Category: Uncategorized

GAME #50 – TORONTO RAPTORS (35-14) vs. CHICAGO BULLS (19-32) SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2020 – 3 P.M. (ET) – SCOTIABANK ARENA TV: TSN – RADIO: SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN

RAPTORS NOTES
• The Toronto Raptors host the Chicago Bulls on Sunday afternoon at Scotiabank Arena. This is the third and final meeting between the two teams, with Toronto winning the first two games on the road. The Raptors have won 11 straight against the Bulls. With a victory Sunday, Toronto would sweep the season-series for the third straight year and sixth time in franchise history. Pascal Siakam is averaging a team-high 20.5 points in two games vs. Chicago this season.
• The Raptors have won a season-high 10 straight games (Jan. 15-31), one shy of the franchise record. Toronto won 11 consecutive games twice; Feb. 26 – Mar. 16, 2018 and Jan. 6-30, 2016. Over the past 10 games, the Raptors are averaging 119.9 points and shooting .498 (444-891) from the field, including .390
(143-367) from three point range. Toronto also has a +56 (137-to-193) turnover differential during this stretch and leads the NBA in points per game off turnovers (24.6). Pascal Siakam is averaging a teamhigh 21.4 points during the current winning streak.
• Serge Ibaka finished with 21 points and six rebounds Jan. 31 at Detroit. Ibaka has now scored 20+ points in a career high-tying three straight games (Jan. 28-31). He is averaging 23.7 points and shooting .667 (28-for-42) from the field, including .471 (8-for-17) from three-point distance, during this stretch. Toronto is 10-2 this season when Ibaka scores 20 or more points.
• Kyle Lowry needs 54 points to tie Vince Carter (9,420) for third place on the Raptors’ all-time scoring list. DeMar DeRozan (13,296) is the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, followed by Chris Bosh (10,275).
• Pascal Siakam has scored 20+ points in four of the last five games (Jan. 24-31). Siakam is averaging 26.2 points and 7.2 rebounds, while shooting .523 (46-for-88) from the floor, over the last five contests.
• The Raptors finished the month of January with a record of 12-3, tying the franchise record for most wins in a calendar month. Toronto also won 12 games in Nov. 2014, Jan. 2016, March 2018 and Nov. 2018. Toronto has finished with a winning record each of the past 21 calendar months (February 2017 – January
2020). The streak is the longest in franchise history and the longest current streak in the NBA.
• Nick Nurse and his staff will coach Team Giannis at the 2020 NBA All-Star Game in Chicago. With Friday’s 105-92 victory over Detroit, the Raptors (35-14, .714) clinched the best possible record in the Eastern Conference through games played Sunday, Feb. 2 among the 14 conference teams with a head coach
eligible to participate in the All-Star Game.
• Kyle Lowry has been named a reserve for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game. Lowry will participate in his sixth All-Star Game (2015-20), the most in franchise history. He is the first player in NBA history to be selected to at least six All-Star teams after not being picked in any of his first eight seasons. Lowry will join forward Pascal Siakam in Chicago, who was voted a starter. Siakam’s selection extends a streak of six consecutive years that a Raptor has been voted into the starting five – Lowry (2015, 2016), DeMar DeRozan (2017,
2018) and Kawhi Leonard (2019). Chicago also marks the fifth straight year (2016-20) two players will represent Toronto in the All-Star Game.

PROBABLE STARTERS

G – OG ANUNOBY #3

MIN: 29.2 REB: 5.4 AST: 1.6 STL: 1.1 TO: 1.2 BLK: 0.7 PTS: 10.4

• Contributed six points, two rebounds and one assist in 24 minutes Jan. 31 at Detroit.
• Toronto is 19-4 this season when Anunoby scores 10 or more points.
• Averaging a career-high 10.4 points and shooting a career-best .489 from the field this season.

F – PASCAL SIAKAM #43

MIN: 35.0 REB: 7.6 AST: 3.4 STL: 1.0 TO: 2.5 BLK: 1.0 PTS: 23.8

• Recorded 30 points, seven rebounds, four assists and one block in 36 minutes Jan. 31 at Detroit.
• Ranks 15th in the NBA in scoring (23.8); averaging 26.2 points over the last five games (Jan. 24-31).
• Has scored 30+ points 12 times; had five 30-point performances in 80 games played last season.

C – SERGE IBAKA #9

MIN: 26.5 REB: 8.1 AST: 1.3 STL: 0.6 TO: 1.9 BLK: 0.8 PTS: 15.4

• Totaled 21 points, six rebounds and three assists in 29 minutes of action Jan. 31 at Detroit.

• Averaging 18.4 points, 9.3 rebounds and 31.6 minutes in 16 games as a starter this season.
• Is the only player in NBA history with 500+ three-point field goals and 1,500+ career blocks.

G – KYLE LOWRY #7

MIN: 36.8 REB: 4.6 AST: 7.3 STL: 1.3 TO: 2.8 BLK: 0.4 PTS: 19.6

• Finished with seven points, six assists, two rebounds and one steal in 31 minutes Jan. 31 at Detroit.

• Ranks 10th in the NBA in assists per game (7.3); has dished out 10+ assists seven times.
• Became the franchise’s all-time leader in assists Jan. 28 vs. Atlanta, passing Jose Calderon (3,770).

