Players – 4
Toronto 117 23-11 Lowry – 24 Ibaka – 10 Lowry – 8
KEY RUN
Leading 52-43 with 1:03 left in the second quarter, Toronto ended the half with seven straight points to lead 59-43 at the break … The Raptors outscored Cleveland 32-18 in the second quarter … Kyle Lowry scored 11 of his game-high 24 points in the frame … Toronto led by double digits the entire second half.
KEY STAT
The Raptors shot .476 (40-for-84) from the field, including .436 (17-for-39) from three-point range … Cleveland shot .425 (37-for-87) from the floor and .263 (10-for-38) from beyond the arc.
RAPTORS NOTES: • With the win, Toronto improves to 23-11 this season and 14-5 at home … The Raptors have won two of their last three games (Dec. 28-31) and end the month of December with a 9-7 record.
• Toronto has won five straight games at Scotiabank Arena vs. Cleveland.
• The Raptors have finished with a winning record each of the past 20 calendar months … 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).
• The Raptors’ bench outscored Cleveland’s reserves 41-25.
• Kyle Lowry led all scorers with 24 points (7-16 FG, 4-12 3PT, 6-6 FT) in 36 minutes … Lowry has scored 20+ points in eight of the last nine games (Dec. 16-31), averaging 24.0 points during this span.
• Serge Ibaka recorded his third straight double-double and seventh of the season with 20 points and a team-high 10 rebounds in 33 minutes … All seven of Ibaka’s double-doubles have come in December.
• Terence Davis ll matched his career high with 19 points (7-12 FG, 4-7 3PT, 1-2 FT) in 25 minutes … Davis ll scored 14 points in the fourth quarter.
• The Raptors had six players score double figures – Lowry (24), Ibaka (20), Davis ll (19), Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (14), Fred VanVleet (12) and OG Anunoby (12) … Hollis-Jefferson made his first start as a Raptor … Anunoby came off the bench for the first time this season.
• Rookie Terence Davis ll is the only Raptor not to miss a game this season. • The Raptors are now 4-3 without Marc Gasol, Pascal Siakam and Norman Powell.
CAVALIERS NOTES:
• With the loss, Cleveland falls to 10-23 on the season and 4-13 on the road … The Cavaliers have lost two of their last three games (Dec. 27-31) and finished the month of December with a 5-9 record.
• All five Cleveland starters scored in double figures, combing for 72 points. • Collin Sexton scored a team-high 22 points (8-15 FG, 1-4 3PT, 5-5 FT) in 32 minutes – his fifth 20-point effort in the last seven games and 11th this season. • The Cavaliers had six players score in double digits – Sexton (22), Cedi Osman (14), Tristan Thompson (14), Kevin Porter Jr. (13), Darius Garland (12) and Kevin Love (10).
HEAD COACH SHELDON KEEFE
On the team’s defensive performance as efficient:
Yeah, I thought it was good — efficient is a good term to describe it. I didn’t think we gave up a lot defensively, for sure. We didn’t give up many shots or chances, especially in that third period when we expected them to push. I thought we took care of it pretty well there.
On if the way Nylander and Tavares play together is different from when Nylander and Matthews play together:
Yeah, there’s different dynamics at play there. I’ve liked it so far; the chemistry has been good. The nice thing I think that’s come out with the fact that we’ve moved things around here, since I’ve been here, is it’s giving me a pretty good taste of what different things look like. You never know what the season is going to bring and what each game is going to bring. It gives me a feel for different things. Obviously, we’ve used a number of different combinations so far and we like this one and we like a lot of others that have worked too.
FREDERIK ANDERSEN (26 SAVES)
On the team’s performance tonight:
I thought we made some good adjustments and definitely played a really solid game. I think we got off to a lead and they had to force some stuff to get back into it. So I think we did a better job of not playing into their hand and forcing too much and made them come to us. I thought we did a good job.
On the forwards and defence working in unison and creating quicker breakouts:
Of course I think any time you can help each other out and make it easier for each other, it’s important. That can make the game less hard. I think guys will take less hits if we play it quicker and help each other out like that.
ALEX KERFOOT (1 GOAL, 100TH NHL POINT)
On William Nylander’s play of late:
He’s been playing really well for a long period of time right now. It’s fun to play with him. He makes plays, he’s hard on pucks and protects the puck down low. So, he makes a lot of stuff happen out there. It’s obviously a pleasure to play with him.
On what has led to the chemistry between himself, Nylander and Tavares:
Well, those two guys are just good hockey players. I think you put anyone on their wing and they’re going to have success. They spend a lot of time in the offensive zone. So, it’s just trying to read off them and make plays and they find space, they make good things happen. So I’m just trying to do my job.
WILLIAM NYLANDER (1 GOAL, 1 ASSIST)
On his line getting the first goal of the game from Kerfoot early in the first:
Yeah, it was a great play by Johnny [Tavares] being hard on his stick. There’s kind of a lucky play there in the corner where he lost the puck, but we were able to get possession of it. It’s a great play and a nice goal by Kerf.
On what has allowed he and Tavares to develop chemistry quickly:
I think it’s just that with some players, you just click automatically from the beginning.
