Category Archives: The Athletic

‘I’m not afraid of the moment. I enjoy it’: Kawhi Leonard brings Raptors within one game of NBA Finals

Title:  ‘I’m not afraid of the moment. I enjoy it’: Kawhi Leonard brings Raptors within one game of NBA Finals
Date: May 23, 2019
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic Toronto, I wrote about Kawhi Leonard’s excellence as a scorer, playmaker, and defender, and how he’s led the Raptors within a game of the finals.
Read an excerpt!

Raptor Recalibration, Game 4: Great ball movement, Lowry going full KLOE, Siakam post passing and more

Title: Raptor Recalibration, Game 4: Great ball movement, Lowry going full KLOE, Siakam post passing and more
Date: May 22, 2019
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic, my playoff day-after playoff column looked at the Raptors best win of the playoffs, a resounding Game 4 defeat of the Bucks to tie the conference final series at 2-2. Read an excerpt!

Raptors make defensive adjustment first, giving Kawhi Leonard more time guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo

Title: Raptors make defensive adjustment first, giving Kawhi Leonard more time guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo
Date: May 21, 2019
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic Toronto, I wrote about the Raptors blinking first with their decision to put Kawhi Leonard on Giannis Antetokounmpo more often in Game 3 against the Bucks.
Read an excerpt!

Fred VanVleet, Raptors bench reward faith amid struggles, help even series

Title: Fred VanVleet, Raptors bench reward faith amid struggles, help even series
Date: May 21, 2019
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic Toronto, I wrote about the Raptors bench finally figuring things out and swinging a Game 4 victory more than anybody could have expected.
Read an excerpt!

The Raptors Reasonablists Podcast – Epic Battles: Raptors fight back, Kawhi shuts down Giannis + Game 4 preview

Title: The Raptors Reasonablists Podcast – Epic Battles: Raptors fight back, Kawhi shuts down Giannis + Game 4 preview
Date: May 20, 2019
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In the latest edition of The Raptors Reasonablists Podcast, Eric Koreen and I discuss the first three games of the East final between the Raptors and BUcks and look ahead to Game 4. Read an excerpt!

Raptor Recalibration, Game 3: Late-game execution, Leonard vs. Antetokounmpo, hoverboards and more

Title: Raptor Recalibration, Game 3: Late-game execution, Leonard vs. Antetokounmpo, hoverboards and more
Date: May 20, 2019
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic, my playoff day-after playoff column looked at a double-overtime Game 3 victory for the Raptors where every little thing at the margins mattered, although the general strangeness of the game hid some of that. Read an excerpt!

Raptors survive double-overtime theatre of the absurd, make it a series against Bucks

Title: Raptors survive double-overtime theatre of the absurd, make it a series against Bucks
Date: May 19, 2019
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic Toronto, I wrote about a ludicrous double-overtime Game 3 between the Raptors and Bucks that was, in my estimation, perfect.
Read an excerpt!

Raptor Recalibration, Game 2: Marc Gasol as a screener, starter struggles, Carly Rae Jepsen and more

Title: Raptor Recalibration, Game 2: Marc Gasol as a screener, starter struggles, Carly Rae Jepsen and more
Date: May 18, 2019
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic, my playoff day-after playoff column looked at an ugly Game 2 loss for the Raptors against the Bucks, one that highlights some major issues they don’t have a lot of time to resolve. Read an excerpt!

Raptors have to find way to beat Bucks in minutes Giannis Antetokounmpo sits

Title: Raptors have to find way to beat Bucks in minutes Giannis Antetokounmpo sits
Date: May 17, 2019
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic Toronto, I wrote about a disastrous Game 2 for the Raptors and why they so badly need to win minutes where Giannis Antetokounmpo sits moving forward.
Read an excerpt!

Bucks and Raptors highlight the proliferation of the big-man triple

Title: Bucks and Raptors highlight the proliferation of the big-man triple
Date: May 17, 2019
Original Source: The Athletic
Synopsis: In my latest for The Athletic Toronto, I wrote about the historic amount of threes likely to be shot by bigs in the Raptors-Bucks series and what has led the NBA to this point.
Read an excerpt!