G – FRED VANVLEET #23

MIN: 36.0 REB: 3.9 AST: 6.9 STL: 2.0 TO: 2.2 BLK: 0.3 PTS: 17.9

• Scored 16 points and had team highs of nine assists and eight rebounds in 35 minutes Jan. 31 at Detroit.
• Ranks fifth in the NBA in steals per game (1.95); has registered multiple steals in 19 games.
• Has led the team outright in both rebounds and assists in consecutive games (Jan. 30-31).

INJURY REPORT
Marc Gasol (Left hamstring; tightness) – Out
Dewan Hernandez (Right ankle; sprain) – Out
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (Right ankle sprain) – Out
Norman Powell (Left hand; fractured fourth metacarpal) – Out

TODAY’S GAME DETAILS

Opponent: Chicago Bulls
Date: Sunday, February 2
Tip-Off: 3 p.m. (ET)
Venue: Scotiabank Arena
Television: TSN
Radio: Sportsnet 590 The FAN
SERIES RECAP VS. CHICAGO
OVERALL HOME ROAD
2019-20 2-0 0-0 2-0
ALL-TIME 43-48 22-23 21-25
STREAKS Won 11 Won 5 Won 6
LAST WIN:
December 9, 2019 (93-92)
LAST HOME WIN:
March 26, 2019 (112-103)
LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY:
+39, November 17, 2018
LARGEST MARGIN OF DEFEAT:
-37, February 19, 1998
LAST TIME VS. CHICAGO

GAME 23 – DECEMBER 9, 2019
TORONTO 93, CHICAGO 92
CHICAGO — Pascal Siakam scored 22 points and Norman Powell added
17 points as the Raptors ended their first three-game skid since last November … Toronto beat Chicago for the 11th straight time … Zach LaVine
scored 20 – all in the first half … Wendell Carter Jr. and Daniel Gafford
each had 14 points for the Bulls, who made just 12 of 46 three-pointers on
the way to their sixth loss in eight games … Raptors guard Fred VanVleet
missed the game because of a bruised right knee … Kyle Lowry scored
11 points in his third game after missing 11 in a row with a broken left
thumb … Chicago opened the fourth quarter with a 14-6 run that turned a
71-all tie into an 85-77 lead … Toronto was leading 89-87 when Chicago’s
Lauri Markkanen nailed a 3 with 1:45 left … Powell scored for Toronto and
Gafford hit a layup to give Chicago a 92-91 lead … Lowry scored on a
drive with 51 seconds remaining … The Bulls had a chance to win in the
closing seconds after an out-of-bounds call got overturned by replay review … Tomas Satoransky inbounded to LaVine, who missed a runner in
traffic along the left side … Gafford was unable to control the rebound,
and the ball bounced around as time expired.
1 2 3 4 TOT
TORONTO 30 19 22 22 93
CHICAGO 30 21 20 21 92

OTTAWA SENATORS (18-24-10 – 46 Points) vs.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (28-17-7 – 63 Points)

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2020

	1	2	3	OT	FINAL
OTTAWA	0	1	0	0	1
TORONTO	0	1	0	1	2

GAME SUMMARY         |           EVENT SUMMARY        |           FACEOFF SUMMARY

ON THE SCORESHEET

• Jason Spezza put the Maple Leafs on the board with a power play goal at 10:40 of the second period. Spezza has a pair of goals over his last three games. He has five points (3 goals, 2 assists) in 10 career games against the Senators. He ranks second all-time in Ottawa franchise history for goals (251), assists (436) and points (687).
• Mitch Marner scored Toronto’s overtime-winning goal at 3:54 of the extra frame. Marner has points (1-4-5) in four consecutive games. He has 30 points (4 goals, 26 assists) in 24 games on home ice this season. In 13 career games against the Senators, Marner has registered 15 points (5 goals, 10 assists).
• Rasmus Sandin registered the primary assist on Spezza’s second period goal. Sandin has three points (1-2-3) over his last three games. In 12 games this season, he has recorded seven points (1 goal, 6 assists). He has three assists in five games against Atlantic Division teams.
• Zach Hyman collected the secondary assist on Spezza’s second period goal. Hyman has points (2-2-4) in three consecutive games. In 14 games on home ice this season, he has recorded 12 points (5-7-12). He has eight points (3 goals, 5 assists) in eight games against Atlantic Division teams.
• William Nylander recorded the primary assist on Marner’s overtime goal. Nylander has points (5-4-9) in seven consecutive games. The Maple Leafs are 20-6-6 when he records a point this season. He has 13 points (3 goals, 10 assists) in 15 career games against Ottawa.
• Auston Matthews picked up the secondary assist on Marner’s overtime goal. Matthews has assists (2) in two consecutive games and points (2-2-4) in three consecutive games. He has 40 points (27 goals, 13 assists) in 26 games on home ice this season.
• Michael Hutchinson stopped 24 shots to earn the victory.

SHOTS ON GOAL (5-on-5 in brackets)

	1st	2nd	3rd	OT	TOTAL
OTTAWA	6 (5)	11 (10)	6 (5)	2 (0)	25 (20)
TORONTO	10 (9)	9 (7)	15 (13)	2 (0)	36 (29)

SHOT ATTEMPTS (5-on-5 in brackets)

	1st	2nd	3rd	OT	TOTAL
OTTAWA	12 (10)	17 (15)	12 (11)	7 (0)	48 (36)
TORONTO	22 (21)	19 (16)	25 (23)	3 (0)	69 (60)

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Record on the Road	13-6-7 (26 Games)
All-Time Record vs. Ottawa	55-53-3-11 (122 Games)
All-Time Record vs. Ottawa at Home	31-22-2-7 (62 Games)
Record vs. Eastern Conference	15-10-5 (30 Games)
Record vs. Atlantic Division	8-6-1 (15 Games)
Attendance	19,406

MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS

Shots	6 (Spezza)
Shot Attempts	8 (Barrie)
Faceoff Wins	10 (Matthews)
Faceoff Win Percentage	100% (Kerfoot – 2 won, 0 lost; Nylander – 1 won, 0 lost)
Hits	3 (Holl, Hyman)
Blocked Shots	2 (Barrie)
Takeaways	3 (Nylander)
TOI	27:11 (Barrie)
Power Play TOI	3:07 (Marner, Matthews, Nylander)
Shorthanded TOI	4:12 (Muzzin)
Shifts	32 (Barrie)
5-on-5 Shot Attempt Percentage	79.0% (Spezza – 15 for, 4 against)

RECORD WHEN…

Opponent scores first	9-14-6
Tied after 1	11-5-3
Tied after 2	6-5-1
Score multiple power play goals	7-1-0
Do not allow a power play goal	15-6-3
Outshoot opponent	13-6-3
Overtime	6-7
Saturday	10-3-3

OF NOTE…

• The Maple Leafs went 3-for-3 on the penalty kill and 2-for-3 on the power play tonight.
• Toronto forwards Frederik Gauthier and Dmytro Timashov were the lone Maple Leafs to not start a 5-on-5 shift in the offensive zone.
• Tyson Barrie was on the ice for a team-high 34 Toronto shot attempts-for at 5-on-5 tonight. Barrie had a 5-on-5 shot attempt percentage of 72.3 percent (34 for, 13 against).
• Auston Matthews won 71 percent (5 won, 2 lost) of his faceoffs when matched up with Ottawa centre Jean-Gabriel Pageau.
• John Tavares won 83 percent (5 won, 1 lost) of his faceoffs in the offensive zone.

UPCOMING GAMES:

• Monday, February 3, 7:00 p.m. vs. Florida Panthers (TSN4, FAN 590)
• Wednesday, February 5, 7:30 p.m. at New York Rangers (Sportsnet, FAN 590)
• Friday, February 7, 7:00 p.m. vs. Anaheim Ducks (Sportsnet Ontario, TSN 1050)
• Saturday, February 8, 7:00 p.m. at Montreal Canadiens (Sportsnet, FAN 590)
• Tuesday, February 11, 7:00 p.m. vs. Arizona Coyotes (TSN, TSN 1050)

OTTAWA SENATORS (18-24-9 – 45 Points) vs.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (27-17-7 – 61 Points)

FEBRUARY 1, 2020 ▪ 7:00 PM EST

SCOTIABANK ARENA (TORONTO, ON) ▪
TV: SPORTSNET/HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA ▪

RADIO: TSN 1050

MAPLE LEAFS HISTORY versus OTTAWA

ALL-TIME RECORD:	54-53-3-11 (121 Games)
ALL-TIME AT HOME:	30-22-2-7 (61 Games)
2019-20:	1-0-0
LAST FIVE:	2-3-0
LAST 10:	4-6-0

MAPLE LEAFS CAREER LEADERS versus OTTAWA

GAMES PLAYED:	John Tavares (32), Morgan Rielly (23), Jake Muzzin (15)
GOALS:	Auston Matthews (12), John Tavares (7), Morgan Rielly (5)
ASSISTS:	Tyson Barrie (12), John Tavares (12), Mitch Marner (10)
POINTS:	Auston Matthews (19), John Tavares (19), Mitch Marner (14), Morgan Rielly (14)
PENALTY MINUTES:	John Tavares (18), Tyson Barrie (6), Jake Muzzin (6)

MAPLE LEAFS – SENATORS TEAM STATS

	TORONTO	OTTAWA
GOALS FOR (Rank):	185 (2nd)	141 (22nd)
GOALS AGAINST (Rank):	166 (27th)	170 (28th)
POWER PLAY [%] (Rank):	33/139 [23.7%] (6th)	23/156 [14.7%] (t-30th)
PENALTY KILL [%] (Rank):	110/143 [76.9%] (25th)	140/173 [80.9%] (15th)
SHOTS (Rank):	1715 (4th)	1533 (22nd)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPTS FOR (Rank):	2585 (2nd)	2211 (20th)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT % (Rank):	52.4% (5th)	47.2% (28th)
FACEOFF % (Rank):	52.9% (3rd)	50.5% (t-11th)

MAPLE LEAFS – SENATORS NOTES

FIRST MATCHUP BETWEEN CLUBS:	October 20, 1992 (Toronto 5, Ottawa 3)
ALL-TIME RECORD:	54-53-3-11 (121 Games)
ALL-TIME RECORD AT HOME:	30-22-2-7 (61 Games)
ALL-TIME RECORD ON THE ROAD:	24-31-1-4 (60 Games)
LAST WIN VS. OPPONENT ON THE ROAD:	October 2, 2019 (Toronto 5, Ottawa 3)

