- Raptors guard Kyle Lowry returned to the court tonight even though his right ankle isn’t fully healed, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports. Lowry missed back-to-back games after a scary incident Monday night, but said he felt like he needed to start playing again. “I could sit out until the playoffs with the type of injury I have but I want to play, keep a rhythm, get out there with the guys and play some basketball,” he said. “If I can get out there and play, I’m going to go play.”
- The Raptors are more focused on the postseason itself than what seed they can grab, Tim Bontemps of ESPN.com writes. “It just doesn’t seem to have much relevance to our team, and the situation that our organization is in,” head coach Nick Nurse said. “Yeah, we want a decent seed, but we can’t get caught up in it.” The Raptors have a history of successful regular seasons that led to failed playoff runs, something they hope can be changed this time around with their current group.
- Kawhi Leonard has been everything the Raptors could’ve hoped for when they traded for him last summer, Doug Smith of the Toronto Star opines. Leonard has averaged a career-high 27.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.8 steals in 52 games, shooting 49.6% from the floor and 37.0% from deep with his usual stellar defense. His production on both ends is a key reason why the Raptors have already clinched a playoff berth with a 51-21 record this season.
- Before making his return from a three-game suspension on Wednesday night for the Raptors, Serge Ibaka expressed regret over last week’s altercation with Cleveland’s Marquese Chriss. As Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca relays (via Twitter), Ibaka especially lamented the fine, which cost him about $448K. “I was thinking, man, you know how many people need that money?” Ibaka said. “Instead [of going after Chriss], I could have just said, you know, I’m not going to fight, and take that money and go do something for people that need it.”
Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry limped off the floor against the Knicks tonight with a right ankle injury, but Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com (Twitter link) reports that the injury is not believed to be serious. Lowry will undergo tests on the ankle tonight.
Toronto holds the second-best record in the Eastern Conference despite seeing several players shuffle in and out of the lineup all season. Kawhi Leonard has missed 20 games so far, Lowry has missed 15 games, and the pair have only played together 37 times this season, per NBA.com.
Fred VanVleet has started 22 games and he will step into that role should Lowry miss additional time. The Raptors’ next game is against the Thunder on Wednesday.
Fred VanVleet returned to the Raptors‘ lineup at the right time, suiting up for the team on Sunday for the first time since injuring his thumb before the All-Star break. As Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca details, Toronto threw VanVleet into the deep end in his return, playing him for 31 minutes in a tightly-contested loss to Detroit, and the club was at its best when he was on the floor.
VanVleet won’t be relied upon to play quite as significant a role once Kyle Lowry is ready to return from his ankle injury, but Jeremy Lin‘s struggles since joining the Raptors last month have highlighted VanVleet’s importance, Grange notes.
In 15 games since he arrived, the Raptors have a -5.9 net rating when Lin plays and a +12.9 rating when he sits. With VanVleet back in the rotation and Lowry nearing a return, Lin’s role is in danger of being cut back significantly as the postseason approaches.
The Raptors‘ big deadline acquisition was veteran Marc Gasol, bolstering Toronto’s frontcourt entering the final stretch of the regular season. Thus far, Gasol has seen nearly equal time as a starter (six games) and as a reserve (seven games).
In those 13 games, Gasol has averaged 9.4 PPG and 6.2 RPG for the Raptors, well below his career rates. After spending his first 10-and-a-half seasons in Memphis, the big man is still getting used to his new team and teammates, as Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca writes.
“It’s an adjustment. I think it’s an adjustment for me, an adjustment for my teammates, for the coaches,” Gasol said. “You know, you play a certain way and it’s hard to change certain things on the fly. But you can’t try to force the issue. You have to organically improve and I’m here to work and do my best with a very positive mindset every day. It’s about what’s best for the team and how we can take another step at both ends of the floor.”
While the three-time All-Star figures out his role, the Raptors are focused on the postseason, clinching a spot in the Eastern Conference last week. Heading into that stretch, Gasol’s experience will be a factor but he does not want the attention to be solely on him.
