Major League Soccer is shut down, but that doesn’t mean Toronto FC players are sitting in their rec rooms all day kicking a nerf ball around with their kids. Read More TFC players staying home, but staying fit — Toronto Sun
Major League Soccer is shut down, but that doesn’t mean Toronto FC players are sitting in their rec rooms all day kicking a nerf ball around with their kids. Read More
Bob Baffert trains three hot Kentucky Derby hopefuls in Authentic, Nadal and Charlatan. All three are unbeaten and showing no signs of slowing down as the Hall of Fame trainer seeks a record-tying sixth Derby victory. But if he’s despondent over Churchill Downs’ announcement Tuesday that the 146th Kentucky Derby is being pushed back to…
Four Brooklyn Nets players have tested positive for the coronavirus, the team announced Tuesday – a worrisome development for the NBA and the Lakers, their last opponent. The Nets issued a statement saying that only one player has shown symptoms of the COVID-19 virus, while the three others with positive tests have not. The team…
The start of Major League Baseball’s 2020 season has been pushed back until at least May because of the novel coronavirus, which has been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. As such, seasonal ballpark employees stand to take a financial hit because of the delay and the likelihood of an abbreviated 2020 schedule. That’s why each of MLB’s 30 teams are committing $1 million to aid those employees and address the harm caused by those lost wages.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred announced the initiative on Tuesday, citing a “desire to help some of the most valuable members of the baseball community.”
Former minor league catcher Eric Sim urged people to donate gift cards to help players eat. Sim estimates he has sent 35 players cards totaling over $900.
The plight of minor league players has increasingly been in the news in recent years, though for all the wrong reasons. After spending years and millions of dollars lobbying Congress, Major League Baseball successfully got language in the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 amended so that minor leaguers were no longer owed a minimum wage and overtime pay. Last year, we learned that MLB was proposing shrinking the minor leagues by more than 25 percent, eliminating 42 teams. Thankfully, that received pushback and may not ultimately be carried out.
All of that is in addition to minor leaguers already being paid peanuts during the season. Most minor leaguers don’t even make five figures, requiring them to take up part-time jobs during the season as well as in the offseason, when they are expected to continue training. They are not paid for spring training or extended spring training. Now that baseball – both major league and minor league – has pushed back the start of the regular season, minor leaguers face even more uncertainty as they may not be paid as the world deals with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
In January, before the U.S. was confronted head-on with COVID-19, former minor league catcher Eric Sim (pictured, in 2010 when he played college baseball with the University of South Florida) suggested ways fans can help out minor leaguers. He tweeted, “If anyone wants to help minor leaguers, it’s not that hard. Reach out to them on social media, buy them some beers, or a meal, or give em Chipotle gift cards so that they can afford guac for once. Minor leaguers don’t expect 1000s of dollars, they appreciate the little things.” And thus, a movement was born. In the ensuing two months, Sim and others provided gift cards to a handful of minor leaguers. A few examples:David Lebron✔@dlebron93
Big shoutout to @esim69 and the anonymous donors powering minor leaguers through the grind! Huge for the boys! #LFG
Players aren’t paid during spring training. They’re given meal money, but that’s it. That’s not a big issue for big leaguers who make, at the very least, six figures per season. It’s a very big issue for minor league players, who are generally paid less than the minimum wage and often have to work other jobs during the offseason just to live.
