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Raptors

Yes, the Toronto Raptors were eliminated by the Philadelphia 76ers last week. They demonstrated potential in their first-round series but didn&rsquo;t have the chops to take down the 76ers.
While fan bases are generally indifferent about first-round eliminations, Raptors fans should be ecstatic. Not because they should perceive a playoff appearance as a success. That&rsquo;s nothing to write home about. No, Toronto fans should instead be happy about the quick rebuild from their 2019 championship team, and the underlying foundation they&rsquo;ve built.
Before we dive into exactly how Toronto accomplished their turnaround, let&rsquo;s take inventory of the other 29 teams&rsquo; recent successes, or lack thereof. There are 16 teams that haven&rsquo;t won a championship in 20 or more years and five that haven&rsquo;t won in 40 or more years. There are also 13 teams that haven&rsquo;t made the NBA Finals in 10 or more years and 14 teams that haven&rsquo;t won a playoff series in three or more years.
Juxtapose that with Toronto&rsquo;s situation. As I mentioned above, the Raptors won the 2019 championship in their 24th season in the league. They did so by being ultra-aggressive in adding Kawhi Leonard. While history could view the decision to swap DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl and a protected 2019 first-round pick for only one year of Leonard negatively, the fact of the matter is that DeRozan and Kyle Lowry led Toronto as far as they could. The only way the Raptors were going to win big was by acting boldly, which is exactly what they did.
But bold moves like adding players on expiring contracts can backfire, as it did for Toronto with Leonard leaving. Leonard was a particularly risky gamble given that his desire to return to Southern California was a badly-kept secret. &nbsp;
As many expected, Leonard signed with the Los Angeles Clippers as an unrestricted free agent in 2019. The Raptors' pursuit (and acquisition) of a championship cost them the ability to compete for the foreseeable future, or at least that&rsquo;s how it was initially perceived.
Surprisngly, 2019-20 went well for the Raptors. They received contributions from nearly everyone on their roster. The next season didn't go nearly as well, perhaps due to the loss of Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka (or maybe something else entirely). Whatever the reason, the 2020-21 Raptors finished the season 27-45, good for the sixth-worst record in the league.
But those struggles were short-lived. The 2021-22 season started out well with victories in six of their first nine games. The Raptors miraculously ended this season with a 48-34 record, good for fifth-best in the Eastern Conference.
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Park Life - Ep.6 Thanks for riding with us all year long! We appreciate y&rsquo;all and can&rsquo;t wait to see you next season. <a href="https://t.co/EzK3bKK05L">pic.twitter.com/EzK3bKK05L</a>
&mdash; Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) <a href="https://twitter.com/Raptors/status/1520117178921537537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Rebuilds are tricky in the NBA. The 76ers underwent a painful rebuild from 2013-2018. The Knicks have arguably been stuck in a rebuild since 2001. So, how did Toronto accomplish it after just one year? Much of the credit is owed to their president of basketball operations, Masai Ujiri.
Ujiri re-signed with the Raptors last Summer after joining Toronto in 2013. Before landing with Canada&rsquo;s only NBA franchise, Ujiri was the Denver Nuggets&rsquo; general manager from 2010 to 2013, where he won executive of the year in 2012-13.
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Ujiri&rsquo;s fingerprints are all over Toronto&rsquo;s roster. Ujiri&rsquo;s trade for Leonard was bold, but his moves since Leonard left Toronto are arguably more impressive.
Most notably, Ujiri and the Raptors convinced Fred VanVleet to stay in Toronto on a four-year/$85 million deal in November 2020. And they did so anti-climactically, with no free agent meetings or bidding wars.
VanVleet is a key example of Ujiri&rsquo;s brilliance. VanVleet was an undrafted rookie, signed by Ujiri and the team to a multi-year contract after a strong showing in the 2016 Summer League. He played well for the Raptors&rsquo; G-League affiliate, earning a place on the NBA team&rsquo;s roster. He&rsquo;s since become an All-Star.
But Toronto&rsquo;s success is about way more than just VanVleet. Ujiri also traded Norman Powell to Portland for Gary Trent Jr. and Rodney Hood last season. Powell signed a five-year/$90 million deal with Portland but was traded from the Trail Blazers to the Clippers this season. Conversely, Trent re-signed with the Raptors for a comparative bargain, three-years/$52 million. And Trent had a career year for the Raptors in 2021-22, with career-bests in points, assists and minutes per game.
Ujiri also drafted Scottie Barnes over Jalen Suggs. Barnes was seen as a gamble entering the draft. While some made comparisons to Draymond Green, others doubted his offensive ability, whereas Suggs was widely believed to be the fourth-best player in the draft. Barnes was recently named the 2021-22 Rookie of the Year.
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ROTY 4 SCOTTIE Open Gym: Moment presented by <a href="https://twitter.com/Bell?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Bell</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottBarnes561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ScottBarnes561</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZChgqo4nec">pic.twitter.com/ZChgqo4nec</a>
&mdash; Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) <a href="https://twitter.com/Raptors/status/1517922023137288192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Additionally, the Raptors agreed on a sign-and-trade with the Miami Heat prior to 2021-22, sending Lowry to the Miami in exchange for Precious Achiuwa, Goran Dragic and a traded player exception (TPE). Lowry was an unrestricted free agent, but Miami didn&rsquo;t have the cap space to sign him outright. So, while this deal fell in Ujiri&rsquo;s lap, the fact that Toronto received Achiuwa, the 20th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, as part of it was slightly surprising. Achiuwa was sixth in minutes, seventh in points and third in rebounds for the Raptors this season.
Toronto continues to benefit from other moves made by Ujiri, too, including the drafting of Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby. Siakam has grown into the team&rsquo;s best player and leading scorer, and Anunoby has proven himself a wildly versatile wing. Siakam and Anunoby signed extensions with the Raptors in 2019 and 2020, respectively.
Team success is rarely, if ever, the product of one person, especially in basketball. Still, Ujiri has collected great talent and built an impressive culture. He&rsquo;s also developed and retained players better than most other executives. Credit whomever you&rsquo;d like, but the Raptors barely skipped a beat after losing a top-three player, and that is something to write home about.
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Despite losing a top-three player just a few seasons ago, the Raptors repositioned themselves for the future. How did they do it so quickly?

How Masai Ujiri and the Toronto Raptors rebuilt after Kawhi Leonard

TORONTO (AP) &mdash; Joel Embiid had 33 points and 10 rebounds, James Harden added 22 points and 15 assists and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Toronto Raptors 132-97 in Game 6 to end the first-round series Thursday night.
Philadelphia will face Miami in the second round. The top-seeded Heat beat Atlanta in five games.
Tyrese Maxey scored 25 points, going 5 for 12 from 3-point range, and Tobias Harris had 19 points and 11 rebounds, to help the 76ers finish off the Raptors with a blowout after losing the past two games.
Danny Green scored 12 points and shot 4 for 7 from 3-point range as the Sixers finished 16 for 40 from beyond the arc. The Raptors struggled from 3-point range, going 7 for 35.
Chris Boucher had 25 points and 10 rebounds for Toronto, Pascal Siakam fouled out with 24 points, Gary Trent Jr. had 19 and Scottie Barnes 18. Toronto lost in the first round for the first time since being swept by Washington in 2015.
Toronto played without all-star guard Fred VanVleet. He missed his second straight game because of a strained left hip flexor.
Toronto&rsquo;s Precious Achiuwa had 17 points in Game 5 but didn&rsquo;t score Thursday until making a free throw in the fourth quarter. Achiuwa drove for a dunk at the end of the third but the basket was waved off because it came after the buzzer. He shot 1 for 7 and scored three points.
Toronto trailed 70-67 after Siakam made a hook shot with 9:42 left in the third, but Maxey hit three 3-pointers as the 76ers broke the game open with a 17-0 run over the next four-plus minutes, opening an 87-67 lead with 5:20 left in the quarter.
Raptors coach Nick Nurse called timeout after Harden connected from distance with 3:52 left in the third, putting the Sixers up 92-70. Philadelphia took a 99-78 lead to the fourth.
PLAYING VILLAIN
After being called for a foul in the third quarter, Embiid responded to vulgar chants from the fans by cupping his hands around his ears. He did the same while heading to the bench for a fourth quarter timeout.
Boos rained down after Embiid dunked in the fourth, then ran down the court with his arms raised in the airplane celebration he used against Toronto in the 2019 playoffs.
SHOT CHART
Toronto made seven of its first eight field-goal attempts, then missed its next 10. The Raptors shot 12 for 17 in the first quarter, making 5 of 19 after their hot start.
TIP-INS
76ers: Coach Doc Rivers was called for a technical foul in the fourth for arguing that Harden had been fouled on a three-point basket. &hellip; Embiid went 9 for 10 at the free throw line, while Harden was 6 for 6.
Raptors: Siakam had seven of Toronto&rsquo;s 15 assists. &hellip; Former Raptors guard Cory Joseph attended the game.

Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers finished off the Toronto Raptors Thursday night, winning their first-round series.