On his pass to set up Matthews’ goal on the power play:
I just saw him backdoor and I kind of knew he would be open, so I just tried to get it over there.
JOHN TAVARES (1 GOAL, 1 ASSIST)
On tonight’s win:
Yeah, it probably wasn’t the prettiest. I don’t think we made as many plays as we’re capable of. But it was just one of those games where it felt like ping pong, especially early, and we were just able to capitalize on some good opportunities and then played with the lead pretty well. We were able to do a pretty good job on special teams. So, just stuck with it and just made it difficult for them. Just tried to play five inside and really have to make them earn their opportunities and the ice there and then, obviously, try to generate offense ourselves, try to keep the puck and wear them out and make them have to defend.
On the team finding a way to win despite not making as many plays as it can:
You have to have that to win in this league. There are so many good teams, so many good players. Things aren’t going to always go your way. You’re not always going to make the perfect play and mistakes happen and it’s just the nature of our league, our game. So, just staying with it and doing a good job. We regrouped, I thought, pretty well off the timeouts and got back to our game, did some good things and were able to get the win.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (22-14-5 – 49 Points) vs.
MINNESOTA WILD (19-17-5 – 43 Points)
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2019
| 1 | 2 | 3 | OT | FINAL | |
| TORONTO | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | 4 |
| MINNESOTA | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 1 |
GAME SUMMARY | EVENT SUMMARY | FACEOFF SUMMARY
ON THE SCORESHEET
SHOTS ON GOAL (5-on-5 in brackets)
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | OT | TOTAL | |
| TORONTO | 8 (7) | 15 (13) | 6 (5) | – | 29 (25) |
| MINNESOTA | 7 (2) | 14 (13) | 6 (5) | – | 27 (20) |
SHOT ATTEMPTS (5-on-5 in brackets)
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | OT | TOTAL | |
| TORONTO | 14 (13) | 30 (27) | 8 (7) | – | 52 (47) |
| MINNESOTA | 16 (9) | 21 (19) | 15 (11) | – | 52 (39) |
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
| Record on the Road | 12-10-0 (22 Games) |
| All-Time Record vs. Minnesota | 12-11-0-1 (23 Games) |
| All-Time Record vs. Minnesota on the Road | 4-6-0-1 (11 Games) |
| Record vs. Western Conference | 10-5-0 (15 Games) |
| Record vs. Central Division | 4-3-0 (7 Games) |
MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS
| Shots | 5 (Tavares) |
| Shot Attempts | 8 (Tavares) |
| Faceoff Wins | 11 (Tavares) |
| Faceoff Win Percentage | 75% (Kerfoot – 3 won, 1 lost) |
| Hits | 2 (Ceci) |
| Blocked Shots | 3 (Ceci, Rielly) |
| Takeaways | 3 (Matthews) |
| TOI | 23:52 (Rielly) |
| Power Play TOI | 4:09 (Five players tied) |
| Shorthanded TOI | 3:21 (Ceci, Marincin) |
| Shifts | 27 (Rielly) |
| 5-on-5 Shot Attempt Percentage | 66.7% (Hyman – 12 for, 6 against) |
RECORD WHEN…
| Scoring first | 14-3-1 |
| Lead after 1 | 11-2-1 |
| Lead after 2 | 15-1-2 |
| Score one power play goal | 8-3-3 |
| Allow one power play goal | 10-6-3 |
| Outshoot opponent | 11-4-2 |
| Tuesday | 5-3-1 |
OF NOTE…
UPCOMING GAMES:
The Boston Celtics ended the year in style. Playing without Jaylen Brown, Boston rebounded from Saturday’s loss to the Toronto Raptors, earning a 109-92 win Tuesday afternoon over the Charlotte Hornets. The Celtics received strong contributions from their best players, as Jayson Tatum (24 points, seven rebounds), Kemba Walker (22 points, seven assists) and Gordon…
Celtics Wrap: Boston Gets Back On Track With 109-92 Victory Over Hornets — NESN.com
It seemed clear when the Bruins’ mindset shifted Tuesday afternoon. Up 1-0 in the second period against the New Jersey Devils, the Bruins doubled their advantage on a Joakim Nordstrom goal that came following a scramble in front of the net. That was just 4:27 into the middle stanza, and from there the Devils had…
Bruins Notes: Bruce Cassidy Questions Effort After Ugly Loss Vs. Devils — NESN.com
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Welcome home, Justin Holl. Read More
Leafs sign deserving Justin Holl to three-year extension — Toronto Sun
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (21-14-5 – 47 Points) vs.