Spring training is over for the time being because of the coronavirus pandemic, which means players aren’t even getting meal money anymore unless they’ve elected to stay in camp and keep working out. And they can’t live on that forever. …
Spencer Dinwiddie is proposing a March Madness-style NBA playoffs upon the league’s resumption, but we can take this idea even further. There is no telling how long the NBA’s current hiatus will last. The league is planning on reevaluating the situation in 30 days, but there’s no guarantee the league will be ready to resume […]
The WNBA season doesn’t tip off until May 15, but the worldwide cancellation of sports competitions in response to the coronavirus outbreak already is affecting the league and its players, many of whom are making their way back from their international playing gigs as league officials “scenario plan” for upcoming events and the season. For…
The clock was ticking, but Adam Silver did not know how little time he had. The NBA commissioner had spent hours on Wednesday in meetings discussing the league’s handling of the coronavirus. Would they play games without fans? Would they put the league on hiatus? What was the latest from health experts? How did team…
Toronto Raptors : Brissett, Oshae Out G League – Two-Way Gasol, Marc Out Injury/Illness – Left Hamstring; Tightness – Injury management Hernandez, Dewan Out Injury/Illness – Right Ankle; Sprain VanVleet, Fred Out Injury/Illness – Left Shoulder; Soreness Watson, Paul Out G League – Two-Way Utah Jazz : Brantley, Jarrell Out G League – Two-Way Morgan, Juwan Available G League – On Assignment Tucker, Rayjon Available G League – On Assignment Williams-Goss, Nigel Out Injury/Illness – Left Quad; Contusion Wright-Foreman, Justin Out G League – Two-Way
RAPTORS NOTES • The Toronto Raptors complete a five-game Western Conference road trip (Mar. 1-9) Monday night when they visit the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The Raptors have won three in a row vs. Utah. With a victory Monday, Toronto would sweep the season-series with the Jazz for the fifth time in the last seven seasons. Since the start of the 2013-14 season, the Raptors are 11-2 against Utah. • In the first meeting this season (Dec. 1), Pascal Siakam scored 35 points, Fred VanVleet had 21 points and 11 assists, and the Raptors used a record-setting first half to beat the Jazz 130-110. Toronto led 77-37 at the intermission, the biggest halftime lead in franchise history, the biggest in the NBA this season, and tied for the eighth largest in league history. It also marked the biggest halftime deficit in Jazz history. • Norman Powell scored a game-high 31 points Mar. 8 at Sacramento. Powell has now scored 30+ points in consecutive games (Mar. 5-8) for the first time in his career, including a career-high 37 points Thursday at Golden State. He is averaging 37.0 points and is shooting .571 (24-42) from the field, including 50 percent (10-20) from three-point range, over the last two games. Three of Powell’s four career 30-point outings have come this season. • Toronto is currently 9-3 on the road vs. the Western Conference. The Raptors are the only Eastern Conference team to finish with a +.500 record on the road against the west in each of the last five seasons (2015-20). Since the start of the 2015-16 campaign, Toronto is 44-28 (.611) when facing a Western Conference opponent away from Scotiabank Arena. • Pascal Siakam is averaging career highs of 23.6 points and 7.5 rebounds through 52 games played this season. Only two players in Raptors history have finished a season averaging at least 23.0 points and 7.0 rebounds: Chris Bosh in 2009–10 (24.0, 10.8) and Kawhi Leonard in 2018–19 (26.6, 7.3). • OG Anunoby finished 12 points and two rebounds Sunday at Sacramento. Anunoby has now scored in double figures in a career-high six straight games (Feb. 25 – Mar. 8). He is averaging 16.0 points and is shooting .565 (35-62) from the floor, including 52 per cent (13-25) from three-point distance, during this span. Anunoby scored a career-best 32 points Mar. 1 at Denver. • Norman Powell and Kyle Lowry scored 31 and 30 points, respectively, Sunday vs. the Kings. The duo became just the fifth starting backcourt to each score 30 points in a game for Toronto, joining Lowry and DeMar DeRozan (four times), Mike James and Morris Peterson (twice), Vince Carter and Jalen Rose (once) and DeRozan and Cory Joseph (once). Over the last five games (Feb. 28 – Mar. 8), Lowry and Powell have combined to average 52.4 points. • The Raptors have not lost games on consecutive days since Dec. 26–27, 2017 (at Dallas and Oklahoma City). Toronto has played 30 pairs of games on back-to-back days since then (not including the current back-to-back set), sweeping both games 12 times and splitting 18 times. • Toronto’s starting lineup combined for 111 points Sunday against Sacramento. The Raptors starting five shot .544 (37-68) from the field, including .459 (17-37) from beyond the arc.
• Contributed 12 points, two rebounds and one steal in 39 minutes Mar. 8 at Sacramento. • Toronto is 25-7 this season when Anunoby scores 10 or more points. • Shooting .520 (13-for-25) from three-point range over the last six games (Feb. 25 – Mar. 8).
• Finished with 23 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals in 38 minutes Mar. 8 at Sacramento. • Ranks 15th in the NBA in scoring (23.6); averaging 26.0 points against the West Conference this season. • Has scored 30+ points 15 times; had five 30-point performances in 80 games played last season.
• Recorded 15 points, a team-high 10 rebounds, five assists and two blocks in 36 minutes Mar. 8 at Sacramento. • Averaging 17.9 points, 9.0 rebounds and 31.3 minutes in 26 games as a starter this season. • Is the only player in NBA history with 500+ three-point field goals and 1,500+ blocks.