“I don’t want to make a big deal out of it,” Gasol said. “Whatever role you’re given, it’s about having a good mindset. It’s not so much about starting — it’s about finishing games. It’s about the team playing well, and contributing to that. I know now that I’m going to have to start for the next few games, probably. And that contributes to a routine and a habit and a little bit of consistency. That helps you get that out of your mind. But I definitely don’t want to make a big deal out of it.”
Check out more Atlantic Division notes below:
- Jaylen Brown has embraced his role off the bench to the Celtics‘ benefit despite being a starter and the team’s second-leading scorer a season ago, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston writes. “He’s done a good job of embracing that,” Boston head coach Brad Stevens said. “He’s done a good job of not letting that affect his aggressiveness or his game.”
- It has been an up and down season for Knicks rookie Kevin Knox who had been in a slump since December. Knox is appreciative of the rebuilding Knicks’ patience with his development but head coach David Fizdale has a strategy to help him improve, Marc Berman of New York Post writes.“His strength is going to be a big, big thing, fine-tuning his shooting, solidifying his post game,” Fizdale said. “Obviously, defensively I’m going to be all over him about taking another step forward, about being a playmaker, a shotblocker, a guy who can take a challenge one on one and really slide his feet against the best attackers.”
- Speaking of Fizdale, earlier we relayed the head coach’s confidence in the Knicks doing well with free agents this summer.
- The Raptors‘ success this year largely depends on what the bench can accomplish, Doug Smith of the Toronto Star writes. “Jeremy [Lin], Norm [Powell], OG [Anunoby], Patrick McCaw. What can they give us defensively, first and foremost, and then what can they limit mistake-wise offensively?” coach Nick Nurse said. “That’s what OG has done. He’s been pretty out of the way, mistake-free, made a few shots, made a few cuts gotten on the glass. Patrick McCaw, the same. I kind of like the decisions that Jeremy has made. He just hasn’t made enough of his shots. And Norman, we’ve got to limit the turnovers with that unit.”
Here are Thursday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA G League:
- The Raptors assigned forward Malcolm Miller to the Raptors 905, G League affiliate of the team, announcing the news on social media. After playing for the Raptors 905 earlier today, Miller was recalled by Toronto and suited up for the NBA team against the Lakers.
- The Celtics have recalled Robert Williams from the Maine Red Claws, the team announced on social media. Williams was drafted by Boston with the the No. 27 pick in 2018, spending part of this season with Maine.
- The Jazz assigned center Tony Bradley to their G League team in Salt Lake City, announcing the move in a press release. Bradley has seen action in 17 games with the team’s G League affiliate, averaging 13.6 points per game on 56% from the field.
MARCH 14: The Raptors have officially signed Moreland to a 10-day deal, per the NBA’s transactions log. It will run through next Saturday, March 23.
MARCH 13: The Raptors will fill one of the open spots on their 15-man roster by signing big man Eric Moreland to a 10-day contract, reports Michael Scotto of The Athletic (Twitter link). I’d expect the move to become official on Thursday before Toronto’s game vs. the Lakers.
Moreland, 27, spent a few weeks with the Suns earlier in the season, but appeared in just one game for the club. He was also with the Raptors for training camp and the preseason back in the fall and suited up for Team USA during FIBA World Cup qualifiers. Previously, the former Oregon State standout played a total of 78 games for the Kings and Pistons from 2014-18.
It’s unlikely that Moreland will see much playing time in Toronto, but he’ll provide the team with some depth at center behind Marc Gasol while Serge Ibaka serves a three-game suspension. Chris Boucher figures to be first in line as Gasol’s backup during those three games, and Pascal Siakam could also see time at the five, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if Moreland also plays a few minutes during his stint with the Raptors.
[RELATED: Serge Ibaka suspended three games by NBA]
Toronto was one of three teams required to sign a 14th man in the coming days, since the club had only been carrying 13 on its roster. The Raptors had until Saturday to make a move, but Ibaka’s suspension likely pushed them to add a player sooner than expected.
Moreland will earn $88,531 on his 10-day deal, which will count for a little less than that ($85,457) for cap and tax purposes.