MINNESOTA WILD (19-16-5 – 43 Points)
DECEMBER 31, 2019 â–ª 6:00 PM EST
XCEL ENERGY CENTER (ST. PAUL, MN) â–ª
TV: SPORTSNET ONTARIO â–ª RADIO: TSN 1050
MAPLE LEAFS HISTORY versus MINNESOTA
| ALL-TIME RECORD: | 11-11-0-1 (23 Games) |
| ALL-TIME ON THE ROAD: | 3-6-0-1 (10 Games) |
| 2019-20: | 1-0-0 |
| LAST FIVE: | 3-2-0 |
| LAST 10: | 3-7-0 |
MAPLE LEAFS CAREER LEADERS versus MINNESOTA
| GAMES PLAYED: | Jason Spezza (30), Tyson Barrie (29), John Tavares (16) |
| GOALS: | John Tavares (7), Jason Spezza (5), Tyson Barrie (4), Jake Muzzin (4) |
| ASSISTS: | Morgan Rielly (10), Tyson Barrie (10), Jason Spezza (10) |
| POINTS: | John Tavares (15), Jason Spezza (15), Tyson Barrie (14) |
| PENALTY MINUTES: | Tyson Barrie (12), Alex Kerfoot (10), Jason Spezza (8) |
MAPLE LEAFS – WILD TEAM STATS
| TORONTO | MINNESOTA | |
| GOALS FOR (Rank): | 141 (1st) | 124 (t-14th) |
| GOALS AGAINST (Rank): | 129 (26th) | 132 (t-28th) |
| POWER PLAY [%] (Rank): | 26/109 [23.9%] (7th) | 22/126 [17.5%] (21st) |
| PENALTY KILL [%] (Rank): | 89/117 [76.0%] (26th) | 89/114 [78.0%] (24th) |
| SHOTS (Rank): | 1356 (4th) | 1151 (27th) |
| 5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPTS FOR (Rank): | 2055 (2nd) | 1696 (23rd) |
| 5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT % (Rank): | 53.0% (4th) | 48.6% (22nd) |
| FACEOFF % (Rank): | 52.6% (t-3rd) | 48.4% (26th) |
MAPLE LEAFS – WILD NOTES
| FIRST MATCHUP BETWEEN CLUBS: | Oct. 25, 2000 (Toronto 6, Minnesota 1) |
| ALL-TIME RECORD: | 11-11-0-1 (23 Games) |
| ALL-TIME RECORD AT HOME: | 8-5-0-0 (13 Games) |
| ALL-TIME RECORD ON THE ROAD: | 3-6-0-1 (10 Games) |
| LAST WIN VS. OPPONENT AT HOME: | Dec. 1, 2018 (Toronto 5, Minnesota 3) |
MAPLE LEAFS MILESTONES vs. WILD
| Tyson Barrie | First NHL point (Assist) (Feb. 13, 2014 at MIN) |
| Michael Hutchinson | First NHL game (April 7, 2014 WPG vs. MIN) First Maple Leaf game (Jan. 3, 2019 vs. MIN) |
| Morgan Rielly | 200th NHL point (Assist) (Dec. 1, 2018 at MIN) 200th career NHL assist (Oct. 15, 2019 vs. MIN) |
MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS
| CATEGORY | LEADER |
| GOALS | 26 (Matthews) |
| ASSISTS | 26 (Marner) |
| POINTS | 46 (Matthews) |
| POWER PLAY POINTS | 13 (Matthews) |
| SHORTHANDED POINTS | 2 (Engvall, Kapanen) |
| PIMs | 34 (Muzzin) |
| SHOTS | 144 (Matthews) |
| FACEOFF WIN% | 59.5% (Gauthier) |
| 5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT % | 56.0% (Nylander) |
| BLOCKED SHOTS | 69 (Muzzin) |
| TAKEAWAYS | 45 (Marner) |
| HITS | 87 (Muzzin) |
| TOI PER GAME | 24:23 (Rielly) |
| PP TOI PER GAME | 3:04 (Marner) |
| SH TOI PER GAME | 3:03 (Ceci) |
MAPLE LEAFS PLAYER NOTES
| Frederik Andersen | – Is 10-4-0 on the road this season with a 2.37 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage. – Has made eight career appearances against the Wild and is 5-3-0 with a 2.53 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage.- Tied for the NHL lead in wins (19).- Second in the NHL in saves (890) and second in even-strength saves (750).- Fourth in the NHL in shootout saves (11). |
| Tyson Barrie | – Averaging 14.6 shot attempts per 60 minutes of ice time, which is the sixth-highest average among NHL defencemen who have appeared in 30 games.- Averaging 7.6 shots on goal per 60 minutes of ice time, which is the fifth-highest average among NHL defencemen who have appeared in 30 games. – Has been on the ice for the seventh-most shot attempts for (777) among NHL skaters. – Has an on-ice shot attempt differential of plus-132, which is 11th among NHL defencemen. |
| Cody Ceci | – 10th among NHL skaters in shorthanded time on ice (122:05).- Has played 62.0 percent of Toronto’s shorthanded ice time, which is the 11th-highest shorthanded time on ice percentage among NHLers who have appeared in at least 30 games. |
| Justin Holl | – Has started 46.2 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 10 games.- Has an unblocked shot attempt percentage of 53.9 percent at 5-on-5, which is the highest percentage among Toronto defencemen who have appeared in at least 10 games.- Has a 5-on-5 on-ice goals-for percentage of 54.7 percent, which is the highest percentage among Maple Leafs defencemen. |
| Michael Hutchinson | – Has made 11 appearances against the Wild, his most against a single opponent, and posted a 4-5-1 record with a 2.60 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage.- Second among NHL goaltenders who have appeared in 10 or fewer games in saves (250). |
| Zach Hyman | – Has a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 54.0 percent, which ranks eighth among Toronto skaters who have played 20 games. – Averaging 15:46 per game in even-strength ice time, which ranks seventh among Maple Leafs. – Has played 51.5 percent of Toronto’s shorthanded ice time since returning to the lineup on November 13, which ranks 18th among NHL forwards and first among Maple Leafs forwards in that span. |
| Kasperi Kapanen | – Has scored nine goals this season, which is tied for 11th most among NHLers with no power play goals.- Tied for seventh among Toronto skaters in even-strength points (7-9-16).- Has recorded 16 (7 goals, 9 assists) of his 21 points in 21 road games this season. |
| Alex Kerfoot | – Played 23 shifts on December 28 vs. New York, which ties his single-game high for shifts this season. – One of two Toronto forwards to have recorded at least 20 hits (29) and 20 blocked shots (25) this season. |