MAPLE LEAFS MILESTONES vs. SENATORS

Frederik Andersen	First game as a Maple Leaf (October 12, 2016 at OTT)
Tyson Barrie	First game as a Maple Leaf (October 2, 2019 vs. OTT)
Cody Ceci	Skated in 440 games with Ottawa from 2013-19.
Alex Kerfoot	First game as a Maple Leaf (October 2, 2019 vs. OTT)
Mitch Marner	First NHL game (October 12, 2016 at OTT)
Auston Matthews	First NHL game (October 12, 2016 at OTT) Set NHL record for goals in an NHL debut (4 – October 12, 2016 at OTT)
Ilya Mikheyev	First NHL game (October 2, 2019 vs. OTT) First NHL point (Assist) (October 2, 2019 vs. OTT) First NHL goal (October 2, 2019 vs. OTT)
Jake Muzzin	500th NHL game (February 6, 2019 vs. OTT)
William Nylander	First NHL goal (March 5, 2016 vs. OTT)
Rasmus Sandin	First NHL game (October 2, 2019 vs. OTT) First NHL point (Assist) (October 2, 2019 vs. OTT)
Jason Spezza	Skated in 686 games with Ottawa from 2002-14, recording 687 points (251 goals, 436 assists).
John Tavares	700th NHL point (March 16, 2019 at OTT)
Dmytro Timashov	First NHL game (October 2, 2019 vs. OTT) First NHL point (Assist) (October 2, 2019 vs. OTT)

MAPLE LEAFS LEADERS

CATEGORY	LEADER
GOALS	36 (Matthews)
ASSISTS	37 (Marner)
POINTS	60 (Matthews)
POWER PLAY POINTS	17 (Marner, Matthews)
SHORTHANDED POINTS	2 (Engvall, Kapanen)
PIMs	34 (Muzzin)
SHOTS	202 (Matthews)
FACEOFF WIN%	58.2% (Gauthier)
5-on-5 SHOT ATTEMPT %	55.1% (Nylander)
BLOCKED SHOTS	75 (Muzzin)
TAKEAWAYS	53 (Marner, Matthews)
HITS	91 (Muzzin)
TOI PER GAME	24:15 (Rielly)
PP TOI PER GAME	3:06 (Marner)
SH TOI PER GAME	2:50 (Ceci)

MAPLE LEAFS PLAYER NOTES

Frederik Andersen	– Is 10-5-6 at home this season with a 3.16 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage. – Second in the NHL in wins (24).- Has recorded a save percentage over .900 in 24 of his starts, which is tied for fourth-most starts with a save percentage of .900 or higher.- Has a .921 save percentage when playing on one day rest, which ranks third among goaltenders who have played at least 10 games on one day rest.
Tyson Barrie	– Has five multi-assist games, which is tied for ninth-most among NHL defencemen.- Tied for sixth among NHL defencemen in multi-point games (9). – Has been on the ice for 53 Toronto goals at even-strength, which is tied for 12th among NHL defencemen in on-ice goals for at even-strength.- Leads the Maple Leafs in slap shots taken (41). Lone Toronto skater to have taken over 30 slap shots.
Cody Ceci	– One of 17 NHL defencemen to appear in at least 40 games and maintain a 5-on-5 on-ice goals-for percentage over 52 percent (52.3%) while starting fewer than 48 percent of his 5-on-5 shifts in the offensive zone (47%).- One of two Maple Leaf defencemen (Jake Muzzin) to have appeared in 40 games and average at least four hits per 60 minutes of ice time (4.68) and four blocked shots per 60 minutes of ice time (4.18).
Pierre Engvall	– Has started 40 percent of his 5-on-5 shifts in the offensive zone, which is the fourth lowest percentage among NHL rookies.- Is the lone Maple Leaf to average at least 1:00 per game in shorthanded ice time (1:08) and be even in on-ice goals while shorthanded (2 SHGF, 2 PPGA).
Justin Holl	– One of 23 right-handed defencemen in the NHL to have an on-ice goals-for percentage of at least 53 percent (53.9%) at even-strength.- Has the highest unblocked shot attempt percentage at 5-on-5 (52.6%) among right-handed defencemen to have started fewer than 45 percent (44.8%) of their shifts in the offensive zone.
Michael Hutchinson	– Has a 2-1-1 record with a 2.31 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage on home ice this season.- Has made the fifth most saves (309) among NHL goaltenders who have appeared in fewer than 15 games.
Zach Hyman	– Tied for fourth among Toronto skaters in points during the month of January (5-4-9).- Has seven points (3-4-7) in seven games against Atlantic Division opponents this season.- Ranks fifth among Maple Leafs skaters in points per game (0.75).
Andreas Johnsson	– Has registered 44 (21 goals, 23 assists) of his 64 career points in 61 games at Scotiabank Arena.- Averages 2.06 shots per game, which ranks seventh among Toronto forwards.- Has drawn 11 penalties this season, which is tied for third-most among Toronto skaters.
Kasperi Kapanen	– Fifth among Toronto skaters in even-strength points (8-15-23).- Has been on the ice for four of Toronto’s five shorthanded goals this season.- Has 10 points (3-7-10) in 14 games against Atlantic Division opponents.
Alex Kerfoot	– Tied for seventh among Maple Leafs in even-strength goals (7). – 10th among Maple Leafs in even-strength points (7-11-18).- Has eight points (4 goals, 7 assists) in 11 games against Atlantic Division teams.
Mitch Marner	– Has 10 multi-assist games, which is tied for the fifth-most among NHL skaters.- Averaging 1.25 points per game, which is the 10th-highest average in the NHL.- Averaging 1.54 primary assists per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5, which ranks second among NHLers who have appeared in at least 30 games.- Eighth in the NHL in primary assists (25). His 25 primary assists are the most among NHLers who have appeared in 40 or fewer games.- Ranks fifth among NHL right wingers in shorthanded ice time per game (2:12).
Auston Matthews	– Third among NHL skaters in goals (36).- Leads the League with 27 even-strength goals.- Leads the NHL in goals scored at 5-on-5 (22).- Leads the NHL in wrist shot goals (23).- Second in the NHL in multi-goal games (9).- Tied for 11th among NHL skaters in points (36-24-60).- Fifth in the NHL with 202 shots on goal.
William Nylander	– Ranks first in goals (24) and second in points (24-22-46) among Swedish skaters this season.- Tied for the Maple Leaf lead in game-winning goals (4).- Has scored the first goal of the game three times for the Maple Leafs, which is tied for the most first goals among Toronto skaters.- One of 11 NHLers to average at least 14:00 minutes per game at 5-on-5 (14:33) while maintaining a goal per 60-minute rate of at least 1.20 (1.29).
Jason Spezza	– Averaging 2.14 points per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5 this season, which is the fifth-highest average among Toronto skaters who have appeared in at least 20 games.- Averaging 1.15 assists per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5 this season, which is tied for fourth among Maple Leafs who have appeared in at least 20 games.
John Tavares	– Tied for 23rd among NHL skaters in multi-point games (13).- Has 12 points (6 goals, 6 assists) in 11 games against Atlantic Division opponents this season.- Has won 58.5 percent (228 won, 162 lost) of his faceoffs on home ice this season, which ranks sixth among NHL skaters who have taken 300 draws at home.- Has an on-ice shot attempt percentage of 54.8 percent at 5-on-5 when the Maple Leafs are leading in games, which is the highest percentage when leading among NHL forwards who average 15 minutes per game in 5-on-5 ice time (15:43).- Has drawn a team-high 14 penalties this season.