Embiid scores 33 points, 76ers finish off Raptors in Game 6

Pascal Siakam scored 23 points, Precious Achiuwa had 17 and the Toronto Raptors forced a return home for Game 6 in their Eastern Conference first-round series against Philadelphia, beating the 76ers 103-88 on Monday night.
Yo, Canada! Once holding a 3-0 series lead, the 76ers are headed back north.
The Raptors have won two straight in the series and jumped all over injured Sixers center Joel Embiid and ineffective James Harden to make Thursday night&rsquo;s game a necessity.
Embiid had 20 points and 11 rebounds playing with a thumb injury. Harden scored 15 points on 4-of-11 shooting.
Sixers coach Doc Rivers is dragging the weight of ignominious NBA history with him through customs. Rivers, who led Boston to the 2008 championship, is the only coach in NBA history to blow three 3-1 series leads. The Magic lost to Detroit in the 2003 Eastern Conference first round; the 2015 Clippers blew the series to Houston in the Western Conference semifinals; and in 2020, the Clippers lost to Denver in the West semifinals.
The next season, Rivers was in Philly -- and the Sixers lost three games at home as the No. 1 seed and were eliminated in the second round.
The nerves in Philly are suddenly as tight as the rims.
The Sixers had a miserable first half. They finished with 10 turnovers and shot 35% from the floor. Philly&rsquo;s last bucket in the first quarter was one for the blooper reel: Matisse Thybulle&rsquo;s missed shot bounced off the rim and was accidentally tipped in by Achiuwa.
Whoops.
Maybe it sparked something for the Raptors. They opened the second quarter on a 12-0 run to take control all while the Sixers missed their first nine shots. The Sixers didn&rsquo;t score until 6:51 was left in the half. Scottie Barnes scored eight points in the quarter and the Raptors took a 54-41 lead at the break.
The 76ers were booed off the court, their play a bleak reminder of some recent postseason flameouts.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve generated really good shots most of the series,&rdquo; Raptors coach Nick Nurse said before the game. &ldquo;We haven&rsquo;t shot very well yet. I told the guys today, today would be a good day to go ahead and start making some of those open shots.&rdquo;
The Raptors listened, hovering around 50% for most of the game. They also controlled the boards and scored 20 points off turnovers.
Harden could have used the shooting tip.
Harden played the same night the All-Star he was traded for, Ben Simmons, was inactive for Brooklyn. Harden was barely more visible and missed 6 of 8 shots through three quarters, scoring nine points.
Embiid continued to play with a ligament tear in his right thumb. He looked gassed at times in the third quarter as the Raptors kept attacking the MVP finalist for tough buckets, notably Achiuwa&rsquo;s driving layup that made it 73-60.
TIP-INS
Raptors: All-Star point guard Fred VanVleet sat out with a left hip flexor strain. VanVleet said he was hurt in Game 4 and was unsure if he could play in Game 6.
76ers: Embiid was fined $15,000 for criticizing the officiating in Game 4. ... John Calipari, who coached 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey at Kentucky, was at the game.
TRAINER&rsquo;S ROOM
Embiid will have to wait until after the season for thumb surgery.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s no treatment. There really isn&rsquo;t,&rdquo; Rivers said. &ldquo;If there&rsquo;s one thing I know, it&rsquo;s not going to get any worse. There&rsquo;s really no ice, there&rsquo;s no treatment for that until after the season.&rdquo;
UP NEXT
The Sixers will play Game 6 without Thybulle. Thybulle, who sat out Games 3 and 4, is barred from entering Canada because he is not fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Pascal Siakam scored 23 points, Precious Achiuwa had 17 and the Toronto Raptors forced a return home for Game 6.

Raptors top 76ers 103-88 behind Siakam, force Game 6 at home

TORONTO (AP) &mdash; Joel Embiid made a 3-pointer with 0.8 seconds left in overtime to give the Philadelphia 76ers a 104-101 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night and a 3-0 lead in their first-round series.
After 76ers coach Doc Rivers called timeout to save the possession as the shot clock was running down, Embiid took an inbounds pass from Danny Green and hit a turnaround shot from near the sideline before running back to his bench in celebration.
Toronto&rsquo;s OG Anunoby couldn&rsquo;t get a shot off before the buzzer.
Embiid had 33 points and 13 rebounds, helping the 76ers rally from a 17-point deficit. James Harden had 19 points and 10 assists before fouling out in the closing seconds of regulation.
Tyrese Maxey scored 19 points and Tobias Harris had 11 points and 12 rebounds for the Sixers, who can wrap up the series in Game 4 on Saturday.
Anunoby scored 26 points, Gary Trent Jr. had a playoff-high 24, and Precious Achiuwa had 20 for the Raptors.
Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet each had 12 points. VanVleet shot 3 for 13, going 2 for 10 from 3-point range.
Philadelphia never held a lead in regulation, finally grabbing a 99-97 edge on Maxey&rsquo;s shot with 3:27 left in overtime.
Anunoby&rsquo;s 3 briefly put Toronto back on top, but Embiid&rsquo;s basket with 2:36 left made it 101-100 for the Sixers.
Embiid fouled Anunoby with 26 seconds left, and the Toronto forward made the first but missed the second, knotting it at 101-all.
Raptors rookie Scottie Barnes sat for the second straight game because of the sprained left ankle that knocked him out of Game 1. Raptors coach Nick Nurse said Barnes is making progress and could return Saturday.
The 76ers, who shot at least 30 free throws in each of the first two games of the series, went 15 for 20 from the line in Game 3, with Embiid making six of nine attempts.
Trent was limited to 10 minutes of action in Game 2 because of illness, and didn&rsquo;t play in the second half Monday. He played 45 minutes Wednesday, shooting 9 for 19.
Ahead 75-74 through three quarters, Toronto held a 95-90 lead on Achiuwa&rsquo;s basket with 2:03 left.
Maxey scored to make it a three-point game, and Anunoby was called for goaltending on Harden&rsquo;s shot with 1:14 left, cutting it to 95-94. After missing at one end, VanVleet fouled Harden with 49 seconds to play, but the Sixers guard missed his first shot before tying it 95-all with his second.
Harden fouled out with 27 seconds left, sending Achiuwa to the line, but the Toronto forward missed both shots.
Philadelphia had two chances to win it in regulation, but Embiid missed a 3 and Harris couldn&rsquo;t convert after grabbing the rebound.
The 76ers played without guard Matisse Thybulle. Philadelphia&rsquo;s defensive specialist is not fully vaccinated against COVID-19, making him ineligible to cross the Canadian border. Thybulle also missed an April 7 regular-season loss to the Raptors.
The Raptors hosted a postseason game north of the border for the first time since Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals against Golden State. The Warriors won that game, but Kevin Durant injured his Achilles tendon and the Raptors won the series in Game 6.
TIP-INS
76ers: Green had to be restrained by teammates after he was called for a technical foul late in the second quarter. &hellip; Outscored 13-4 on fast break points. &hellip; Made 24 turnovers, leading to 27 points.
Raptors: C Khem Birch made his first start of the series, replacing Achiuwa. &hellip; VanVleet got a technical foul for arguing after he was called for pushing Embiid out of bounds in the second. &hellip; Trent&rsquo;s previous playoff high was 16, set Aug. 29, 2020 with Portland against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Joel Embiid's three-pointer at the end of overtime lifted the Philadelphia 76ers over the Toronto Raptors in Game 3.

Embiid hits winning 3 in OT, 76ers beat Raptors for 3-0 lead

Pascal Siakam had 37 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds for his third career triple-double, Gary Trent Jr. scored 30 points and the Toronto Raptors beat the Philadelphia 76ers 119-114 on Thursday night.
Siakam shot 14 for 28, going 1 for 7 from 3-point range. He made 8 for 10 free throws.
Precious Achiuwa scored 20 points and made a career-high five 3-pointers, and Scottie Barnes had 13 points and 10 rebounds to help the Raptors win for the seventh time in eight games.
Joel Embiid had 30 points and 10 rebounds, and James Harden had 13 points and 15 assists for the 76ers, whose hopes of winning the Atlantic Division title took a hit.
Tyrese Maxey scored 22 points, and Danny Green shot 6 for 7 from 3-point range and scored 18 points for Philadelphia.
The 76ers trailed 106-102 after Green connected from 3 with 3:31 remaining in the fourth quarter, but Trent scored five points as Toronto answered with a 9-5 run. A steal by Siakam led to a driving dunk for Barnes with 1:30 left, putting the Raptors up 115-107.
Philadelphia guard Matisse Thybulle was listed as &lsquo;ineligible to play&rsquo; on the official NBA injury report. Thybulle, a defensive specialist, has not said publicly whether he is vaccinated against COVID-19. Unvaccinated foreign nationals are currently prohibited from entering Canada. Limited exemptions to the rule no longer apply to professional athletes.
Raptors guard Fred VanVleet sat because of a sore right knee, while forward OG Anunoby missed his third straight because of a sore right quadriceps.
Toronto missed 10 of its first 11 field goal attempts as Philadelphia jumped out to a 17-2 lead. The Sixers were up 33-26 after one quarter.
The Raptors rallied to take a 35-34 lead on Trent&rsquo;s 3-pointer with 9:23 left in the half. Philadelphia led 60-56 at the intermission.
Siakam scored 15 points in the third and Trent added nine to give the Raptors an 87-85 lead after three quarters.
TIP-INS
76ers: Green started in Thybulle&rsquo;s place. &hellip; Harden shot 3 for 12. &hellip; The 76ers finished with three fast-break points, all of them in the fourth quarter. &hellip; Made 17 turnovers, leading to 25 points.
Raptors: F Yuta Watanabe (left quadriceps) sat for the fourth straight game. &hellip;Achiuwa&rsquo;s previous career-high for 3-pointers was four, set twice.
PUT A RING ON IT
Green finally received his 2019 NBA championship ring. VanVleet and Siakam presented the ring to Green in a pregame ceremony at center court.
BIRD WATCHING
Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and right-hander Alek Manoah attended the game.
UP NEXT
76ers: Host Indiana on Saturday night
Raptors: Host Houston on Friday night.

Pascal Siakam had 37 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds for his third career triple-double in the Raptors' win over Philadelphia.

