March 2010 April 2010 May 2010 June 2010 July 2010
August 2010
September 2010 October 2010
November 2010
December 2010
January 2011
February 2011 March 2011 April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011 January 2012 February 2012 March 2012 April 2012 May 2012 June 2012 July 2012 August 2012 September 2012 October 2012 November 2012 December 2012 January 2013 February 2013 March 2013 April 2013 May 2013 June 2013 July 2013 August 2013 September 2013 October 2013 November 2013 December 2013 January 2014 February 2014 March 2014 April 2014 May 2014 June 2014 July 2014 August 2014 September 2014 October 2014 November 2014 December 2014 January 2015 February 2015 March 2015 April 2015 May 2015 June 2015 July 2015 August 2015 September 2015 October 2015 November 2015 December 2015 January 2016 February 2016 March 2016 April 2016 May 2016 June 2016 July 2016 August 2016 September 2016 October 2016 November 2016 December 2016 January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017 January 2018 February 2018 March 2018 April 2018 May 2018 June 2018 July 2018 August 2018 September 2018 October 2018 November 2018 December 2018 January 2019 February 2019 March 2019 April 2019 May 2019 June 2019 July 2019 August 2019 September 2019 October 2019 November 2019 December 2019 January 2020 February 2020 March 2020 April 2020 May 2020 June 2020 July 2020 August 2020 September 2020 October 2020 November 2020 December 2020 January 2021 February 2021 March 2021 April 2021 May 2021 June 2021 July 2021 August 2021 September 2021 October 2021 November 2021 December 2021 January 2022 February 2022 March 2022 April 2022 May 2022 June 2022 July 2022 August 2022 September 2022 October 2022 November 2022 December 2022 January 2023 February 2023 March 2023 April 2023 May 2023 June 2023 July 2023 August 2023 September 2023 October 2023 November 2023 December 2023 January 2024 February 2024 March 2024
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
30
31
News Every Day |

Raptors force overtime, but ultimately fall 131-129 to Wizards

NBA: Washington Wizards at Toronto Raptors
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Led by a career-high from Pascal Siakam, the Raptors fell to the Washington Wizards in overtime in a game they really did have to win to make it into the play-in games.

The back end of Toronto’s insane, whacked-out, all-over-the-place game against the Wizards was a microcosm of the back end of this insane, whacked-out, all-over-the-place season for the Raptors. At one point, it looked like the Raps had the upper hand. Then they were pronounced dead. And then they had hope again. And then it would repeat. In the end, however, in the final score and in the current standings, the Raptors remained behind the Washington Wizards, losing in overtime 131-129 — a result that all but seals their hopes for a play-in bid.

Leading up to this game, the play-in hopes of the Raptors had yet to be extinguished. Considering the hole for the team’s coffin this season has been dug on about seven separate occasions, it felt a bit surreal to even consider a shot at the playoffs. But here the Raptors were, not yet out of it, facing off against one of the two teams that they had a shot at catching. Beyond the Wizards, the bizarro slide of the Indiana Pacers presented another source of hope and incentive for the Raptors to continue fighting.

That said, the Raptors did not commit to going out on their shields. Kyle Lowry was given the night off for the second game in a row. OG Anunoby was held out of the lineup as well, as a nagging calf injury has bothered him for some time. Chris Boucher has been absent since suffering a knee sprain against the Brooklyn Nets back in April. Although Boucher is clearly injured, you would have to believe that both Anunoby and Lowry would suit up if the stakes were just a wee bit higher. If the Raptors were going to pull this one out, they’d have to do it without two of their four best players.

The results from their replacements were varied, as Gary Trent Jr. and Stanley Johnson slotted into the starting lineup in Lowry and Anunoby’s place. Trent was very good, particularly down the stretch, with his smooth game hitting all the right notes. He would finish with 25 points. Stanley “known more for his defense” Johnson didn’t score a point in 29 minutes of play and though he kept the ball moving and played good enough defense to keep the starting lineup strong, his lack of offensive game stood out and gave Washington’s defense a leg up.

The first five minutes of this one felt like a track meet was about to break out. With a frenetic pace and minimal defense in the early going, the Wizards were right at home. But the Toronto defense eventually steadied, particularly in the second quarter when the Raptors really locked in. At the end of the first half, Toronto led 60-51, a particularly impressive defensive effort against the to-that-point humming Wizards.

Throughout the night, the Raptors made it clear that they were not going to let Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook take this one over. At one point, off a loose ball, three Raptors defenders converged on Beal with their hands up and forced it out of his hands. An efficient use of manpower on defense? Certainly not. But an execution of the spirit of the game plan? You betcha.

Toronto’s Khem Birch was helpful in this facet of the game, as he stuffed both Westbrook and Beal on separate occasions. In fact, Birch was excellent throughout, as his presence consistently meant solid play for the Raptors. He scored his fair share on the inside and even knocked down another corner three.

Leading the way along with Birch was Pascal Siakam, who had his entire offensive repertoire working tonight. His outside shooting kept the defense honest, his whirling dervish drives kept the Wizards on their heels, and he was active and aggressive in transition. His offense was much needed as the team had little creation elsewhere. In the process, Siakam tied his career-high of 44 points, but missed some key free throws down the stretch that could have given the Raptors a better shot at a W. As has been the case all season, if some things broke a different way for Siakam, the outcome here could have been quite different.