| Mitch Marner | – Averaging 1.30 primary assists per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5, which is eighth among NHLers who have appeared in at least 20 games.- Tied for 14th in the NHL in primary assists (16). His 16 primary assists are the most among NHLers who have appeared in less than 30 games.- Second in the NHL in takeaways (45).- Ninth among NHL forwards in shifts per game (25.5). |
| Auston Matthews | – Second among NHL skaters in goals (26).- Leads NHL skaters in even-strength goals (20).- Leads the NHL in goals scored at 5-on-5 (18).- Tied for 10th among NHL skaters in even-strength points (20-13-33).- Ninth in the NHL with 144 shots on goal.- Has an on-ice goals-for percentage of 62.9 percent at 5-on-5, which leads Toronto skaters and is tied for 11th among NHLers who average at least 15 minutes per game in 5-on-5 ice time. |
| William Nylander | – Has recorded 11 primary assists, which is fourth among Toronto skaters. – Averages 1.04 goals per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5, which ranks second among Toronto skaters.- One of 20 NHLers to average at least 14:00 minutes per game at 5-on-5 and a goal per 60-minute rate of at least one (1.04).- Has recorded five points (3-2-5) in six games against Central Division opposition. |
| Morgan Rielly | – Tied for 17th among NHL defencemen in points (3-22-25).- Tied for 10th among NHL defencemen in even-strength points (3-15-18).- Fourth among NHL defencemen in assists recorded at 5-on-5 (14).- 13th among NHL skaters in TOI per game (24:23).- Eighth among NHL skaters in shifts per game (28.6).- Averaging 14.4 shot attempts per 60 minutes of ice time, which ranks seventh among NHL defencemen who have appeared in at least 30 games. |
| Jason Spezza | – Averaging 2.37 points per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5 this season, which is the fourth-highest average among Toronto skaters.- Averaging 1.18 primary assists per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time in 2019-20, which ranks second on the Maple Leafs and is the 13th-highest average among NHLers who have appeared in at least 25 games. |
| John Tavares | – Named the NHL’s Third Star of the Week for the week ending Dec. 29 after recording seven points (2 goals, 5 assists) in three games, including a pair of three-point performances.- Averaging 17.3 shot attempts per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5, which is the third-highest average among NHL centres who have appeared in 20 games.- Averaging 9.2 shots on goal at 5-on-5 per 60 minutes of ice time, which ranks 10th among NHL centres who have appeared in 20 games.- Has a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 55.2 percent, which ranks third among Toronto skaters who have appeared in at least 20 games. |
CURRENT POINT STREAKS
| Tyson Barrie | Has assists (4) and points (1-4-5) in three consecutive games. |
| Kasperi Kapanen | Has points (1-1-2) in two consecutive games. |
| William Nylander | Has assists (2) in two consecutive games and goals (3) and points (3-3-6) in three consecutive games. |
| John Tavares | Has assists (6) and points (2-6-8) in four consecutive games. |
UPCOMING MILESTONES
| Alex Kerfoot | One point from 100 NHL points |
| William Nylander | Five points from 200 NHL points |
RECENT MILESTONES
| Frederik Andersen | 20,000 career minutes (December 28 vs NYR) |
| Adam Brooks | First NHL game (December 28 vs. NYR) |
INJURY REPORT
| Andreas Johnsson (Leg) | On injured reserve. |
| Ilya Mikheyev (Wrist Laceration) | On injured reserve. |
| Trevor Moore (Concussion) | On injured reserve. |
| Jake Muzzin (Foot) | Is week-to-week with a broken foot sustained on December 27 at New Jersey. |
| Man Games Lost: 83 |
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
| December 30 | Loaned defenceman Timothy Liljegren to the Toronto Marlies (AHL). |
| December 30 | Recalled defencemen Teemu Kivihalme and Timothy Liljegren from the Toronto Marlies (AHL). |
| December 29 | Loaned forward Kenny Agostino and defenceman Timothy Liljegren to the Toronto Marlies (AHL). |
| December 28 | Recalled forward Kenny Agostino and defenceman Timothy Liljegren from the Toronto Marlies (AHL). Placed forwards Ilya Mikheyev and Trevor Moore on injured reserve. |
| December 27 | Recalled forward Adam Brooks and defenceman Martin Marincin from the Toronto Marlies (AHL) |
WILD NOTES
UPCOMING GAMES (all times Central)
1/4 vs. WPG 1 p.m. – FSN, KFAN 100.3 FM
1/5 vs. CGY 6 p.m. – FSN, KFAN 100.3 FM
1/9 at CGY 8 p.m. – FSN Plus, KFAN 100.3 FM
INJURIES Mikko Koivu (lower body) – 12 Greg Pateryn (IR – lower body) – 11 Jason Zucker (lower body) – 6 2019-20 Total Man Games Lost: 95 UPCOMING MILESTONES Mikko Koivu – 497 career assists Zach Parise – 395 career assists RECENT TRANSACTIONS 12/30 – Reassigned F Nico Sturm to Iowa (AHL); Activated F Mikko Koivu from Injured Reserve
SERIES NOTES VS. MAPLE LEAFS
All-Time Wild Record: 12-11-0 (7-3-0 at Xcel Energy Center, 5-8-0 at Toronto) 2019-20: The Wild fell in its first season meeting against the Maple Leafs, 4-2, at Scotiabank Arena (10/15)…C Luke Kunin and C Gerald Mayhew each scored for Minnesota…G Devan Dubnyk stopped 30-of-34 shots…D Morgan Rielly led Toronto with four assists…RW Mitchell Marner recorded three points (1-2=3)…LW Andreas Johnsson tallied two points (1-1=2)…G Frederik Andersen made 27 saves.
