Clifford is certainly an interesting addition to the mix.
Report: Hornets owner Michael Jordan meets with coaching candidates Mike D’Antoni, Steve Clifford — ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports
After his agent – Rich Paul – talked him out of accepting a (reportedly $60 million) contract extension last offseason, Miles Bridges is set to earn far more as a restricted free agent this summer.
Report: Hornets hesitant to match max offer sheet to Miles Bridges — ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports
Isaiah Thomas got a standing ovation for his season debut as a visiting player in Minnesota.
Report: Hornets signing Isaiah Thomas — ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports
Khem Birch will start in Anunoby’s place, with Thad Young playing a key role off the bench. Nurse said Young has picked things up quickly (“you can tell he’s been around”) and will be “vitally important” with OG out (with a broken finger).
·
GAME #58 – TORONTO RAPTORS (32-25) at CHARLOTTE HORNETS (29-31)
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2022 – 7 P.M. (ET) – SPECTRUM CENTER
TV: TSN – RADIO: SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN
The Toronto Raptors (32-25) begin a three-game road trip Friday night against the Charlotte Hornets (29-
31) at Spectrum Center. The Raptors start the second half of the season at 32-25, having already surpassed their win total from last season of 27 victories. Tonight marks the third and final regular season
meeting between these two teams, with Toronto winning the first two. Gary Trent Jr. is averaging a team-high 28.0 points against the Hornets this year.
• The Raptors defeated Minnesota 103-91 in their final game before the All-Star break, and have now won
nine of their last 11 games (Jan. 29 – Feb. 16). During this stretch, the Raptors are shooting .464 (469-
1011) from the field and .398 (148-372) from three-point range. Toronto is +22 (137-to-115) on the offensive glass over the last 11 and currently ranks second (13.1) in the NBA in offensive boards per game.
• Gary Trent Jr. scored a team-high 30 points and added four rebounds and two assists Feb. 16 at Minnesota. Trent Jr. has now tallied 30+ points with five-or-more made three-pointers eight times this season,
just one shy of Pascal Siakam’s single-season franchise record of nine games set during the 2019-2020
campaign. Trent Jr. (8), Fred VanVleet (8), Pascal Siakam (7) and OG Anunoby (1) have all scored 30+
points this season – the Raptors are 19-4 in games when they have at least one player score 30-or-more.
• Fred VanVleet has scored 20+ points in a career-high seven straight games played (Feb. 1-14), averaging
22.0 points and shooting .457 (32-70) from three-point range during this span. He sat out Feb. 10 at Houston with left groin soreness and Feb. 16 at Minnesota with a right knee contusion. VanVleet has made
201 threes this season – third most in a season in Raptors history; behind only Kyle Lowry (238 in 2017-
18 & 212 in 2015-16). VanVleet has connected on 5+ threes in a franchise record 18 games this season.
• Pascal Siakam is currently averaging 21.9 points, and career highs of 8.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists, in 44
games this season. He is one of just five players in the NBA averaging 20.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 5.0
assists, along with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, James Harden, and Nikola Jokic. No Raptor has
averaged 20-8-5 for an entire season.
• Rookie Scottie Barnes reached 700 career points Feb. 16 at Minnesota, becoming just the eighth Raptors
rookie to reach the milestone. Barnes (49 games) becomes the third fastest rookie to reach the 700-point
mark in franchise history, behind only Vince Carter (39 games) and Damon Stoudamire (38 games).
Barnes currently ranks fourth among rookies with 706 total points. He leads all first year players in minutes
per game (35.4), ranks third in rebounds (7.4) and fifth in both scoring (14.4) and assists (3.3).
• Reserves Precious Achiuwa (11) and Thaddeus Young (10) each scored in double figures Feb. 16 vs.
Minnesota. Toronto is now 7-1 this season in games when two or more reserves score 10+ points
No Kevin Durant. No Draymond Green.
Hornets’ LaMelo Ball, Spurs’ Dejounte Murray named All-Star injury replacements — ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports
Remember when the NBA didn’t televise the All-Star draft, defeating the best purpose of an All-Star draft?
Anthony Edwards goes No. 1 over LaMelo Ball in Rising Stars draft — ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports
As much as I loathe bench players and coaches crowding the court, Cavaliers backup Ed Davis found a way to be on the sympathetic end of getting called for interference from the sideline.
Hornets get four points from Cavaliers bench player interfering with “shot” — ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports
TORONTO & CHARLOTTE POSTGAME VIDEO: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2j8fgl17gig3szo/AAB_ze09Pd9gbmQ4iXZXs3URa?dl=0
| TORONTO RAPTORS POSTGAME NOTES |
FINAL SCORE: TORONTO RAPTORS 125, CHARLOTTE HORNETS 113
DATE: TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2022
| FINAL SCORE | RECORD | HIGH POINTS | HIGH REBOUNDS | HIGH ASSISTS | |
| Charlotte | 113 | 26-22 | Ball – 25 | Plumlee – 9 | Ball – 7 |
| Toronto | 125 | 23-22 | Trent Jr. – 32 | Siakam – 9 | Siakam – 12 |
| KEY RUN |
Charlotte trailed by 15 points at the half (76-61) but went on a 14-2 run at the start of the third quarter to cut Toronto’s lead to just three points (78-75) with 7:29 remaining in the quarter … The Raptors countered with a 27-11 run and took a 19-point advantage heading into the final frame … Toronto led by double digits the rest of the game.
| KEY STAT |
The Raptors shot .524 (43-82) from the field, including a season-best .471 (16-34) from three-point range … Toronto improved to 5-1 when shooting 50 percent or better from the field … The Raptors also set a season high for points in a half with 76 in the first … Toronto shot .617 (29-47) from the field and .588 (10-17) from three-point range during the first two quarters.
RAPTORS NOTES:
HORNETS NOTES:
=
| 2021-22 SEASON-SERIES | ALL-TIME RECORDS | |||||
| DATE | SITE | RESULT | RAPTORS WINS | HORNETS WINS | ||
| 01/25/2022 | Toronto | W 125-113 | Overall: | 41 | 46 | |
| 02/07/2022 | Charlotte | at Toronto: | 27 | 19 | ||
| 02/25/2022 | Charlotte | at Charlotte: | 14 | 27 | ||
Terry Rozier had just hit his second straight 3-pointer in the third quarter — he would hit a third 31 seconds later — and in the spirit of rubbing it in turned to the Celtics bench and stuck out his tongue while backpedaling down the floor. 901 more words
Terry Rozier, Hornets sink Celtics — Boston Herald
Charlotte played without five players, including starters Lamelo Ball and Terry Rozier because of NBA health and safety protocols.
Watch Dominant Embiid score career-high 43, 76ers beat Hornets in OT — ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports
In addition to Ball, Terry Rozier, Mason Plumlee and Jalen McDaniels are in the protocols.
LaMelo Ball, three other Hornets placed in health and safety protocols — ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports
The view from left field 