Pascal Siakam has triple-double, Raptors beat 76ers 119-114

Pascal Siakam had 31 points and 13 rebounds, Scottie Barnes added 19 points and 14 rebounds, and the Toronto Raptors clinched a playoff berth by beating the Atlanta Hawks 118-108 on Tuesday night.
Chris Boucher scored 18 points, Gary Trent Jr. had 14, Fred VanVleet 12 and Precious Achiuwa 11. Toronto has won 12 of 16. This victory, coupled with Cleveland&rsquo;s loss at Orlando, ensured the Raptors (46-33) will finish no lower than sixth in the Eastern Conference.
Sixth place is the last guaranteed postseason spot, with teams finishing in the Nos. 7-10 spots headed for the play-in tournament.
Trae Young had 26 points and 15 assists for the Hawks, who lost for the first time in six games and locked themselves into a play-in berth. Atlanta (41-38) and Brooklyn are 1 1/2 games behind seventh-place Cleveland.
Kevin Huerter scored 21 points, De&rsquo;Andre Hunter had 20 and Bogdan Bogdanovic finished with 19. Clint Capela had 10 points and 14 rebounds.
Toronto led 102-92 after Barnes made a 3-pointer with 7:38 left in the fourth quarter, but Atlanta answered with a 10-0 run, tying it at 102-all on Young&rsquo;s basket with 4:29 remaining.
Young gave the Hawks their first lead of the fourth quarter by making one of two from the line with 2:53 to play, but Achiuwa made one to tie it and Barnes ended Toronto&rsquo;s drought of 5 minutes, 45 seconds by converting a putback layup with 1:53 to go.
After Bogdanovic missed a 3, VanVleet connected from distance for Toronto, giving the Raptors a 108-103 lead with just over a minute left.
Young scored nine points in the first and Toronto shot 0 for 8 from 3-point range as the Hawks led 31-27 after one quarter.
After 12 misses from distance to begin the game, Young connected on Toronto&rsquo;s first 3 with 1:12 left in the first half. Siakam scored 10 points in the second as the Raptors led 56-52 at the intermission.
Siakam scored 13 points in the third as Toronto took an 89-83 lead to the fourth.
TIP-INS
Hawks: F Danilo Gallinari sat because of a sore left knee. &hellip; Bogdanovic had nine rebounds.
Raptors: Coach Nick Nurse said F OG Anunoby&rsquo;s sore left thigh is &ldquo;much improved&rdquo; but held the injured forward out for a second straight game. &hellip; VanVleet had nine assists and Siakam had six.
UP NEXT
Hawks: Host Washington on Wednesday night
Raptors: Host Philadelphia on Thursday night.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Pascal Siakam had 31 points and 13 rebounds, Scottie Barnes added 19 points and the Raptors clinched a playoff berth.

Siakam has 31 as Raptors beat Hawks to clinch playoff spot

TORONTO (AP) &mdash; Raptors fans and guard Kyle Lowry finally got to enjoy their long-awaited reunion Sunday.
The six-time All-Star guard returned to Toronto for the first time in more than two years, his first trip back north of the border since an offseason trade to the Miami Heat.
&ldquo;I missed everything about the city, the country, the organization,&rdquo; Lowry said in a pregame press conference. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a lot to miss.&rdquo;
A key part of Toronto&rsquo;s NBA championship in 2019, Lowry spent nine seasons with the Raptors. He remains the franchise leader in assists (4,277), steals (873), 3-pointers (1,518) and triple-doubles (16).
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a place I called home for a long time,&rdquo; Lowry said of his emotions about returning to his old arena. &ldquo;I won a lot of basketball games here, set a lot of records here. I&rsquo;ve got a banner hanging up in there. It&rsquo;s just a special place.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not my home building anymore, but it&rsquo;s a place I&rsquo;ll always call home.&rdquo;
After a video tribute spanning his Raptors career, Lowry was introduced as a visitor the same way he once was as a local star, with the words &ldquo;From North Philly to your city&hellip;&rdquo;
With a full house of cheering fans on their feet, Lowry led his two young sons to center court, holding his hands aloft in gratitude but managing to contain his emotions. He&rsquo;d previously suggested he might cry but pledged before the game to try and hold it in.
&ldquo;I know if I cry, DeMar&rsquo;s going to make fun of me and it&rsquo;s going to go viral and all that stuff,&rdquo; Lowry said, referring to longtime teammate DeMar DeRozan. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m looking forward to just being in the moment.&rdquo;
Lowry last played in Toronto on Feb. 28, 2020, when the defending champion Raptors lost to Charlotte.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m going to be honest, I don&rsquo;t even remember who we played,&rdquo; Lowry said.
Less than two weeks later, the NBA season was shut down by the pandemic, eventually resuming at Walt Disney World, where Toronto&rsquo;s title defense ended in a seven-game loss to Boston in the second round.
With the Canadian border still closed by COVID-19, the Raptors were forced to relocate to Tampa, Florida for Lowry&rsquo;s final season with the team in 2020-21, depriving Toronto fans of a proper goodbye.
Struggling to win in their temporary home after the team was hit by a coronavirus outbreak, Toronto nearly traded Lowry at the deadline last season. Instead, they moved him to Miami in the summer, landing guard Goran Dragic and forward Precious Achiuwa in exchange.
&ldquo;It was just time,&rdquo; Lowry said of his amicable Toronto exit. &ldquo;It was like naturally a good phase out. It was time for the next phase.&rdquo;
Lowry found the perfect accessory for the stylish blue suit he wore to his pregame press conference: his massive, diamond-studded ring from Toronto&rsquo;s 2019 championship.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s special to me and the city, and the country, and the organization, so why not wear it?&rdquo; Lowry said.
Earlier, Toronto Mayor John Tory officially proclaimed Sunday &ldquo;Kyle Lowry Day&rdquo; in the city to mark the star guard&rsquo;s return. In a video posted to Twitter, the mayor praised Lowry for both his play and his off-court charitable work.
&ldquo;We love him, we will always love him,&rdquo; Tory said.
Lowry didn&rsquo;t play between Jan. 15 and Feb. 3 because of personal reasons, missing all three previous meetings between the Heat and Raptors. Those games included Miami&rsquo;s Feb. 1 visit to Toronto, which was played before just a few hundred fans because of Ontario government restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those restrictions have since been lifted, and a large crowd arrived early to welcome Lowry back to Toronto, cheering when he came out for warmups.
While Raptors fans were delighted to see Lowry back in town, coach Nick Nurse wasn&rsquo;t laying out the welcome mat for his former star.
&ldquo;I hope to God we ruin his night,&rdquo; Nurse joked.
Lowry insisted he was up to meeting Nurse's challenge.
&ldquo;As a competitor, I know the competitiveness is going to come out, so I&rsquo;m going to try to win it,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;but I&rsquo;m going to enjoy this moment and enjoy being here.&rdquo;
With Heat coach Erik Spoelstra entering the health and safety protocols Sunday., assistant Chris Quinn led the Heat in Lowry&rsquo;s emotional return. Quinn said Lowry has made a big impact on Miami since his arrival.
&ldquo;A guy with his stature, his leadership qualities, he&rsquo;s brought our team to another level,&rdquo; Quinn said. &ldquo;We certainly enjoy being around him and learning from him.&rdquo;

Kyle Lowry returned to play in Toronto for the first time in two years and was happy to be home.

Toronto fans shower Lowry with love in long-awaited return

TORONTO (AP) — Pascal Siakam had 12 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high 13 assists for his second career triple-double, Gary Trent Jr. scored 29 points and the Toronto Raptors strengthened their hold on sixth place in the Eastern Conference by beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 125-102 Wednesday night.
Toronto (44-32) moved two games ahead of Cleveland for sixth after the Cavaliers lost to Dallas.
OG Anunoby scored 22 points, Scottie Barnes had 17 and Precious Achiuwa 13 as the Raptors overcame a 17-point second-quarter deficit to complete a 4-0 homestand.
Fred VanVleet scored 12 points and Thad Young had 10 as Toronto matched idle Chicago for the fifth-best record in the conference. The Bulls hold the tiebreaker on the Raptors after winning three of four meetings.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Anthony Edwards scored 24 points as the Timberwolves (43-34) lost for the fourth time in five games and dropped three games behind sixth-place Denver in the Western Conference after the Nuggets beat Indiana.
Sixth place is the last guaranteed postseason spot, with teams finishing in the Nos. 7-10 spots headed for the play-in tournament.
Minnesota has five games left, while Toronto has six games remaining.
D’Angelo Russell scored 13 points, and Jarred Vanderbilt and Patrick Beverley each had 10 as all five Timberwolves starters reached double figures.
The Raptors trailed 40-23 with 9:42 left in the second quarter but closed the gap with a 19-6 spurt. Toronto shot 8 for 12 from 3-point range in the second, and VanVleet’s buzzer-beating 3 at the end of the half gave Toronto a 62-60 lead.
Trent scored 14 points in the third, connecting on 3 of 4 attempts from distance, as Toronto took a 97-82 lead to the fourth.
TIP-INS
Timberwolves: G Malik Beasley (sprained left ankle) sat for the second straight game. ... Coach Chris Finch said F Jaden McDaniels (sprained left ankle) has been cleared to resume basketball activities and will be evaluated again in one week. ... Minnesota had 11 turnovers in the first quarter. They finished with 23, leading to 25 points.
Raptors: C Khem Birch returned after sitting out Monday’s win over Boston because of a sore right knee. ... Achiuwa started the second half in place of Barnes, who returned with 5:02 remaining in the third. ... Toronto improved to 17-4 when at least six players score 10 or more points.
UP NEXT
Timberwolves: Visit Denver on Friday night.
Raptors: Visit Orlando on Friday night.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Pascal Siakam logs a triple-double with career-high assists against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Siakam has triple-double, Raptors rout Timberwolves 125-102