Although Beal and Westbrook were held in check for the bulk of regulation, other players on the Wizards got outsized opportunities as is wont to happen with the Raptors’ star-stopping strategy. Raul Neto seemingly could not miss, especially from distance, and Robin Lopez has completed his transformation into 2013 Brook Lopez, putting in work in the post.

With these contributions from their role players keeping Washington in it, the Raptors found themselves up by only one with five minutes to play. Back-to-back corner threes by Gary Trent Jr. and a transition dunk by Birch gave the Raptors some breathing room, but it was soon after that Beal and Westbrook put their stamp on the game with Westbrook’s drives and Beal getting to the line on multiple occasions late, including after getting fouled on a three-point attempt by Birch.

But it’s best not to count out the Raptors. Just as appeared that Westbrook and Beal had the game wrapped in regulation, a leaning Fred VanVleet three with just over a second left tied it up and sent it to overtime. Though the Wizards were playing on the second night of a back-to-back, it was the Raptors who didn’t have the legs in OT — including one sequence that saw them get about five shots in one possession only to front-rim most of them. If not for another brilliant flourish from Siakam, this one would not have been nearly as close as it was.

Beal, who finished with 28 points, was able to break out of the clamps the Raptors had him in for most of the game and took over the overtime period, forcing Toronto to play the intentional foul game down the stretch. There would not be another miracle this time, as a last-second Siakam three bounced harmlessly off the backboard, never threatening to drop in.

This game was the last real chance for the Raptors to cobble together a shot at the playoffs, and based on Toronto’s active roster, they didn’t necessarily even want this one that bad. Odds are that the resting of key players will escalate now, and the team will fade away as we prepare to say goodbye to a season that was really never going to be a success from the start. If anything, this game was a fitting punctuation mark on a strange, messy season.

Time to get back to Toronto.

Top 5 Websites to Watch FREE Movies - TV Shows (No Sign up!)

The 10 Intense New Action Movies on Netflix That Left Me on the Edge of My Seat!

Top 10 Emmanuelle Seigner Movies

I was diagnosed with cancer aged 39… you are never too rich, too famous or too young, says Dr Philippa Kaye

Ria.city






Read also

Arsenal Need To Beat Man City | Fan Debate 2024

Recapitalisation: CBN, law enforcement agents to monitor banks’ compliance

Hit BBC comedy quietly cancelled after four series leaving fans absolutely furious

News, articles, comments, with a minute-by-minute update, now on Today24.pro

News Every Day

Top 10 Love Affair Movies of the 2000s and 2010s

Today24.pro — latest news 24/7. You can add your news instantly now — here


News Every Day

Top 10 Love Affair Movies of the 2000s and 2010s



Sports today


Новости тенниса
ATP

Хачанов победил Черундоло и пробился в 1/8 финала турнира ATP в Майами



Спорт в России и мире
Москва

Мечевой бой состоялся в павильоне «Спорт для каждого»



All sports news today





Sports in Russia today

Москва

Федерация бокса России на ВДНХ


Новости России

Game News

Шапки женские вязаные на Wildberries, 2024 — новый цвет от 392 руб. (модель 466)


Russian.city


Москва

Федерация бокса России на ВДНХ


Губернаторы России
Россия

ЦИК: В регионах России в 2024 году пройдет 3,5 тыс. избирательных кампаний


СК запросил арест девятого фигуранта дела о теракте в «Крокус Сити Холле»

Заказать недорогой ремонт кухонной мебели в районе в Москве и Московской области

В Москве отметят юбилеи Кира Булычева, Александра Беляева и Клиффорда Саймака

Мамиашвили о позиции МОК по Играм дружбы: оттуда, где хорошо, не бегут


Певица Любовь Успенская назвала россиян своей семьей

Джиган откровенно рассказал, почему начал худеть, и раскрыл свой максимальный вес

Певица Диана Арбенина объяснила, почему уехала из России

Похудевший Лазарев не может больше выступать — что известно о состоянии певца


Чесноков оценил шансы Александровой в борьбе за выход в финал турнира WTA в Майами

Янник Синнер поделился впечатлениями от общения с игроками сборной Италии по футболу

Хачанов победил Черундоло и пробился в 1/8 финала турнира ATP в Майами

Российская теннисистка Калинская покинула WTA-1000 из-за проблем со здоровьем



Пассажир рейса Москва — Пермь попал в реанимацию

Перенос дат II этапа культурного проекта «Классика: история и современность» в Дмитрове

«Радио Зенит» – информационный партнер форума «Мы вместе. Спорт»

Шапки женские вязаные на Wildberries, 2024 — новый цвет от 392 руб. (модель 466)


Финал всероссийского студенческого трека Олимпиады Кружкового движения НТО «Летающая робототехника» 2024

Фильм о пришельцах снятый на деньги мафии

США включили ряд российских блокчейн-платформ в список SDN

ТНТ запускает ежедневное утреннее шоу с Анной Хилькевич и Анатолием Цоем


Собираем урожай! Дынное дерево заплодоносило в «Аптекарском огороде»

Из крупных городов России массово выдворяют мигрантов

THG Paris представили коллекцию «О» по дизайну студии Putman

Москвичам рассказали, как развивается каркас столичной медицины



Путин в России и мире






Персональные новости Russian.city
Noize MC

«В России будет то, чего не было, и не будет того, что было»: Земфира, Noize MC, Парфенов и другие звезды записали рэп-молитву в память о Навальном



News Every Day

Top 5 Websites to Watch FREE Movies - TV Shows (No Sign up!)




Friends of Today24

Музыкальные новости

Персональные новости