CURRENT POINT STREAKS

Tyson Barrie	Has assists (4) in three consecutive games.
Zach Hyman	Has goals (2) and points (2-1-3) in two consecutive games.
Alex Kerfoot	Has points (1-2-3) in two consecutive games.
Mitch Marner	Has assists (4) in three consecutive games.
Auston Matthews	Has goals (2) and points (2-1-3) in two consecutive games.
William Nylander	Has goals (5) in five consecutive games and points (5-3-8) in six consecutive games.

UPCOMING MILESTONES

Jason Spezza	Five assists from 600 assists
John Tavares	Five games from 800 games

RECENT MILESTONES

Rasmus Sandin	First NHL goal (January 27 at Nashville)

INJURY REPORT

Ilya Mikheyev (Wrist Laceration)	On injured reserve.
Morgan Rielly (Foot)	On injured reserve.
	Man Games Lost: 123

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

January 31	Loaned defenceman Kevin Gravel to the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
January 31	Recalled defenceman Kevin Gravel from the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
January 30	Loaned forward Tyler Gaudet to the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
January 27	Activated forward Trevor Moore and defenceman Jake Muzzin from injured reserve.

HEAD COACH SHELDON KEEFE

On what he liked about the team’s performance tonight:

I liked it through different periods of the game. I thought we did a really nice job of doing the things that we wanted to do. You get the sense going in it wasn’t going to look pretty all the time in a game like this, you’re not really sure what you’re going to get coming off that type of a break. But, all in all, I thought that we executed well enough, obviously to score enough goals to put us in a good spot. I liked parts of the game and other parts that we want to make sure we continue to grow on for sure.

On Sandin scoring his first goal and the poise he has shown since his recall:

I’m pumped for him to score the goal. It was a big goal for us at that point in the game as well. I’m not surprised by the poise. I’ve come to expect that from him. I think we all have. He showed that through training camp and through this first recall as well, I think. He’s building really nicely there for us he and fits in well too just having another player who puts the puck into our forwards’ hands well and keeps the offence moving.

On Muzzin’s play after his conditioning stint with the Marlies:

The guys were giving him a little crap for that after the game. It was a great recall; I think he got the ball after the game. So, it’s good. I talked to Muzz about that situation. It was a good chance for him to kind of knock the rust off like you inevitably have to do. It just makes a little more sense to get it done there rather than here. So, today is another step in that process for him building up the confidence again and just continuing to get better and more comfortable in games.

FREDERIK ANDERSEN (34 SAVES)

On the club’s strong second period:

Yeah, we definitely quieted down the game a little bit. We got the lead obviously after the first and I thought we did a good job of not forcing too much, trying to slow things down and making sure we didn’t turn the puck over as much at crucial sports. I thought we played really smart.

On how he remained calm in the third period:

Good habits, I think, most importantly. I thought we did a good job.

JAKE MUZZIN (22:38 TOI)

On how tonight felt for him:

For me personally it felt pretty good. Glad I went down and played a game and got that feel back in me. Felt like my hands felt good out there and I was moving the puck well and stuff like that, so it was good for me.

On what he liked from the team:

A bunch of stuff. We created lots. There’s still some areas where we can improve on as far as having an F3 and not diving in. I think we had a few too many turnovers, allowing them to gain access in our zone very easily. If we can manage the puck a little bit better, I think we have an even better result. I liked our O-zone play. I thought we created lots, capitalized on some chances. It was a good first game back.

RASMUS SANDIN (1 GOAL, 1 ASSIST)

On scoring his first career NHL goal:

I’m going to remember that for the rest of my life for sure.

On how the goal happened:

I was just standing a little bit behind the play and then the puck just popped out. I saw it at the last second and he was covering the low ice and leaning forward so I just tried to put it high and lucky it went it.

On his celebration:

I think I’ve had a lot of dreams about how I would have celebrated. I don’t think I did any of them today except for the screaming so that was a great feeling.