TORONTO (AP) &mdash; Pascal Siakam scored 23 points and the Toronto Raptors routed the depleted Indiana Pacers 131-91 on Saturday night in a game delayed 70 minutes in the first half because of a speaker fire that forced the evacuation of fans.
Scottie Barnes added 19 points, Precious Achiuwa 18, OG Anunoby 16, Chris Boucher 15 and Thad Young 11 as the Raptors posted their biggest margin of victory this season.
Oshae Brissett led Indiana with 21 points. Justin Anderson had 18, Jalen Smith 15 and Buddy Hield 14. The Pacers have lost three straight and five of seven.
No one from the sellout crowd of 19,800 was around at end to see Toronto move past Cleveland into sole possession of sixth place in the Eastern Conference after the Cavaliers lost 98-94 in Chicago. The Raptors are one game behind the fifth-place Bulls with eight games remaining.
Sixth place is the last guaranteed postseason spot, with teams finishing in the Nos. 7-10 spots headed for the play-in tournament.
In the first quarter, two sections of fans behind the basket at the east end of the stadium were cleared and Toronto Fire Services personnel could be seen in the empty aisles, staring at the ceiling.
&ldquo;I was like, &lsquo;Jeez, I wonder why they didn&rsquo;t sell those seats tonight?&rsquo; That was my first thing,&rdquo; Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. &ldquo;Then I saw the firemen standing there.&rdquo;
Later, another section was cleared as play continued. Before long, video surfaced on social media of flames coming out from a speaker hanging above the stands.
Pacers acting head coach Lloyd Pierce said he spoke to lead official Zach Zarba about the acrid smell coming from the burning speaker.
&ldquo;You could definitely smell it,&rdquo; Pierce said. &ldquo;By the time (the game) stopped the smell was tough.
&ldquo;Fifteen years for me, probably the most bizarre situation that we&rsquo;ve been in for a game,&rdquo; Pierce added.
During a timeout, public address announcer Herbie Kuhn announced that the arena was being evacuated at the order of Toronto Fire Services, telling booing fans that the game had been suspended.
Players headed to their locker rooms with 4:05 left in the second quarter and the Raptors leading 66-38.
Brissett, who is from Toronto, had a large crowd of people on hand to watch him play at home but they all had to leave.
&ldquo;I got a whole bunch of texts from friends, family,&rdquo; Brissett said. &ldquo;They were really mad.&rdquo;
During the delay, two workers using ropes and harnesses hung from the ceiling and sprayed a fire extinguisher at the problematic speaker.
Remaining ushers and arena security staff cheered when the Raptors returned to warm up for the restart. The halftime break was cut from 15 minutes to 7 1/2 minutes, and players did not leave the court during the intermission.
&ldquo;It was crazy,&rdquo; Achiuwa said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve never been in a game like that.&rdquo;
Toronto guard Fred VanVleet, who missed two games earlier this month because of a sore right knee, did not return following the restart.
This was the latest instance of fan-free basketball for the Raptors, who played to no more than a few hundred fans at home games between Dec. 31 and Mar. 1 because of Ontario government restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anunoby and Siakam combined for 22 points in the first, one more than the Pacers had as a team, and Toronto closed the quarter with a 23-5 spurt to lead 41-21.
&ldquo;We definitely came out really flat,&rdquo; Brissett said.
Ahead 66-38 when the game was suspended, Toronto led 74-46 at halftime.
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HURTING PACERS
Indiana guard Malcolm Brogdon (conditioning) sat for the fourth straight game, while guard Chris Duarte (left big toe) missed his fifth straight, and forward Isaiah Jackson (headache) missed his second straight. The Pacers were also without center Goga Bitadze, who sat because of a sore right foot.
CHECKING ON COACH
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle missed his second straight game for personal reasons. Pierce said he&rsquo;d checked in with Carlisle since a loss Thursday night at Memphis.
&ldquo;We just keep it professional, but he&rsquo;s doing well,&rdquo; Pierce said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s concerned about us but we&rsquo;re concerned about him as well.&rdquo;
SIX PACK
Toronto is 15-4 when six or more players score in double digits.
TIP-INS
Pacers: Smith returned after missing the past two games because of a non-COVID illness. &hellip; Indiana is 9-29 on the road. The Pacers went 3-5 away from home in March.
Raptors: G Gary Trent Jr. (left big toe) sat for the third straight game but is &ldquo;pretty close&rdquo; to a return, Nurse said. &hellip; Signed G Armoni Brooks to a multi-year contract. Brooks had previously signed two 10-day contracts with Toronto.
UP NEXT
Pacers: Host Atlanta on Monday night.
Raptors: Host Boston on Monday night.

Siakam scored 23 and the Raptors routed the Pacers 131-91 in a game delayed due to a speaker fire that forced fans to evacuate.

Raptors rout Pacers after fire causes delay, fan evacuation

Pascal Siakam matched his season high with 35 points, Chris Boucher scored 17 and the Toronto Raptors tightened the Eastern Conference playoff race by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 117-104 on Thursday night.
OG Anunoby returned from injury to score 14 points, Scottie Barnes had 11 and Fred VanVleet and Precious Achiuwa each added 10 as Toronto (41-32) snapped a three-game home losing streak and tied Cleveland for the sixth-best record with nine games to go in the regular season.
Cleveland had won all three previous meetings with the Raptors this season, meaning the Cavs hold the tiebreaker over Toronto and retain possession of the No. 6 seed in the East. That is the last guaranteed postseason spot, with teams finishing in the Nos. 7-10 spots headed for the play-in tournament.
Siakam&rsquo;s six made 3-pointers matched his career high. He shot 6 for 7 from long range.
Anunoby started for the Raptors, returning to the lineup after missing 15 games because of a fractured right ring finger. He shot 4 for 11 in 26 minutes, finishing 4 for 8 from behind the arc.
Cavs rookie Evan Mobley scored 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting and had eight rebounds.
Kevin Love had 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Darius Garland had 18 points and 10 assists. Lauri Markkanen scored 20 points and Lamar Stevens had 16 for the Cavaliers, who have lost two straight and three of five.
Toronto missed six of seven attempts to start the game but made seven of its next 13, helping turn a 15-10 deficit into a 25-17 lead after one. The Raptors had assists on seven of their eight baskets in the first, including a no-look pass from Barnes to Siakam, who scored 12 in the quarter.
Thad Young and Boucher combined for 19 points in the second and the Raptors led 58-48 at halftime.
Garland scored nine points in the third but Siakam answered with 11 as Toronto took an 83-75 lead to the fourth.
TIP-INS
Cavaliers: Caris LeVert scored 11 points. &hellip; Stevens topped 15 points for the third consecutive game. &hellip; C Jarrett Allen (broken finger) missed his ninth straight game &hellip; G Rajon Rondo (sprained ankle) and F Dean Wade (knee soreness) each sat for the sixth straight game.
Raptors: G Gary Trent Jr. (left big toe) sat for the second straight game. &hellip; Anunoby last played Feb. 16 at Minnesota. &hellip; Play seven of their final nine at home, where they are 18-16. &hellip; Outscored Cleveland 18-4 in fast-break points.
UP NEXT
Cavaliers: Host Chicago on Saturday night.
Raptors: Host Indiana on Saturday night.

Pascal Siakam matched his season high with 35 points, Chris Boucher scored 17 and the Raptors tightened the East playoff race.

Siakam matches season high with 35, Raptors top Cavs 117-104

PHILADELPHIA (AP) &mdash; The 76ers acquired James Harden to score big baskets when the game is on the line.
He had the ball and tried, tried and tried again over the final 2:25 &mdash; and a Raptors team fighting for an Eastern Conference playoff spot kept Harden in check.
&ldquo;He's got all the options,&rdquo; Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. &ldquo;He went to the float game and we made some plays on it. That's really the defense.&rdquo;
Pascal Siakam had 26 points and 10 rebounds, and Precious Achiuwa scored 21 points to lead Toronto to a 93-88 win over Philadelphia on Sunday night.
Chris Boucher had 12 points and 14 rebounds to help the Raptors extend their road winning streak to six.
Harden missed two free throws with the Sixers down 87-86 and missed a driving layup with 59 seconds left and the Sixers down 89-86. The Sixers had the ball with 37.3 seconds left and Joel Embiid lost the ball for a costly turnover.
Scottie Barnes missed two free throws that kept Toronto's lead at 90-88 with 7.1 seconds left.
Harden, though, missed again when he was whistled for an offensive foul against Boucher on a drive down the lane that crushed the Sixers' comeback bid.
&ldquo;We were trying to make it hard for him in the paint,&rdquo; Boucher said.
Yes, the Sixers had their chances. But the Raptors were clearly the aggressors against a stagnant Sixers team that played at half-speed compared to their division rival. The Raptors had a whopping 20 offensive rebounds and held an overall 56-40 edge on the glass. The Sixers made only four baskets and had seven turnovers in the fourth quarter.
&ldquo;We just got our butt kicked. That&rsquo;s all I have,&rdquo; coach Doc Rivers said.
Embiid had 21 points and 13 rebounds for Philadelphia. He shot only 6 of 20 overall from the floor and missed all three 3-pointers. Tyrese Maxey scored 19 points and Harden had 17.
&ldquo;I just got to be better, it&rsquo;s simple,&rdquo; Harden said.
Maxey continued to shine as Philly&rsquo;s bundle of energy. His 3 late in the third put the Sixers back in the lead that was just one of a handful of tweet-worthy highlights. His hustle helped the Sixers take a 74-69 lead into the fourth.
The Sixers just couldn't hold onto their leads.
The Raptors outscored the Sixers 30-17 in the second quarter to erase a 16-point deficit and take a 57-54 lead into the break. The Sixers got little offensive punch out Embiid and Harden. Embiid missed eight of 12 shots and the two combined for just 16 points. Embiid came in with a slim lead over LeBron James (30.0 vs. 29.8) in the NBA scoring race, and Harden averaged 22.6 points.
It was a needed win for the Raptors as the regular season winds down. The Raptors are fighting for the sixth seed &mdash; they started a game back of Cleveland &mdash; and want to finish there so they can avoid the play-in tournament for the seven through 10 seeds.
&ldquo;Can we go out there and look these really good teams eye-to-eye and go compete and believe we can win? And execute to win?&rdquo; Nurse asked. &ldquo;If we believe we can win and compete as hard as we've been competing, we're going to get our share of wins. We deserve to get our share of wins.&rdquo;
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TIP-INS
Raptors: Malachi Flynn sat out with a strained hamstring and OG Anunoby missed his 14th straight with a fractured finger. Fred VanFleet sat out with a nagging knee injury, but was expected to play Monday against the Bulls.
76ers: Embiid was questionable with back soreness and could get a rest day Monday when the Sixers host Miami in the back-to-back set. Embiid is an NBA MVP front-runner but at this point, the Sixers are more concerned with keeping their big man fresh for the playoffs.
UP NEXT
Raptors: Play Monday at Chicago.
76ers: Host Miami on Monday.