WILD LEADERS: C Eric Staal leads the Wild with 51 points (24-27=51) in 48 games against Toronto…RW Mats Zuccarello owns 22 points (10-12=22) in 18 contests…LW Zach Parise has 22 points (12-10=22) in 35 matches…C Mikko Koivu owns 11 points (4-7=11) in 18 contests…LW Marcus Foligno owns 11 points (3-8=11) in 27 games.
WILD GOALIES: Dubnyk is 6-4-1 with a 2.84 GAA, a .908 SV% and one shutout in 12 games (11 starts) vs. the Maple Leafs…G Alex Stalock earned a 28-save shutout in his only career action against Toronto (12/14/17).
MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS: C Jason Spezza leads the Maple Leafs with 15 points (5-10=15) in 30 career games against Minnesota…C John Tavares owns 15 points (7-8=15) in 16 matches…D Tyson Barrie has 14 points (4-10=14) in 29 contests.
MAPLE LEAFS GOALIES: Andersen is 5-3-0 with a 2.53 GAA and a .915 SV% in eight career starts vs. the Wild…G Michael Hutchinson is 4-5-1 with a 2.60 GAA and a .908 SV% in 11 games (seven starts).
CONNECTIONS: Minnesota Assistant GM Tom Kurvers collected 55 points (15-40=55) and 37 PIM in 89 contests with the Maple Leafs in parts of two seasons (1989-1991)…Wild Head Coach Bruce Boudreau was drafted in the third round (42nd overall) by Toronto in the 1975 NHL Entry Draft…He skated in 134 games with the Maple Leafs, collecting 69 points (27-42=69) over six seasons (1976-82)…Wild Assistant Coach Darby Hendrickson was selected by Toronto in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft and skated in 233 games with the Maple Leafs (1994-99)…D Greg Pateryn was selected in the fifth round (128th overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft by the Maple Leafs…D Justin Holl hails from Tonka Bay and skated in four seasons with the University of Minnesota (2010-14).
FAST FACTS: Minnesota is 9-3-0 in its last 12 games against Toronto, including a seven-game win streak (11/13/13-12/7/16)…The Wild has scored one goal or less in seven of its 11 all-time losses to the Maple Leafs…In its 11 wins, Minnesota has outscored Toronto, 38-17, including a Wild shootout goal.
RISING RANKS – The Wild is 13-5-4 in its last 22 games, including its season-best 11-game point streak (8-0-3) from Nov. 14-Dec. 5. The Wild’s 30 points rank T-2nd in the NHL since Nov. 14. – Minnesota is 15-7-5 in its last 27 games – the 35 points rank T-6th in the NHL since Nov. 2, four points shy of first. – The 11-game point streak is the second-longest in franchise history – the longest point streak in team history is 13 games (12-0-1), Dec. 2-29, 2016.
GOALS, GOALS, GOALS – The Wild has totaled 40 goals in the second period in the last 27 games, ranking first in the NHL since Nov. 2. Minnesota ranks third in the NHL with 49 goals in the second period this season. – Minnesota has netted a season-high four goals in a single period, three times – twice in the third period this season. – Minnesota ranks T-1st in the NHL since Nov. 2 with 95 goals (including a Wild shootout goal) and fifth in goals per game (3.52). – Minnesota tied its franchise record of eight goals scored in a game Dec. 19 at Arizona. It was the fourth time in team history the Wild notched eight goals,
second on the road (last, 3/25/04 at CHI). HOME SWEET HOME – Minnesota plays 18 of its 25 games from Dec. 28-Feb. 29 at Xcel Energy Center – the second-most home games played in the NHL in that time frame (OTT – 19 home games). – The Wild is 10-3-3 in 16 home games this season – the 16 home games are the fewest in the NHL. The three regulation losses are tied for the third-fewest in the League. – The Wild has totaled three-plus goals in 13 of its 16 home games this season, including a shootout goal. – Minnesota recorded its second-longest home point streak in team history with a 12-game home point streak from Oct. 20-Dec. 14 (9- 0-3). The third-longest home point streak in the NHL this season (BOS, 17 games; NYI, 13 games).