JASON SPEZZA (1 GOAL)

On his goal tonight:

There was some traffic there and Holl did a great job of getting to the middle that allowed me to kind of walk and come right down. When you’ve got time like that you can usually try to pick a spot, so it worked out well.

On the performance of the team overall:

Just a good response. Coming out a break can be difficult games and I thought it was a good match for our team. Coming out and getting a lead, I thought we controlled play for a lot of the time. I still think there are still things we can do better but for the most part we did a lot of good things and that’s why we got rewarded with a win.

INJURY REPORT AT 8:30 P.M. THURSDAY:

McCaw listed as out with broken nose

07:30 (ET) TOR@NYK

New York Knicks Allen, Kadeem Out G League – Two-Way
Barrett, RJ Out Injury/Illness – Right Ankle; sprain
Wooten, Kenny Out G League – Two-Way
Toronto Raptors Brissett, Oshae Out G League – Two-Way
Hernandez, Dewan Out Injury/Illness – Right Ankle; Sprain
McCaw, Patrick Out Injury/Illness – Nose; Fracture
Watson, Paul Out G League – Two-Way

RAPTORS NOTES

• The Toronto Raptors begin a two-game road trip (Jan. 24-26) Friday night against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. This marks the second of four games between the two teams. Pascal Siakam led the Raptors with 31 points in a 126-98 victory over the Knicks on Nov. 27 at Scotiabank Arena. Since the start of the 2015-16 season, the Raptors have won 15-of-17 games against the Knicks, including the last seven meetings. Toronto travels to San Antonio to face the Spurs on Sunday.

• The Raptors won their fifth straight game Wednesday night, 107-95, over Philadelphia. Toronto is averaging 124.2 points and shooting .515 (229-for-445) from the field, including .422 (76-for-180) from beyond the arc, over the last five games (Jan. 15-22).

• Fred VanVleet led the Raptors with 22 points (8-17 FG, 6-7 3PT) and eight assists in Wednesday’s victory vs. the Sixers. VanVleet has now scored 20+ points in three straight games (Jan. 18-22) since returning from a right hamstring injury. He is averaging a team-high 23.7 points, while shooting .523 (23-for-44) from the field and .737 (14-for-19) from three-point range, during this stretch.

• The Raptors had six players score double-figures Wednesday against the Sixers and they all scored at least 16 points. Toronto is the first team to have everyone who scored finish with 15+ points since Orlando in Feb. 1996.

• Kyle Lowry needs 16 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 (1,321) and steals (784). Lowry has recorded 10+ assists 112 times – second most in team history behind only Calderon (141).

• Philadelphia shot .381 (32-for-84) from the field Wednesday night. The Raptors have now held their opponent below 40 per cent shooting 13 times this season (tied for second most in the NBA); something they did just five times last season. Toronto is currently 11-2 when opponents shoot below .400 from the field.

• Pascal Siakam moved up to second among all Eastern Conference frontcourt players in the third fan returns of NBA All-Star voting. Siakam is looking to become the seventh player in franchise history to earn an All-Star selection, joining Vince Carter (5X), Chris Bosh (5X), Kyle Lowry (5X), DeMar DeRozan (4X), Kawhi Leonard and Antonio Davis. The Raptors have had one player selected as a starter for the All-Star Game each of the past five seasons; Leonard – 2019, DeRozan – 2018, 2017 and Lowry – 2016, 2015.

• Since returning from a left shoulder injury, Norman Powell is averaging 22.7 points in six games (one start). He is shooting .585 (48-for-82) from the field and .487 (19-for-39) from three-point distance. Powell has led Toronto’s bench in scoring in each of the last five games.

• Rookie Terence Davis ll currently leads all rookies in plus-minus rating (+224) and ranks sixth in 3-point shooting percentage (.397). Davis is the only Raptor to appear in every game this season.

• With a win Friday, the Raptors would guarantee to end the month of January with a winning record. Toronto has finished with a winning record each of the past 20 calendar months (February 2017 – December 2019). 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).

PROBABLE STARTERS

F – OG ANUNOBY #3

MIN: 29.5 REB: 5.6 AST: 1.7 STL: 1.1 TO: 1.3 BLK: 0.7 PTS: 10.8

• Contributed two rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in 21 minutes Jan. 22 vs. Philadelphia. • Toronto is 18-4 this season when Anunoby scores 10 or more points. • Shooting a career-best .492 (185-376) from the field, including .476 (40-84) through 10 games in January.

F – PASCAL SIAKAM #43

MIN: 35.2 REB: 7.7 AST: 3.5 STL: 1.0 TO: 2.5 BLK: 1.0 PTS: 23.5

• Finished with 18 points, a game-high 15 rebounds and three assists in 34 minutes Jan. 22 vs. Philadelphia. • Ranks 15th in the NBA in scoring (23.5) and 13th in minutes per game (35.2). • Has scored 30+ points 10 times; had five 30-point performances in 80 games played last season.

C – MARC GASOL #33

MIN: 27.8 REB: 6.4 AST: 3.5 STL: 0.9 TO: 1.3 BLK: 1.0 PTS: 7.8

• Totaled 17 points (7-7 FG), five rebounds and three assists in 25 minutes Jan. 22 vs. Philadelphia. • Averaging 14.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists in five games (Jan. 15-22) since returning to the lineup. • Missed 12 games (Dec. 20 – Jan. 12) due to a left hamstring strain.