Pascal Siakam had 26 points and 10 rebounds, and Precious Achiuwa scored 21 to lead Toronto to a 93-88 win over the 76ers.

Raptors win 6th straight road game, top 76ers 93-88

TORONTO (AP) &mdash; LeBron James scored 19 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, Russell Westbrook had 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the Toronto Raptors 128-123 on Friday night.
Avery Bradley hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 32.5 seconds left in the extra session, putting the visitors up 125-123, then added a pair of free throws after a turnover by Toronto rookie Scottie Barnes.
Wenyen Gabriel scored 17 points, Bradley had 14 and Austin Reaves 10 as Los Angeles avenged Monday&rsquo;s home loss to the Raptors and ended Toronto&rsquo;s winning streak at five.
James shot 15 for 26 and went 2 for 7 from 3-point range. He had nine rebounds.
Barnes had 31 points and 17 rebounds, Gary Trent Jr. scored 23 points and Fred Van Vleet 20.
Precious Achiuwa scored 18 points, but made a costly turnover in the final seconds of regulation that led to Westbrook&rsquo;s tying 3 with less than a second to play.
Toronto looked to have the game won after Trent hit a go-ahead 3 with 25 seconds left, and James and Westbrook both missed from distance at the other end, with Trent grabbing the rebound on Westbrook&rsquo;s shot.
Los Angeles got a break when Achiuwa turned the ball over with 5 seconds left and Westbrook hit a tying 3 with less than 1 second remaining. Toronto couldn&rsquo;t get a shot off on its final possession, sending it to OT.
The Lakers made their first six field-goal attempts of the game, including three from long range, to lead 15-5, but Toronto reclaimed the advantage with a 18-3 spurt. Making his first start for Los Angeles, Gabriel shot 6 for 6 in the first quarter and scored 14 points as the Lakers led 33-30 after one.
James scored 12 points in the second. Los Angeles led 59-55 at the half, but Barnes had 12 in the third as Toronto took an 89-88 lead to the fourth.
LOCOMOTIVE LEBRON
Beforehand, Raptors coach Nick Nurse said he hasn&rsquo;t seen James slow down any with age.
&ldquo;To me, he&rsquo;s got the freight train game going,&rdquo; Nurse said. &ldquo;He gets in transition, and you&rsquo;ve got to be a man to stand in there and get in the way to slow him down.&rdquo;
GOOD WEEK FOR A.D.
Injured Lakers forward Anthony Davis tested his sprained right foot by taking some shots on the court before the game. Davis sat for the 12th straight game, but Lakers coach Frank Vogel said the star big man is making progress in the intensity of his work.
&ldquo;Anthony has had a good week,&rdquo; Vogel said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s had a productive week.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Lakers: G Talen Horton-Tucker sat because of a sprained left ankle. F Carmelo Anthony and G Wayne Ellington were both sidelined due to a non-COVID illness.
Raptors: F OG Anunoby (fractured right ring finger) will be reevaluated in a week, Nurse said. Anunoby has missed the past 13 games. &hellip; Siakam scored 17 points.
UP NEXT
Lakers: At Washington on Saturday night.
Raptors: At Philadelphia on Sunday night.
&nbsp;

LeBron James scored 36 points and Russell Westbrook had a triple-double as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Toronto Raptors 128-123.

James scores 35, Lakers beat Raptors in OT, snap 3-game skid

I tuned in late for Raptors-Suns on Friday night, but I knew I had to tune in.&nbsp;
A team with a diverse pick-and-roll offense featuring plenty of empty corner ball screens and Spain actions? And you're telling me they got to face off against one of the rangiest, switchiest teams in the sport?
Sign. Me. Up.
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The fourth quarter starts with Phoenix spamming three empty corner ball-screens, all headlined by Cam Payne. On the first, he comes off to his right and makes the one-pass-away swing to Landry Shamet for a contested triple. On the next trip, Payne flows into a contested pull-up with Fred VanVleet trailing him.&nbsp;
The shot misses, is rebounded by JaVale McGee, then kicked back out to Payne. They do the dance again, with Payne touching the paint on this one. A late switch is forced, with Precious Achiuwa picking up Payne on the drive. He contests vertically, but Payne gets a tough one to go.
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My initial thought after the first minute of fourth quarter play: Wow, that was a pretty quiet start for Achiuwa.
And I meant it in a good way.
It's not easy to defend three empty corner actions in a row against an unpredictable spark plug like Payne, while also dealing with the prospect of a lob threat like McGee getting behind you. Those three trips ended with one shot at the rim made my brow raise.
(That also gives me an excuse to drop this: 40 players have defended at least 35 empty corner ball screens since the All-Star break; only four bigs &mdash; Joel Embiid, Isaiah Jackson (!!!), Bam Adebayo and Karl-Anthony Towns &mdash; have allowed stingier marks than Achiuwa, per Second Spectrum.)
It seems counterproductive to appreciate a quiet aspect of Achiuwa, but it's the mark of growth for Toronto's second-year big man.&nbsp;
The flashes have been loud; a grab-and-go sequence here; a thunderous swat there; a poster dunk, just for funsies.
But then there's the other side: the wild passes, the dribble-dribble-dribble-shoot isolations that garner slumped shoulders from his teammates, the eagerness against ball fakes.
It's too early to say Achiuwa has put it together, but his post-All-Star break stretch &mdash; and honestly, you can track the shift back a little further &mdash; has been a step in the right direction.
In nine games since the break, he's averaging 12.8 points and 6.4 rebounds in a shade under 23 minutes per contest. He has the second-best net rating (plus-1.2) among rotation regulars, trailing only Malachi Flynn.
(Don't forget to set your cuckoo clocks forward an hour tomorrow, friends.)
In true Achiuwa fashion, his True Shooting percentage since the break is both underwhelming (53.6, below league average) and a massive improvement from his pre-break number (46.7). The boom in efficiency can be explained by his three-point shooting; he's drilled 46.2% of his triples on nearly three attempts per contest.
He's been fruitful from the corners, but there's a little bit of diversity present. He's firing off of pick-and-pops. He can space in the corner, but has also shown the willingness to relocate to remain in his driver's line of sight.
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It would be irresponsible to dub Achiuwa as a mid-40s three-point shooter, but his comfort is worth monitoring. There's no hesitation in regards to the shot, and his footwork and shot prep are fine in multiple contexts. If he can cross the "reliable" threshold in the minds of defenses, that can open up his driving game.
Full disclosure: I have no idea what to make of it right now.
He has legit ball skills, and a first step that can best most centers in space. It helps him in grab-and-go situations after defensive rebounds, and there's potential worth exploring in half-court scenarios. This possession from Friday's action is ringing in my head.
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That's Achiuwa popping, pumping, then attacking McGee's top foot and absolutely dusting him off the bounce.&nbsp;
That is&nbsp;also&nbsp;Achiuwa missing Thaddeus Young as Bismack Biyombo rotates over, then getting swatted at the rim as a result.
I'm not sure there's a larger gap between a player's perception and their percentages than Achiuwa at the rim. You'd think a guy with his athletic gifts and measurements would be an elite finisher, but yet:
<ul>
<li>He's converting 55% of his shots at the rim (7th percentile), per Cleaning The Glass</li>
<li>About those ball-skills: Achiuwa is shooting 37.5% (!) on shots via drive since the All-Star break, one of the worst marks in the league</li>
<li>He gets blocked&nbsp;a ton:&nbsp;14.2% of his shots at the rim <a href="https://www.pbpstats.com/totals/nba/player?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have been swatted</a>, one of the highest marks among qualified players (min: 1000 minutes) per PBP Stats.</li>
</ul>
Passing more would probably help these matters; he's only passing on <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives/?Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;SeasonSegment=Post%20All-Star&amp;TeamID=1610612761&amp;sort=DRIVES&amp;dir=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10% of his drives</a> since the break, and rarely gives up the rock after offensive rebounds.
On the defensive end, Achiuwa has showcased high level potential. He's incredibly switchable, able to mirror wings and some guards in space while using his 7-3 wingspan as a buffer. Darius Garland didn't have the best time earlier this week.
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That switchiness allows the Raptors to flatten actions in the half-court. Lineups featuring Achiuwa with their core four (VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr, Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam) have outscored teams by 5.5 points per 100 possessions behind a stingy defense. Opposing offenses have a three-point rate of 29.1 with that group on the floor, a mark that ranks in the 90th percentile.&nbsp;
While not a great rebounder himself, he does boost Toronto's rebound rate by nearly <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/vs/advanced/#!?TeamID=1610612761&amp;VsPlayerID=1630173&amp;Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">three percentage points</a> this season. That number has <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/vs/advanced/#!?TeamID=1610612761&amp;VsPlayerID=1630173&amp;Season=2021-22&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;SeasonSegment=Post%20All-Star" target="_blank" rel="noopener">become more stark</a> since the All-Star break.&nbsp;
The case for starting Achiuwa is what he unlocks defensively, and how his open-floor handling can further help the Raptors push in transition. What's holding him back is his ability to cap or continue possessions &mdash; the finishing has to be much better, and his willingness to move the ball must improve.
I will say, Achiuwa doesn't seem far off. Even with his warts, he's clearly the most talented of Toronto's actual centers. He leads their big man room in fourth quarter minutes &mdash; late-game trust matters more than jump-ball responsibilities, anyway.
Keep an eye on him.
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Nekias Duncan digs into Precious Achiuwa's second-half surge with the Toronto Raptors.