• Led all scorers with 31 points Mar. 8 at Sacramento; added five assists and two rebounds in 43 minutes. • Averaging 19.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 33.3 minutes in 22 start this season. • Has scored 20 or more points in five straight games (Feb. 28 – Mar. 8); averaging 28.0 points during this stretch.
• Totaled 30 points, a game-high eight assists, five rebounds and three steals in 36 minutes Mar. 8 at Sacramento. • Ranks seventh in the NBA in assists per game (7.7); has dished out 10+ assists 14 times. • Has scored 20+ points in four of the last five games (Feb. 28 – Mar. 8); averaging 24.4 points during this span.
TONIGHT’S GAME DETAILS Opponent: Utah Jazz Date: Monday, March 9 Tip-Off: 9 p.m. (ET) Venue: Vivint Smart Home Arena Television: TSN Radio: Sportsnet 590 The FAN
SERIES RECAP VS. UTAH
OVERALL HOME ROAD 2019-20 1-0 1-0 0-0 ALL-TIME 19-27 10-13 9-14 STREAKS Won 3 Won 2 Won 3
LAST WIN: December 1, 2019 (130-110)
LAST ROAD WIN: November 5, 2018 (124-111)
LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY: +24, November 9, 2013
LARGEST MARGIN OF DEFEAT: -32, December 7, 2012
LAST TIME VS. UTAH
GAME 19 – DECEMBER 1, 2019 TORONTO 130, UTAH 110
TORONTO — The Utah Jazz scored nine points in the first four minutes of the game … The Toronto Raptors scored 72 points over the next 20 … Pascal Siakam had 35 points, Fred VanVleet had 21 points and 11 assists, and the Raptors beat the Utah Jazz 130-110 with an historic first half … The Raptors led 77-37 through two quarters — the biggest halftime lead in Raptors history, and the largest in the league this season … It’s also tied for the eighth biggest halftime lead in NBA history, and the largest deficit at the break ever for Utah … The Raptors stretched their season-high winning streak to seven games … Norman Powell scored 15 points, Serge Ibaka had 13 in his first game since missing 10 with an ankle injury, Terence Davis had 13, Marc Gasol scored all 11 of his points in the first quarter, and OG Anunoby and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had 10 apiece … Mike Conley had 20 points to lead Utah … Toronto took off on a 23-2 run in the first quarter … Utah found its form in the third quarter, shooting 60 per cent and paring Toronto’s lead briefly to 16 … Toronto held Utah to 5-for-25 shooting in the second quarter … The Jazz hit 16 of their first 19 shots in the third … Utah outscored Toronto 49-30 in third, and Toronto took a 107-86 advantage into the fourth.
1 2 3 4 TOT
UTAH 20 17 49 24 110
TORONTO 37 40 30 23 130
UTAH LAST GAME’S STARTERS (19-20 Averages)
44 BOJAN BOGDANOVIĆ F • 6-8 • 226 • Croatia PPG • 20.5 RPG • 4.2 APG • 2.1 • Posted career-highs in points (18.0), rebounds (4.1), assists (2.0), steals (0.9), field goal percentage (.497) and 3-point percentage (.425) last season with the Indiana Pacers • Ranked 38th in field goal percentage and 10th in 3-point percentage in the league last year
23 ROYCE O’NEALE F • 6-4 • 222 • Baylor PPG • 6.1 RPG • 5.3 APG • 2.6 • Has played internationally in Spain and Germany • Was born in Harker Heights, Texas • Third on the team in field goal percentage in 2018-19 (.475) (min. 200 attempts)
27 RUDY GOBERT C • 7-1 • 258 • Cholet Basket PPG • 15.2 RPG • 13.9 BPG • 2.0 • Two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2018, 2019) • 2016-17 All-NBA Second Team and 2018-19 All-NBA Third Team • First player since Wilt Chamberlain (1966-67) to total over 1,200 points on better than 65 percent shooting and 1,000 rebounds in a single season (2018-19)
45 DONOVAN MITCHELL G • 6-1 • 220 • Louisville PPG • 24.4 RPG • 4.4 APG • 4.3 • Led all NBA sophomores in scoring in 2018-19 (23.8 ppg) • Two-time Western Conference Player of the Week (1/6-1/13 & 2/25-3/3) • Tied career-high scoring 46 points against New Orleans on 1/16/20
10 MIKE CONLEY G • 6-0 • 180 • Ohio State PPG • 13.9 RPG • 3.2 APG • 4.3 • Currently one of only 10 active players to have totaled over 11,000 points, 4,500 assists, 2,000 rebounds and 1,000 steals. • Named to the 2012-13 All-NBA Defensive Second Team. • Named 2019 Twyman-Stokes teammate of the year. 2019.