G – KYLE LOWRY #7

MIN: 37.1 REB: 4.5 AST: 7.5 STL: 1.2 TO: 2.9 BLK: 0.4 PTS: 20.0

• Finished with 16 points, four assists and three rebounds in 35 minutes Jan. 22 vs. Philadelphia. • Ranked eighth in the NBA in assists per game (7.5); averaging 7.6 assists through 10 games in January. • Has scored 20+ points 18 times this season; scored 20+ points 15 times in 65 games last season.

G – FRED VANVLEET #23

MIN: 35.9 REB: 3.9 AST: 6.8 STL: 2.0 TO: 2.4 BLK: 0.4 PTS: 18.5

TONIGHT’S GAME DETAILS Opponent: New York Knicks Date: Friday, January 24 Tip-Off: 7:30 p.m. (ET) Venue: Madison Square Garden Television: Sportsnet One Radio: Sportsnet 590 The FAN

SERIES RECAP VS. NEW YORK

OVERALL HOME ROAD

2019-20 1-0 1-0 0-0

ALL-TIME 53-41 31-16 22-25

STREAKS Won 7 Won 8 Won 3

LAST WIN: November 27, 2019 (126-98)

LAST ROAD WIN: March 23, 2019 (117-92)

LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY: +36, March 18, 2019

LARGEST MARGIN OF DEFEAT: -46, April 15, 1996

LAST TIME VS. NEW YORK

GAME 17 – NOVEMBER 27, 2019 TORONTO 126, NEW YORK 98

TORONTO — Pascal Siakam scored 31 points, OG Anunoby had 13 points and a career-high 12 rebounds and the Raptors beat the New York Knicks 126-98, Toronto’s franchise-record eighth straight home victory to begin the season … Siakam matched his career high by making five 3pointers and shot 12 for 22 overall … Chris Boucher had 13 points and a season-high 12 rebounds, and Fred VanVleet and Terence Davis each scored 15 points for the Raptors … Julius Randle scored 19 points and Canadian rookie RJ Barrett had 16 for the Knicks … Malcolm Miller scored a career-high 13 points and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson added 12 as the Raptors won their fifth straight, their longest streak of the season … Randle scored 11 points in the first as the Knicks led 29-21 after one … Wayne Ellington made three free throws to begin the second, giving the Knicks a 32-21 lead, but New York didn’t score again until a basket by Marcus Morris with 7:15 left in the half … Davis and Siakam each made 3pointers and Siakam added a free throw on Randle’s technical foul to cap a 22-2 Toronto run … Siakam scored 15 points in the second and the Raptors led 58-46 at halftime … Siakam scored 11 points in the third and Toronto took an 89-69 lead to the fourth.

1 2 3 4 TOT

NEW YORK 29 17 23 29 98

TORONTO 21 37 31 37 126

NEXT GAME DETAILS

Opponent: San Antonio Spurs Date: Sunday, January 26 Tip-Off: 4 p.m. (ET) Venue: AT&T Center Television: Sportsnet One Radio: TSN 1050 Toronto

SERIES RECAP VS. SAN ANTONIO

OVERALL HOME ROAD 2019-20 0-1 0-1 0-0 ALL-TIME 13-34 9-15 4-19 STREAKS Lost 1 Lost 1 Lost 10

LAST WIN: February 22, 2019 (120-117)

LAST ROAD WIN: December 28, 2007 (83-73)

LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY: +33, February 19, 1997

LARGEST MARGIN OF DEFEAT: -28, January 3, 2017

LAST TIME VS. SAN ANTONIO

GAME 39 – JANUARY 12, 2020 SAN ANTONIO 105, TORONTO 104

TORONTO — DeMar DeRozan scored 25 points, Rudy Gay had 15 and the San Antonio Spurs rallied from an 18-point deficit to beat the Toronto Raptors 105-104 … San Antonio used a big fourth quarter to win for the third time in four games … DeRozan also collected eight rebounds and four assists while topping 20 points for the 11th straight game … San Antonio trailed 82-69 to begin the fourth but opened the quarter with a 19-5 run, taking an 88-87 lead on LaMarcus Aldridge’s layup with 6:34 to play … The Spurs led 100-91 with 2:37 left, but Kyle Lowry, Norman Powell and Serge Ibaka each made 3-pointers as Toronto tied it 100-100 on Ibaka’s shot from distance with 1:17 left … Siakam broke the tie by making the second of two free throws with 41 seconds left, but Marco Belinelli replied with a 3 for the Spurs, making it 103-101 with 28 seconds remaining … After a Toronto timeout, Siakam missed a shot that would have tied the game … San Antonio’s Lonnie Walker IV grabbed the rebound, Lowry fouled DeRozan, and the former Raptors star pushed the lead to four points by making a pair from the line … Lowry replied with a deep 3, cutting the deficit to one, and Aldridge missed a pair of free throws with four seconds left, but Siakam’s long 3-pointer bounced off the backboard at the buzzer … Ibaka had 21 points and a season-high 15 rebounds for the Raptors, and Lowry finished with 16 points and a season-high 15 assists.