NO STAALING – Eric Staal was named to the 2020 NHL All-Star Game on Monday. It will be his sixth career All-Star appearance, second with the Wild (2018). – He has 11 points (7-4=11) in the last nine games, ranking T-4th in the NHL in goals and T-12th in scoring since Dec. 12. – He owns at least one point in 21 of the last 33 games, including a season-high six-game point streak (10/26-11/7), a season-high three-game goal streak (12/12-12/15) and seven multi-point contests.
DUBNYK RETURNS – Devan Dubnyk is 2-1-0 in his last three starts with a 2.36 GAA, a .926 SV% and one shutout. He is also 4-1-1 in his last seven games (six starts) and is 4-2-2 in nine games (eight starts) at Xcel Energy Center this season. – The 6-foot-6 backstop made a season-high 40 saves Dec. 27 at COL, his eighth 40-plus save game in a Wild sweater – the third-most by a Wild goaltender in team history. He owns 19 career 40-plus save games and is 14-1-4 in those contests. – The native of Regina, Saskatchewan, recorded a 22-save shutout Dec. 23 vs. CGY, his first shutout of the season.
EASY PARISE – Zach Parise owns five points (1-4=5) in the last six games and 13 points (6-7=13) in the last 17 games, including a season-high fivegame point streak (Nov. 25-Dec. 3). – The Minnesota native has 21 points (11-10=21) in the last 27 games and leads the team in PPG (5), ranks second in GWG (3) and shots, and is T-3rd in scoring.
THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT – Ryan Donato netted his eighth goal of the season Sunday and owns 10 points (7-3=10) in his last 16 games. He ranks second on the Wild in goals since Nov. 25. The Boston, Mass. Native, owns seven points (5-2=7) in the last 11 games, including a season-high four-game point streak. His four-game point streak included a career-high three-game goal streak (12/7-12/12). – Joel Eriksson Ek is on a three-game point streak (1-2=3), tying his career-high three-game point streak for the third time, second this season. The 22-year-old owns a career high in assists (12) and is one point shy of tying his career best (16) set in 75 games during the 2017-18 season. – Kevin Fiala has seven points (2-5=7) in the last eight games and 15 points (4-11=15) in the last 18 games, including three multi-point games. The 23-year-old ranks second on the Wild in scoring since Nov. 23. – Jordan Greenway has three assists in the last five games and five points (1-4=5) in the last nine games. The 22-year-old registered his first career Gordie Howe hat trick Dec 12 vs. EDM. He became the seventh and youngest NHL player to record a Gordie Howe hat trick this season. – Luke Kunin owns three points (1-2=3) in the last three games and six points (3-3=6) in the last nine contests, including two multi-point games. The Chesterfield, Mo. native, is one point shy of tying his career-best 17 points in 49 games last season. He ranks third on the Wild in shots on goal, tallying at least one shot in 35 of his 39 games this season.
POSITIVE IMPACT – Jonas Brodin owns nine helpers and a plus-11 rating in the last 13 games, ranking T-5th in the NHL in plus/minus rating since Dec. 3. – He owns 11 assists in the last 15 games and 14 points (1-13=14) in the last 22 contests. – The Karlstad, Sweden native, ranks second on the Wild with a plus-10 rating, third with 16 assists and fourth with 53 blocked shots this season.
SUTE UP – Ryan Suter owns nine points (2-7=9) in the last nine games, ranking T-4th amongst NHL defensemen in scoring since Dec. 12. He has 17 points (3-14=17) in the last 20 games, including four multi-point contests. His 14 assists since Nov. 19 rank second amongst League defensemen. – He leads the Wild in assists (21; T-10th amongst NHL blueliners), TOI/gm (25:07; seventh in the NHL) and PPP (9) and ranks second in scoring and T-2nd in multi-point games (6).
DR. SOUCE – Carson Soucy owns eight points (4-4=8) in the last 13 games, ranking T-4th amongst NHL rookies in goals and scoring since Dec. 3. His plus-13 rating since Dec. 3 ranks T-2nd in the NHL. – The Viking, Alberta native, leads the Wild and ranks second amongst League rookies (T-14th overall) with a plus-16 rating this season. – He owns five goals this season ranking fourth in team history for most goals scored by a rookie defenseman. – The 25-year-old netted his first career shorthanded (empty-net) goal Dec. 14 to became the sixth defensemen in franchise history to record a SHG.
NORWEGIAN FORCE – Mats Zuccarello notched his 10th goal of the season on Dec. 27 and has five points (3-2=5) in the last six contests. – He has 11 points (6-5=11) in the last 13 games, including a three-game goal and point streak (12/3-12/7). – The winger owns 16 points (7-9=16) in the last 20 games, ranking T-3rd on the Wild in scoring since Nov. 19.