NOTES
DONOVAN FROM DEEP Donovan Mitchell has now made 528 three-point field goals in his career. He is fourth all time in the NBA in three pointers made in the first three seasons of his career, trailing Buddy Hield (602), Damian Lillard (599) and Klay Thompson (545).
BOGEY’S EFFICIENCY Bojan Bogdanović is currently one of two players in the NBA averaging over 20 points per game while shooting at least 40 percent from the field and 90 percent from the free throw line, joining the Bucks Khris Middleton.
ROAD DOMINANCE The Jazz this season have put together two road winning streaks of at least six games, the first coming 12/28/19 through 1/14/20 (six games), and the second being the current road win streak beginning on 2/9/20 (currently at six games). Per the Elias Sports Bureau, it’s the first time the Jazz have put together two separate road winning streaks of at least six games since the 1994-1995 season.
LAST 5 PLAYERS TO TOTAL 4,500+ PTS, 800+ REBS AND 800+ ASTS WITHIN THEIR FIRST 200 NBA GAMES # PLAYER GP PTS REBS ASTS 1 Donovan Mitchell 200 4,530 802 800 2 LeBron James 200 5,097 1,298 1,299 3 Dwyane Wade 200 4,564 1,005 1,212 4 Allen Iverson 200 4,699 827 1,272 5 Michael Jordan 200 6,351 1,120 1,030 FASTEST ACTIVE PLAYERS TO 1,000 BLOCKS Rank Player Games 1 Serge Ibaka 383 2 Anthony Davis 414 3 Rudy Gobert 462 MOST 20+ PT GAMES THROUGH FIRST 200 GAMES WITH JAZZ # PLAYER GP # 1 Donovan Mitchell 200 134 2 Darrell Griffith 200 121 3 Karl Malone 200 102 4 Deron Williams 200 49 5 Rodney Hood 200 33 MOST 30+ PT GAMES THROUGH FIRST 200 GAMES WITH JAZZ # PLAYER GP # 1 Donovan Mitchell 200 36 2 Darrell Griffith 200 26 3 Karl Malone 200 21 4 Deron Williams 200 7 5 Carlos Boozer 200 3 MOST PTS THROUGH FIRST 200 GAMES WITH JAZZ # PLAYER GP PTS 1 Donovan Mitchell 200 4,530 2 Darrell Griffith 200 4,172 3 Karl Malone 200 3,930 4 Deron Williams 200 2,939 5 Rodney Hood 200 2,518
THREE-POINTERS MADE IN FIRST THREE SEASONS # PLAYER 3PM 1 Buddy Hield 602 2 Damian Lillard 599 3 Klay Thompson 545 4 Donovan Mitchell 528 5 Kyle Korver 491
RUDY’S ALL-AROUND GAME Rudy Gobert is currently the only player in the NBA to be averaging a point-rebound double-double while also shooting greater than 65 percent from the field.
JAZZ JUMP SHOTS The Utah Jazz lead the NBA in three-point percentage (tied with Miami), shooting 38.3 percent from deep this season. The Jazz are also third in the NBA in field goal percentage at 47.6 percent.
46 FOR 45 On 1/16/20 against the New Orleans Pelicans, Donovan Mitchell poured in 46 points on 16 made field goals, including seven three-pointers. The 46 points ties a career-high for Mitchell, which he also scored last season against Milwaukee on 3/2/19.
BEATING THE BUZZER On 2/10 against the Houston, Bojan Bogdanovic buried a three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Jazz a 114-113 win over Houston. There have been four buzzer beaters this season, with Bogdanovic hitting two of them. Bojan also helped Jazz defeated the Milwaukee Bucks on 11/8 thanks to a heroic three-pointer at the buzzer, giving him 33 points on the evening.
SUPER SECOND ROUNDER Bojan Bogdanović is currently posting 20.5 points per contest, which makes him tied for the second leading scorer in the league for all active players drafted in the second round just behind Spencer Dinwiddie (20.7).
COLORADO CLARKSON On 1/30/20 against the Denver Nuggets, Jordan Clarkson scored made 13 field goals, including seven made three-pointers, on his way to 37 points. This was a season high in scoring for Clarkson and the second highest scoring game off the bench in the NBA this year, trailing only a 42-point effort from Buddy Hield.