1 2 3 4 TOT

SAN ANTONIO 21 22 26 36 105

TORONTO 28 23 31 22 104

GAME 44 – JANUARY 22, 2020 TORONTO 107, PHILADELPHIA 95

TORONTO — Fred VanVleet scored 22 points while Marc Gasol had 17 points on a perfect shooting night, and the Toronto Raptors beat the Philadelphia 76ers 107-95 for their fifth consecutive win … Six Raptors scored in double figures … Pascal Siakam had 18 points and 15 rebounds, while Norman Powell chipped in with 18 points … Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka finished with 16 each for Toronto, which ended the Sixers’ four-game win streak … Tobias Harris had 22 points to top the Sixers, who were missing Joel Embiid … Playing his fifth game back since missing 12 with a hamstring injury, Gasol shot 7-for-7 from the field, and connected on his three three-point attempts … The Sixers led by as many as 14 points early in the game and were up by double digits in the third quarter … When Rondae Hollis-Jefferson chucked a rugby pass to VanVleet as he was falling sideways, VanVleet’s three-pointer gave Toronto a two-point lead … Lowry’s driving layup on Toronto’s next possession capped a 20-6 Raptors run and sent Toronto into the fourth quarter up 76-72 … Midway through the fourth, Powell’s layup made it a nine-point Raptors lead … Back-to-back Sixers baskets briefly sliced the gap to three, but consecutive VanVleet three-pointers capped a 10-0 Raptors run to put Toronto up by 13 — their biggest lead of the game — with 1:29 to play … The Raptors lost Patrick McCaw to a facial contusion early in the second quarter.

1 2 3 4 TOT

PHILADELPHIA 35 15 22 23 95

TORONTO 26 24 26 31 107

GAME 43 – JANUARY 20, 2020 TORONTO 122, ATLANTA 117

ATLANTA — Norman Powell scored 27 points, including 17 in the final period, and the Raptors withstood Atlanta’s late charge to beat the Hawks 122-117 on Monday … Trae Young had 42 points and season-high 15 assists for Atlanta … Powell has scored 20 or more points in five straight games, the longest stretch of his career… Toronto led 112-91 before surviving a late comeback by the Hawks, who pulled within two points at 117115 … Fred VanVleet, who had 20 points, sank three free throws with 14.2 seconds remaining after he was fouled by John Collins, pushing the lead to five … Powell had only 10 points through three quarters before finding his 3-point range in the final period to lead Toronto’s productive second unit … The backups were on the floor when Toronto made its comeback in the third quarter and remained in the game for most of the final period … Young’s four-point play cut Toronto’s lead to 114-107 with 1:39 remaining … Collins’ layup reduced the deficit to two points … Powell made three straight 3s to lead the Raptors’ decisive surge early in the final period … Powell made 6 of 9 3s … Pascal Siakam scored 18 points.

1 2 3 4 TOT

TORONTO 36 21 26 39 122

ATLANTA 25 35 22 35 117
FROM THE NEW YORK POST: https://nypost.com/2020/01/23/how-dennis-smith-jr-is-handling-his-murky-knicks-future/?utm_source=url_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons

FROM THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS: Knicks hire brand agency to help make them cool again:

https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/ny-steve-stoute-translation-rebrand-marketing-james-dolan-cool-20200124-koh2cn4pozf7nmfobppzigviki-story.html–

KNICKS’ LAST GAME STARTERS

REGGIE BULLOCK 25 G/F 6-7 205
Games/Starts PTS REB AST FG% 3FG% FT% MIN
11/8 10.0 1.8 1.3 .411 .315 .833 25.0
• LAST GAME: Posted five points and three rebounds over 21 minutes in 1/22 loss vs. LAL.
• Posted at least 12 points in four of the last five games
ELFRID PAYTON 6 G 6-4 195
Games/Starts PTS REB AST FG% 3FG% FT% MIN
27/18 8.5 4.2 6.0 .416 .222 .500 25.7
• LAST GAME: Recorded eight points, a team high nine assists and six rebounds over 32 minutes in 1/22 loss vs. LAL
• Posted five straight 10+ point games (1/3-1/12/20)
• Payton had back-to-back 10+ assists games (12/21-23/19) for the first time since Brandon Jennings (2016-17)
TAJ GIBSON 67 C 6-10 232
Games/Starts PTS REB AST FG% 3FG% FT% MIN
42/36 5.4 4.3 1.0 .549 .200 .735 16.6
• LAST GAME: Registered 12 points and five rebounds over 18 minutes in 1/22 loss vs. LAL
• The 19 points on 1/10 vs. NOP was a season best for Gibson.
• Back to back games of double-figure scoring games
MARCUS MORRIS SR. 13 F 6-9 218
Games/Starts PTS REB AST FG% 3FG% FT% MIN
37/37 19.1 5.4 1.5 .440 .457 .822 32.0
LAST GAME: Recorded 20 points and six rebounds over 37 minutes in 1/22 loss vs. LAL
• THIRD IN THE NBA IN 3PT% at .457 (100-219 3PT FG)
• 20 20-point performances on the season for Morris Sr.
JULIUS RANDLE 30 F 6-9 255
Games/Starts PTS REB AST FG% 3FG% FT% MIN
43/43 18.8 9.2 3.3 .448 .289 .711 32.1
• LAST GAME: Recorded 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists over 35 minutes in 1/22 loss vs. LAL
• Posted back-to-back-to-back 30pt performances for the FIRST time in his career (12/23-12/28/19)
• T-16th in the NBA in double-doubles with 17
• Randle is the first Knick to post at least 25 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a Knicks season opener.
THIS DATE IN KNICKS HISTORY
January 24, 1971: Willis Reed is celebrated for becoming the Knicks all-time leading scorer in the second quarter of 117-
105 win over Detroit at Cobo Arena, despite breaking Carl Braun’s record four days earlier in Chicago.
Injury/Inactive
RJ Barrett (sprained right ankle) is out.

The Rockies will officially be represented in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Newest member and former Rockie Larry Walker announced the headshot for his plaque will feature a Rockies hat.

Larry Walker Will Enter The Hall Of Fame As A Rockie — CBS Denver