STALOCK FOR THE SAVE – Alex Stalock is 6-3-2 in his last 11 starts with a 3.13 GAA and a .900 SV%. – The 32-year-old is 8-4-2 in his last 15 starts and has made 12 of his 18 starts this season on the road. – He is 15-6-5 in a Wild sweater at Xcel Energy Center with a 2.30 GAA, a .919 SV% and one shutout in 28 games (24 starts) since 2016. Minnesota Wild:
RAPTORS NOTES • The Toronto Raptors wave goodbye to 2019 when they welcome the Cleveland Cavaliers Tuesday night at Scotiabank Arena. This is the second meeting between the two teams this month, with the Raptors taking the first contest 133-113 on Dec. 16. Kyle Lowry finished with 20 points and 11 assists, while Serge Ibaka contributed 14 points off the bench in the victory. Toronto has won four in a row against the Cavaliers at home. Lowry is averaging 20.3 points and 8.3 assists over his last three games vs. Cleveland. Toronto won the season-series against the Cavaliers in 2018-19, taking three of the four games. It was the Raptors first season-series win vs. Cleveland since 2015-2016.
• Kyle Lowry finished with 20 points in Sunday night’s tilt against Oklahoma City. It was the seventh time over the last eight games that Lowry has scored 20+ points. In those eight contests, Lowry is averaging 24.0 points, 8.3 assists and 4.9 rebounds in 39.6 minutes of play.
• Patrick McCaw has scored in double figures in three of his six games as a starter (Dec. 20-28). McCaw is averaging 9.5 points, 2.0 assists and 1.8 steals over this stretch. He is also shooting .450 from three point range (9-for-20) as a starter. In his last two contests, McCaw has posted a .619 field goal percentage (13for-21) and is shooting .556 from behind the arc (5-for-9).
• Serge Ibaka recorded his second straight double-double and sixth of the season with 12 points and a season-high 14 rebounds Sunday night vs. Oklahoma City. All six of Ibaka’s double-doubles have come in December with four occurring over his last six games. Over this span, Ibaka is averaging 16.0 points and 9.3 rebounds while posting a .539 field goal percentage (41-for-76).
• Marc Gasol (left hamstring; strain), Pascal Siakam (groin; stretch) and Norman Powell (left shoulder; subluxation) were all injured Dec. 18 at Detroit. Toronto is 3-3 over the last six games without them. The Raptors are averaging 109.8 points and shooting .458 (235-for-513) from the field during this span.
• Terence Davis ll is one of the five rookies who’ve played in every game for their team this season, along with Darius Bazley (Oklahoma City), Darius Garland (Cleveland), Kendrick Nunn (Miami) and Coby White (Chicago). Only two rookies have played in every game of a season for the Raptors: Vince Carter in 1998– 99 (which was a lockout-shortened 50-game season) and Matt Bonner (2004–05).
• Kyle Lowry needs 100 assists to tie Jose Calderon (3,770) as the Raptors’ all-time leader in assists. Lowry is already the franchise leader in 3-point field goals (1,291), steals (773) and playoff victories (37). Lowry has recorded 10+ assists 110 times – second most in team history behind only Calderon (141).
• Toronto concludes its busiest month of the season tonight with its 16th game in December. This month’s schedule included three back-to-back sets. The Raptors’ 11 games at Scotiabank Arena tie the franchise record for most home games in a calendar month – Toronto also played 11 games at home in March 2016. The Raptors will play 10-of-15 games on the road in the month of January.
• The Raptors held Oklahoma City to 98 points in Sunday night’s loss. It was the 12th time this season that Toronto has limited its opponent to fewer than 100 points. The Raptors are 10-2 in those contests.
PROBABLE STARTERS
F – PATRICK McCAW #22
MIN: 26.6 REB: 2.5 AST: 1.8 STL: 1.3 TO: 1.3 BLK: 0.1 PTS: 6.3
• Recorded 13 points and two steals in 37 minutes of play Dec. 29 vs. Oklahoma City. • Averaging 9.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 32.0 minutes in six games as a starter. • Has played at least 20 minutes in a career-long nine straight games (Dec. 14-29).
F – OG ANUNOBY #3
MIN: 29.6 REB: 5.7 AST: 1.6 STL: 1.1 TO: 1.3 BLK: 0.8 PTS: 11.0
• Finished with six points, five rebounds and one steal in 26 minutes Dec. 29 vs. Oklahoma City. • Toronto is 14-3 this season when Anunoby scores 10 or more points (Last: 15 – Dec. 23 at Indiana). • Averaging 10.7 points (.457 FG%), 5.8 rebounds and 29.1 minutes through 15 games in December.
C – SERGE IBAKA #9
MIN: 24.8 REB: 7.9 AST: 1.3 STL: 0.5 TO: 2.0 BLK: 1.0 PTS: 13.8
• Posted sixth double-double of the season with 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds Dec. 29 vs. OKC. • Averaging 16.0 points, 9.3 rebounds and 31.4 minutes in six games as a starter. • Has scored in double figures in 13-of-15 games in December; averaging 13.7 points this month.
G – KYLE LOWRY #7
MIN: 38.1 REB: 5.0 AST: 7.5 STL: 1.2 TO: 3.4 BLK: 0.4 PTS: 20.8
• Scored 20 points with five assists and three rebounds in 39 minutes Dec. 29 vs. Oklahoma City. • Averaging 20.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 39.3 minutes through 14 games in December. • Has scored 20+ points in seven of the last eight games (Dec. 16-29); averaging 24.0 points during this stretch.