Why doesn't Precious Achiuwa start for the Raptors?

PHOENIX (AP) — Gary Trent Jr. scored 42 points and the Toronto Raptors held off the Phoenix Suns, beating the NBA’s leading team 117-112 on Friday night.
Trent was 8 from 11 from 3-point range and 13 of 21 from the floor. He fell just short of his career high of 44 points set last season. He also had eight rebounds.
Pascal Siakam added 25 points and 10 assists for the Raptors, and Scottie Barnes had 15 points.
The Raptors improved to 36-30, winning two straight after dropping three in a row. That coincides with the return of Fred VanVleet, who missed five games with a knee injury. VanVleet had 10 points and eight rebounds Friday.
Cameron Payne had 24 points for the Suns, and Devin Booker had 22. Booker missed two 3-point attempts in the final minute and was held to three points in the fourth quarter.
Mikael Bridges scored 18 points for Phoenix, DeAndre Ayton had 16 and Jae Crowder 13. The Suns fell to 53-14.
Toronto opened up a 96-82 lead through three quarters. But the Suns rallied with a 20-6 run to tie it at 102 with 4:36 remaining. 
With 3:27 left in the third quarter, Booker fouled Precious Achiuwa on a drive to the basket. Booker was assessed a flagrant foul (penalty one). Achiuwa made two free throws and Fred VanVleet made a 3-pointer to give Toronto its biggest lead to that point at 83-71. The Raptors led by 16 in the period.
SUNS ON THE MEND
Suns point guard Chris Paul (right thumb fracture) continued to practice shooting before the game Friday. 
“It’s awesome, but it’s just part of the normal progression for that kind of injury,” coach Monty Williams said. “We’re happy about it but you have to temper it until he’s able to get to 1-on-1, 3-on-3, 5-on-5, which is hard to do with where we are in the season.”
Paul was injured before the All-Star break and is expected to miss another month or so. While Paul is eager to return, Williams says he isn’t concerned that his point guard will try to come back too soon.
“I don’t (worry) because I know how diligent he is about his body. Anytime a guy wants to play I don’t mess with him. (Laughs) It’s when guys don’t want to play that’s (a problem). Our guys love to play.”
Cam Johnson (right quad contusion) continues to improve, Williams said. 
Malachi Flynn (left hamstring strain) and OG Anunoby (fractured finger) remain sidelined for the Raptors.
TIP-INS
Suns C Bismack Biyombo is donating his 2021-22 salary to build a hospital in his native Congo to honor his father, who died of COVID-19 in August.
Biyombo was unsigned this season until joining the Suns in January. He has a one-year, $1.4 million contract. The 11-year veteran, through the foundation that bears his name, donated $1 million in medical supplies to the Congo two years ago for supplies to fight COVID-19.
NEXT
Raptors: At Denver on Saturday night.
Suns: Host Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night

Gary Trent Jr. scored 42 points and the Toronto Raptors held off the Phoenix Suns, beating the NBA’s leading team 117-112.

Gary Trent Jr. scores 42 points, Raptors hold off Suns

Scottie Barnes made his first 11 shots and had 28 points and a season-high 16 rebounds, leading the Toronto Raptors to a 133-97 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night in the opener of a home-and-home series.
Blown out by Charlotte and Atlanta in their first two games after the All-Star break, the Raptors were on the good side of a romp against a Nets team that was missing their best players, their coach and apparently anyone who could guard Barnes.
The forward was 10 for 10 at halftime, the first rookie to be perfect on 10 or more shots in a half since Derrick Rose on March 18, 2009, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Nets finally stopped the No. 4 pick when James Johnson blocked his shot with 7:08 left in the third quarter.
By then, Barnes was on the way to matching his highest-scoring game on a night Toronto led by as many as 39 points.
Precious Achiuwa had 20 points and eight rebounds for the Raptors, who played without All-Star guard Fred VanVleet because of a sore right knee. VanVleet replacement Malachi Flynn scored 18 points.
The teams play again Tuesday in Toronto, which the Nets hope will be their last game without Kevin Durant, who is expected to return soon after missing the last 20 games with a sprained left knee ligament. Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons were also out for the Nets, and coach Steve Nash was placed in health and safety protocols shortly before the game. Assistant Jacque Vaughn ran the team in his place.
The Raptors moved three games ahead of the Nets for seventh place in the Eastern Conference. The No. 7 seed hosts No. 8 to open the play-in round, with the winner of that game earning the No. 7 seed. No. 8 hosts the winner of the 9-10 game for the No. 8 seed.
The Nets never envisioned having to worry about that, but it looks increasingly likely after their 14th loss in 17 games. LaMarcus Aldridge scored 15 points, while Cam Thomas and Bruce Brown had 14.
Brooklyn was coming off a victory at defending champion Milwaukee on Saturday, with Irving scoring 38 points. Irving was unavailable again at home Monday because he hasn't met New York City's vaccine mandate, nor will he be able to travel to Toronto.
Nash said before the game he has not had any new talks with Irving about getting the shot.
Toronto was 6 for 9 from 3-point range to take a 42-27 lead after one quarter. Barnes had 13 points on 5-for-5 shooting, then went 5 for 5 and scored 11 in the second, when Toronto led by 28 before taking a 71-48 lead to the break.
TIP-INS
Raptors: Coach Nick Nurse said OG Anunoby (broken right finger) hadn't seen a specialist yet so had no update. ... The Raptors signed forward D.J. Wilson to a third 10-day contract.
Nets: Vaughn coached the Nets at the end of the 2019-20 season after Kenny Atkinson was fired in early March. He guided the Nets to the playoffs, where they were swept by the Raptors in the first round at Walt Disney World, shortly before Nash was hired.
SIMMONS STATUS
Nash, who held his news conference before he was ruled out, said he <a href="https://apnews.com/article/philadelphia-76ers-brooklyn-nets-nba-sports-new-york-97acc40e376f443d8d8ff716844f4bf8">doesn't think Simmons will practice this week</a> after being bothered by back pain. He hasn't been cleared for any high-intensity work, making it unlikely the former 76ers star will be ready when the Nets visit Philadelphia on March 10.
GOING AGAINST GORAN
Goran Dragic's second game with the Nets was against the Raptors, who had acquired him last summer in the deal that sent Kyle Lowry to Miami. Dragic played in just five games for the Raptors before they dealt him before the trade deadline to San Antonio. The veteran guard agreed to a buyout and signed with the Nets last week.
Nurse said coaching against him was no big deal.
&ldquo;Listen, I think he&rsquo;s happy where he&rsquo;s at now and guys in that stage of their career, it&rsquo;s not uncommon,&rdquo; Nurse said.
UP NEXT
The Raptors will be allowed to play in front of full capacity on Tuesday after being limited to 1,000 fans when they were last home on Feb. 12.
&ldquo;It hasn&rsquo;t been that great for our team or even our opposition coming in, the low energy that's been in that building with no one there,&rdquo; Nurse said. &ldquo;So especially for a place that&rsquo;s full of energy, it&rsquo;s a super-fun place to be when we do have funs and all that stuff, so we&rsquo;re certainly looking forward to that.&rdquo;

Scottie Barnes was 10 for 10 at halftime, the first rookie to be perfect on 10 or more shots in a half since Derrick Rose on March 18, 2009.