4K MITCHELL After putting in 22 points against Memphis on 12/7, Donovan Mitchell eclipsed the 4,000-point mark in his 179th career game. He becomes just the fourth Jazzman to record at least 4,000 points in less than 200 games, joining Adrian Dantley (135 games), Pete Maravich (165 games) and Darrell Griffith (194 games).
RESILIENT JAZZ By completing a comeback victory over the Wizards on 2/28, the Jazz recorded their 14th win of the season after trailing at halftime. This is the second most wins when trailing at half this year behind only the Denver Nuggets (16).
BIG MAN BUCKETS Rudy Gobert is second the NBA in field goal percentage this season, shooting 70.1 percent from the field. This mark is the highest shooting percentage of Gobert’s career.
30-POINT DUO During the 109-102 win against the Orlando Magic on 12/17, Donovan Mitchell and Bojan Bogdanović became the first Jazz duo to each tally 30-point games in a single contest since Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams did so against the Los Angeles Clippers on March 28, 2008.
FRENCHMEN CAN DUNK Rudy Gobert leads the NBA in dunks this season with 205. Giannis Antetokounmpo (174), Mitchell Robinson (172), Jarrett Allen (160) and Anthony Davis (142) round out the top five in dunks.
2019-20 NBA THREE POINT PERCENTAGE LEADERS # TEAM % T-1 Utah Jazz 0.383 T-1 Miami Heat 0.383 3 New Orleans Pelicans 0.373 T-4 Washington Wizards 0.371 T-4 Toronto Raptors 0.371 2ND ROUNDERS PPG PLAYER PPG 1 Khris Middleton 20.7 T-2 Spencer Dinwiddie 20.5 T-2 Bojan Bogdanovic 20.5 T-2 Nikola Jokic 20.5 FASTEST JAZZMEN TO 4,000 POINTS PLAYER GP 1 Adrian Dantley 135 2 Pete Maravich 165 3 Donovan Mitchell 179 4 Darrell Griffith 194 2019-20 NBA FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE PLAYER FG% 1 Mitchell Robinson 0.734 2 Rudy Gobert 0.701 3 Jarrett Allen 0.645 4 Clint Capela 0.629 5 Brandon Clarke 0.623 2019-20 NBA DUNK LEADERS PLAYER DUNKS 1 Rudy Gobert 205 2 Giannis Antetokounmpo 174 3 Mitchell Robinson 172 4 Jarrett Allen 160 5
The Boston Red Sox are depending on Nathan Eovaldi to keep rolling. The right-handed pitcher will start Boston’s spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday at JetBlue Park in Fort Meyers, Fla. Eovaldi has gone 1-0 with eight strikeouts and zero earned runs in five innings of work this spring, with his…
William Nylander put the Maple Leafs on the board at 17:00 of the third period. Nylander has 32 points (17 goals, 15 assists) in 35 games on the road this season. He has seven points (4-3-7) in seven career games against Anaheim. His third period goal is his 30th of the season, marking the first time in his NHL career he has reached the 30-goal mark. His goal marked the first 6-on-5 road goal by the Maple Leafs since December 29, 2017 at Colorado (James van Riemsdyk).
Jack Campbell stopped 26 of the 28 shots he faced in the loss.
The Maple Leafs went 2-for-2 on the penalty kill and 0-for-3 on the power play tonight.
Kyle Clifford, Frederik Gauthier and Jason Spezza were the lone Toronto skaters to not start a 5-on-5 shift in the offensive zone.
Tyson Barrie was on the ice for a team-high 24 shot attempts at 5-on-5 tonight. Barrie finished the game with a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 55.8 percent (24 for, 19 against).
John Tavares won 64 percent (9 won, 5 lost) of his offensive zone faceoffs.
UPCOMING GAMES:
Tuesday, March 10, 7:00 p.m. vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (TSN4, TSN 1050)
Thursday, March 12, 7:00 p.m. vs. Nashville Predators (TSN4, TSN 1050)
Saturday, March 14, 7:00 p.m. at Boston Bruins (Sportsnet, FAN 590)
Tuesday, March 17, 7:00 p.m. vs. New Jersey Devils (TSN4, FAN 590)
Thursday, March 19, 7:00 p.m. vs. New York Islanders (Sportsnet Ontario, TSN 1050)
The view from left field 