G – FRED VANVLEET #23
MIN: 36.5 REB: 3.9 AST: 6.9 STL: 2.2 TO: 2.5 BLK: 0.3 PTS: 18.2
INJURY REPORT Marc Gasol (Left hamstring; strain) – Out Dewan Hernandez (Right ankle; sprain) – Out Norman Powell (Left shoulder; subluxation ) – Out Pascal Siakam (Groin; stretch) – Out Matt Thomas (Left middle finger; distal phalanx fracture) – Out.
CAVALIERS’ LAST GAME STARTERS
POS NO. PLAYER HT. WT. G GS PPG RPG APG FG% MPG
F 16 CEDI OSMAN 6-7 230 19-20: 32 32 9.9 3.3 2.2 .428 28.7
F 22 LARRY NANCE JR. 6-7 245 19-20: 29 5 8.4 7.2 1.5 .495 24.6
C 13 TRISTAN THOMPSON 6-9 254 19-20: 31 31 12.8 10.1 2.3 .503 31.3
G 2 COLLIN SEXTON 6-1 192 19-20: 32 32 17.9 3.3 2.4 .448 30.6
G 10 DARIUS GARLAND 6-1 192 19-20: 32 32 11.3 2.0 2.9 .399 28.2
NOTES
After defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves by a score of 94-88 on Saturday night, the Cleveland Cavaliers will wrap up their three-game road trip this New Year’s Eve when they take on the Toronto Raptors. This is the second of three matchups between the two teams this regular season (Jan. 30 at CLE).
• Cleveland enter tonight’s game as winners of four of their last five games, limiting their opponents to a combined .437 shooting from the field and outrebounding them by 10.0 boards (50.0-40.0) over that stretch (since Dec. 18). In Saturday’s victory at Minnesota, the Cavs held the Wolves to 88 points and an opponent season-low .355 (33-93) shooting from the field, including just 8-37 (.216) from three. Cleveland also outrebounded Minnesota 61-39 (+22), their biggest differential of the season and most since a 23-rebound edge (60-37) versus Charlotte on Nov. 13, 2018.
• The Wine & Gold’s 61 rebounds against Minnesota was a season-high (prev. 60 vs. MEM on Dec. 20). The last time Cleveland had that many rebounds in a game was over five years ago (61 at PHI on Feb. 18, 2014).
• UPCOMING MILESTONES:
TRISTAN THOMPSON (428 BLK) is 3 blocks away from passing Roy Hinson (430 BLK) for 6th place in franchise history. COLLIN SEXTON (1,944 PTS) needs 56 points to reach 2,000 for his career.
• DARIUS GARLAND, who had a game-high tying 18 points, three assists and two steals in 29 minutes at Minnesota, also set a career high in FG% on Saturday night (.727, 8-11). In the first meeting against Toronto (Dec. 16), Garland finished with 20 points (7-14 FG, 4-8 3FG), five assists and two steals in 38 minutes of work. He has also poured in at least 14 points in four of the last six games.
• COLLIN SEXTON also recorded 18 points on Saturday, to go along with a season-high tying seven rebounds and one steal in 34 minutes. Over the last eight games, he is averaging 19.6 points (.484 FG%, .829 FT%), 3.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.25 steals in 31.5 minutes (since Dec. 12). In the first matchup versus the Raptors, Sexton posted a team-high 25 points (10-16 FG), five rebounds and four assists in 31 minutes of play.
• TRISTAN THOMPSON is coming off of his team-best 16th double-double of the season on Saturday (12 PTS, season-high tying 15 REB, 3 AST, 1 BLK, 8-10 FT, 35 MIN). He has grabbed 10+ rebounds in four of the last five games, averaging 12.0 rebounds to go with 10.2 points and 2.0 assists in 33.2 minutes over that stretch (since Dec. 18). He also had a solid outing in the Dec. 16th game in Toronto (18 PTS, 9-14 FG, 8 REB, 3 AST, 32 MIN).
• KEVIN PORTER JR. has scored in double figures in a career-high three straight games, averaging 13.7 points on .517 (15-29) shooting from the field, a .818 (9-11) mark from the foul line, 5.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steal in 26.0 minutes during that span. Porter Jr. has seven double-digit scoring performances in the month of December after having two in October/November.
LARRY NANCE JR. had a near double-double in the win at Minnesota (9 PTS, 4-7 FG, 9 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 31 MIN). As a starter this season (five games), Nance Jr. is averaging 12.0 points and 10.8 rebounds in 34.4 minutes per night.
• In his two games as a Cavalier, Dante Exum is shooting .600 (6-10) from the field and averaging 8.5 points and 1.50 steals in 15.7 minutes.
Why the Celtics aren’t anywhere close to panic-mode following loss to Raptors BOSTON – The Boston Celtics will tell you, their loss to Toronto Saturday had more to do with their lack of effort than anything else. Because of that, they are nowhere close to panicking about the loss which snapped the team’s five-game winning streak. […]
Why the Celtics aren’t anywhere close to panic-mode following loss to Raptors — High Velocity Sport
The view from left field 