Barnes makes first 11 shots, Raptors romp 133-97 in Brooklyn

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Trae Young returned to his All-Star form by scoring 41 points and the Atlanta Hawks rode a dominant third quarter to a 127-100 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Saturday night.
Young was 17 of 24 from the field, 6 of 6 from the line and had 11 assists in his strong bounce-back game. He shot only 3 of 17 in Atlanta's 112-108 loss at Chicago on Thursday night, his first game after starting in the All-Star Game.
Young rebounded by making his first four shots against the Raptors in his fifth game of the season scoring more than 40 points. He set a career high with 56 points at Portland on Jan. 3.
Fred VanVleet led Toronto with 24 points and nine assists after being listed as questionable with right knee soreness. Precious Achiuwa added a season-high 21 points.
Onyeka Okongwu matched his season high with 17 points for Atlanta, which pulled away by outscoring Toronto 38-16 in the decisive third period.
The teams traded dramatic runs in the first half.
The Raptors enjoyed the first hot streak, scoring 13 unanswered points for a 27-22 lead. Achiuwa started the run with a 3-pointer and capped the streak with a jam.
Toronto stretched the advantage to 45-33 early in the second period before the Hawks took command with an 18-0 run to lead 51-45.
After leading 66-58 at halftime, the Hawks pulled away with another long run, scoring 16 straight points early in the third period for an 89-62 lead.
The Raptors faced an ugly deficit for the second consecutive night. After trailing by 41 points in Friday night's 125-94 loss at Charlotte, the Raptors trailed by 32 points, at 102-70, late in the third period against the Hawks.
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TIP-INS
Raptors: Pascal Siakam had 14 points and 10 rebounds. ... Coach Nick Nurse said VanVleet had renewed soreness in his knee on Saturday morning after scoring eight points in 29 minutes at Charlotte on Friday night. ... F OG Anunoby missed his second consecutive game with a fractured right ring finger. Nurse said Onunoby is scheduled to see a specialist on Monday.
Hawks: F John Collins (strained right foot) missed his fifth consecutive game. Coach Nate McMillan said Collins &ldquo;did some shooting and a little running&rdquo; on Saturday morning and will be checked on Sunday to see how the foot responds. ... G Lou Williams (left hip discomfort) was held out after playing 12 minutes in Thursday night's loss at Chicago. ... F De&rsquo;Andre Hunter had 14 points after missing the second half against Chicago because of an illness.
UP NEXT
Raptors: Visit Brooklyn on Monday night.
Hawks: Visit Boston on Tuesday night.

Trae Young returned to his All-Star form by scoring 41 points and Atlanta rode a dominant 3Q to a 127-100 victory over the Raptors.

Young regroups with 41 points as Hawks top Raptors, 127-100

All-Star Weekend is a godsend, man.&nbsp;
A 55-60 game schedule across four months is monstrous for everyone involved: the players and coaches, the fans living and dying with every result ... and the people covering the sport.
At a basic level, it feels good to wind down for a bit. Turn your brain off for a bit. All-Star Weekend festivities provide us with a nice middle ground; we get low stakes competition where the mission statement is "look at how freaking cool our league is."
I love the way the league handles its opening night. We get former players coaching a bunch of celebrities in the world's wealthiest (and cringeworthy) pickup game. After that, they showcase the up-and-comers in the league in ... yet another pick-up game. At least in this case, we get some real late game juice from the young studs &mdash; especially with the introduction of a new target-score-based format.
I have some takeaways from Friday's festivities, but I'll get the most important one out of the way now: I had a lot of fun.
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And that's what really matters, right? It's so easy to get caught up in the minutiae over the regular season. Wins and losses, scheme stuff, injury maintenance, transaction talk. It was honestly cool to watch (bad, at times) basketball and just bask in the ambience of the world's best sport.
(This is not an invitation to argue. Be wrong in your own space.)
Here are some things that stood out to me.
MYLES GARRETT IS A MASSIVE HUMAN BEING
While it's generally understood that professional athletes are abnormal humans (in a positive sense), you still come across a few that bend the realm of what should be possible. Garrett is one of those dudes, an electrifying defensive end for the Cleveland Browns listed at 6-foot-4, 272 pounds.&nbsp;
Guys his size aren't supposed to move as well as he does. That blend of size, athleticism and fluidity makes him one of the best linemen in the sport &mdash; seriously, line him up inside or outside and he can absolutely blow up your game plan &mdash; but it seems unfair that he can also&nbsp;serve as a terrifying transition threat on the basketball court.
Though his team ultimately lost the Celebrity All-Star Game, Garrett popped on the screen all night. He was a Drummond-esque bully on the glass, a vertical spacer you had to account for in the half-court, and a dunk-happy hooper whenever he got the chance.
What the heck do you do with a refrigerator-with-hops flipping the angle of a screen, then rumbling down the lane like this?
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You get out of the way, like the defense does here. Or you just go full Dearica Hamby:
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Garrett didn't show much in the way of shooting touch or passing chops, but he also didn't need to.&nbsp;
JACK HARLOW &mdash; GAP FILLER?
We all knew Harlow had at least an interest in basketball; within that realm, his relationship with Tyler Herro begins to make more sense. I'll leave that up for your interpretation.
But to watch Harlow shooting in for boards, knocking down four-point shots (yeah, that was a thing) and keeping the ball moving in the half-court was ... honestly satisfying? A pleasant surprise? There were a few audible "...huh." exclamations in the Duncan household on Friday night.
You know what every low-stakes, full-court pick-up game has?
Shoddy transition defense.
You know how you take advantage of shoddy transition defense?
Well, you cherry-pick pass the ball ahead and generate easy buckets. Harlow was doing that in spades.
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I'll give him the hat tip.
STRENGTH MATTERS&nbsp;
You can nestle in more Garrett talk here, but I want to hone in on the Rising Stars event.
First off, well done on the format. Two games to 50, and a final with a 25 target score. I was a bit iffy on 50 as a target score &mdash; the possibility of things going too quickly or&nbsp;dragging on too long was in the back of my mind &mdash; but it turned out to be a solid sweet spot.
Beyond that, let's talk about Team Barry.
Having Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, Franz Wagner and Jae'Sean Tate is a gnarly blend of size and IQ. It's cliche, but all of those dudes just know how to play basketball. Quick processors, sound decision-makers, spatial awareness on both ends of the floor, all of that.&nbsp;
But man, can all of these dudes just abuse mismatches.&nbsp;
Even on missed shots, it was wild to watch Mobley put his shoulder into his defender's chest on post-ups. Poor Bones Hyland (Team Payton) was fighting for his life when defending drives. Tate was a bowling ball on drives, or when fighting for rebounds. We got this very early on into the Cade-versus-LaMelo Ball battle:
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I'm just not sure what you're supposed to do with that. All of the positioning in the world only goes so far when you can be moved off your spot. Team Barry didn't have watch-your-ankles shot creators, but they didn't need 'em &mdash; they had enough get-to-my-spot guys to make the offense work when it mattered.
IS EVERYBODY OKAY?
Let's get the obvious stuff out of the way first. Scottie Barnes has rightfully flowed between 1-and-4 in the Rookie of the Year race, depending on when you check in. He's a <a href="https://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2022/01/13/scottie-barnes-and-star-power/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">star in the making</a>. Precious Achiuwa, the key prospect in the Kyle Lowry sign-and-trade from this summer, has shown some <a href="https://www.raptorsrepublic.com/2022/02/02/precious-achiuwa-is-a-rising-defensive-star/">darn good stuff defensively</a> this year. Raptor fans should be (and are) excited about what's being built up there.
With that said, they gave us some&nbsp;hilarious&nbsp;moments on Friday night.&nbsp;
We'll start with Barnes (and Tyrese Maxey, to be fair), who completely bombed during the Clutch Moment event.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Tyrese Maxey and Scottie Barnes go 0/6 on the lay up <a href="https://t.co/MDcoBdHyiZ">pic.twitter.com/MDcoBdHyiZ</a>
&mdash; Alex (@dbs408) <a href="https://twitter.com/dbs408/status/1494880647730528258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

But also, how wholesome are these two?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Tyrese Maxey and Scottie Barnes kept it positive during the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CloroxClutch?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CloroxClutch</a> Challenge! 😊 <a href="https://t.co/xdpeb4FEmF">pic.twitter.com/xdpeb4FEmF</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1494901408688226304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2022</a></blockquote>

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And then there's Achiuwa, who played with his usual brand of energy on both ends. He also tapped into his I'm-a-big-wing-not-a-big bag at&nbsp;the&nbsp;worst possible time.
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Attack your goals with the confidence of Achiuwa, and you're much more likely to achieve them.
STRAY THOUGHTS
<ul>
<li>Boy, did the Jalens &mdash; Green and Suggs &mdash; give us some material in the opener. Green showcased his shot-creation chops early on. Suggs was flying around, and even gave us a 360 for our pleasure. Of course, we also got some ill-advised shots from Green down the stretch, and a missed free throw from Suggs that pried the door open enough for Team Isiah to steal the victory. Ah, well.</li>
<li>Desmond Bane is shooting 42% from three on nearly 7 attempts per game this season. You could not pay that man to make an open shot last night, going 3-of-10 from three across the two exhibition games and&nbsp;mostly wetting the bed in the Clutch Moments event. Thank goodness for Tyrese Haliburton.</li>
<li>HUNT ALPEREN SENGUN IN SPACE AT THE END OF A MEANINGLESS GAME AT YOUR OWN PERIL.</li>
</ul>
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Nekias Duncan talks about his favorite moments from Friday night's All-Star Weekend festivities.

Friday Fun: Takeaways from the first day of All-Star Weekend

The following is a press release from the NBA:
CLEVELAND&nbsp;&ndash; Fifteen international players from 12 countries, including six international All-Stars and a record-tying four international All-Star Game starters, will participate in NBA All-Star 2022 in Cleveland from Friday, Feb. 18 &ndash; Sunday, Feb. 20.&nbsp; NBA All-Star 2022 will reach fans in 215 countries and territories in a record 60 languages on their televisions, computers, mobile phones and tablets.
Below are international highlights of this year&rsquo;s global celebration of basketball:
INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS
<ul>
<li>The 71st NBA All-Star Game, which tips off on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT, will feature six international All-Stars and a record-tying four international starters.&nbsp; Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks; Greece; ties to Nigeria) and Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets; Serbia) will start for Team LeBron, while Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers; Cameroon) and Andrew Wiggins (Golden State Warriors; Canada) will start for Team Durant.&nbsp; They are joined by Team LeBron reserve Luka Dončić (Dallas Mavericks; Slovenia) and Team Durant reserve Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz; France).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Clorox Rising Stars, which will take place on Friday, Feb. 18 at 9 p.m. ET on TNT, will feature a new format of four seven-player teams competing in a three-game mini-tournament, with each game played to a Final Target Score.&nbsp; The pool of 28 players includes six international players: Precious Achiuwa (Toronto Raptors; Nigeria), Chris Duarte (Indiana Pacers; Dominican Republic), Josh Giddey (Oklahoma City Thunder; Australia), Alperen Şeng&uuml;n (Houston Rockets; Turkey), Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic; Germany) and Dyson Daniels (NBA G League Ignite; Australia).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>With their participation in Clorox Rising Stars, Giddey and Daniels, who were teammates at NBA Global Academy in Canberra, Australia, from 2019-2020, become the first NBA Academy alumni to participate in NBA All-Star.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The Taco Bell&reg; Skills Challenge, which is part of State Farm All-Star Saturday night on Feb. 19 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT, will also feature a new format in which three teams of three players will participate in a four-round competition that tests shooting, passing and dribbling ability.&nbsp; One of the teams is composed of three Antetokounmpo brothers: Giannis and Thanasis Antetokounmpo (Bucks; Greece; ties to Nigeria) and Alex Antetokounmpo (NBA G League&rsquo;s Raptors 905; Greece; ties to Nigeria).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Eight players competing at NBA All-Star 2022 are from or have ties to Africa: Achiuwa, the three Antetokounmpo brothers, Desmond Bane (Memphis Grizzlies; ties to Nigeria), Ayo Dosunmu (Chicago Bulls; ties to Nigeria), Embiid and Isaac Okoro (Cleveland Cavaliers; ties to Nigeria).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>New this year, the NBA G League&rsquo;s top young players, including G League Ignite&rsquo;s Daniels and Fanbo Zeng (China), will be on display in the inaugural NBA G League Next Gem Game, which will feature G League Ignite taking on the Cleveland Charge on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 2 p.m. ET on NBA TV, NBA TV International, and in China on Tencent and MIGU.</li>
</ul>
GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION
<ul>
<li>A total of 72 international broadcast partners will televise NBA All-Star 2022.&nbsp; Six international television and radio networks &ndash; from France, Greece, Latin America, Mongolia, Poland and Spain &ndash; will conduct live onsite commentary from Cleveland, and three television networks &ndash; from India, Netherlands and Norway &ndash; will broadcast NBA All-Star remotely for the first time.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Fans outside North America will also be able to watch Clorox Rising Stars, State Farm All-Star Saturday Night and the NBA All-Star Game live and on-demand through NBA League Pass via <a href="https://insights.nba.com/PoliteMail/default.aspx?page=zoU9Gcb3YESIAP7onvjQYw&amp;ref_id=r2DLozbAkESbJ37egIWA4A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">watch.NBA.com</a> and <a href="https://insights.nba.com/PoliteMail/default.aspx?page=BGLjtJbUSEKZ3TxszIgasA&amp;ref_id=r2DLozbAkESbJ37egIWA4A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the NBA App</a>.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Fans around the world will be able to vote for the MVPs of the Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, Clorox Rising Stars and the NBA All-Star Game via NBA.com, the NBA App and Twitter.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>On Sunday, Feb. 20 from 11 a.m. &ndash; 2 p.m. ET, fans around the world can watch a livestream of All-Star Game players and coaches conducting media availabilities at <a href="https://insights.nba.com/PoliteMail/default.aspx?page=3HYWzdXImUWzU3gUE-9O-g&amp;ref_id=r2DLozbAkESbJ37egIWA4A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mediaavail.nba.com</a>.</li>
</ul>
CELEBRITIES &amp; INFLUENCERS
<ul>
<li>The Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, which tips off on Friday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, will feature Puerto Rican rapper and singer Anuel AA; Indian American singer/songwriter Anjali Ranadiv&eacute;; Bollywood superstar Ranveer Singh; 2020 Olympic high jump gold medalist Gianmarco Tamberi from Italy; and Cleveland Cavaliers Legend and Brazil native Anderson Varej&atilde;o.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Singh, who in September was named the NBA Brand Ambassador for India, will be one of more than two dozen influencers attending NBA All-Star 2022, where he will post behind-the-scenes social media content and have the opportunity to meet NBA players and legends.&nbsp; Singh will also become the second Bollywood star to play in the Celebrity Game.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Singh headlines a group of international influencers from Argentina, France, India, Japan, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Senegal, South Africa, Spain and the UK who will experience NBA All-Star 2022 in person, receiving exclusive access to the weekend&rsquo;s events and creating All-Star-themed content for fans in their home markets.</li>
</ul>
ALL-STAR CELEBRATIONS ABROAD
In addition to the events in Cleveland, fans around the world will be able to share in the excitement of NBA All-Star 2022 through a variety of international activations and programming:
<ul>
<li>In Canada, the &ldquo;NBA 75th Shop,&rdquo; a digital retail experience that pays tribute to the players and moments that have shaped the growth of basketball across the country, features a <a href="https://insights.nba.com/PoliteMail/default.aspx?page=2icFrxLx0UmWFb58V9B7Vw&amp;ref_id=r2DLozbAkESbJ37egIWA4A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">figurine depicting eight-time All-Star and Raptors Legend Vince Carter</a> at the 2000 Slam Dunk contest and an &ldquo;<a href="https://insights.nba.com/PoliteMail/default.aspx?page=Ss8TfIZrIUqK4tlSdhYWOQ&amp;ref_id=r2DLozbAkESbJ37egIWA4A">ice block</a>&rdquo; commemorating the 2016 Slam Dunk contest in Toronto, the first NBA All-Star held outside the U.S.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>On Feb. 18, Mexican artist Alee Baes is launching exclusive All-Star-themed merchandise and giving away 16 special-edition Wilson basketballs in collaboration with the NBA at the league&rsquo;s official retail location in Mexico, NBA Tienda in Polanco.&nbsp; The collection will also be available at <a href="https://insights.nba.com/PoliteMail/default.aspx?page=ibGQ_qNzG0KhKkx1nZQUsA&amp;ref_id=r2DLozbAkESbJ37egIWA4A" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nbatienda.com</a>, the league&rsquo;s official online destination in the country.&nbsp; In addition, Cavaliers Legend Anderson Varej&atilde;o is filming a number of content pieces while on site in Cleveland that will be shared on the NBA&rsquo;s social media platforms in his native Brazil.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>From Feb. 7-21, Cosmote Sport, the league&rsquo;s broadcast partner in Greece, is running a 24/7 NBA pop-up channel featuring live NBA All-Star events, original programming, classic games, highlights and more.&nbsp; Eleven Sport and beIN SPORTS, the league&rsquo;s broadcast partners in Belgium and France, respectively, are hosting competitions in which winners will attend All-Star 2022.&nbsp; In addition, the NBA Fan Clubs in Greece and Spain are organizing NBA All-Star sweepstakes and quizzes featuring merchandise giveaways and special prizes.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The league&rsquo;s social media platforms in Australia, Japan and the Philippines will produce All-Star-themed programming to promote the weekend&rsquo;s events.&nbsp; The Dime, a recap show on the NBA&rsquo;s Facebook page in Australia, will feature Australian Rising Stars participants Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels.&nbsp; NBA Zoom-In, a show on the NBA&rsquo;s TikTok channel in Japan hosted by Japanese influencer Rikuto, will preview and recap highlights from the weekend.&nbsp; Republika Huddle, the league&rsquo;s social media talk show in the Philippines, will revisit previous editions of NBA All-Star and provide predictions for this year&rsquo;s marquee events.</li>
</ul>

Fifteen international players, including six All-Stars and a record-tying four All-Star Game starters, will represent in Cleveland.

15 international players from 12 countries will be at All-Star Weekend

The NBA announced the Clorox Rising Stars challenge rosters after undergoing a four-team draft, coached and headlined by captains and NBA legends - Jon Barry, Gary Payton, Isiah Thomas and James Worthy.
Here is the official release from the NBA:
"The 2022 Clorox Rising Stars rosters have been announced following a player pool draft conducted by 75th Anniversary Team members and Rising Stars coaches Jon Barry, Gary Payton, Isiah Thomas and James Worthy. The 2022 All-Star Weekend event will be highlighted by some of the league&rsquo;s best young talent, including leading Kia Rookie of the Year candidates Evan Mobley and Cade Cunningham and sophomore stars LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards.
In a new format, 28 players &mdash; comprising 12 rookies, 12 sophomores and four members of the NBA G League Ignite developmental squad; see roster below &mdash; were drafted onto four teams to compete in three games on Friday, Feb. 18 (9 p.m. ET, TNT).
Each game will be played to a Final Target Score, ending with a made basket or free throw instead of with the clock running out. It will be a &ldquo;Race to 75&rdquo; to celebrate the league&rsquo;s 75th anniversary season &mdash; Games 1 and 2 will be played until a team reaches 50 points; Game 3 will be played until a team reaches 25 points."
Clorox Rising Stars Rosters:
 TEAM BARRY
Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons Dyson Daniels, G League Ignite Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers Isaac Okoro, Cleveland Cavaliers Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets Jae&rsquo;Sean Tate, Houston Rockets Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic
 TEAM ISIAH
Precious Achiuwa, Toronto Raptors Desmond Bane, Memphis Grizzlies Saddiq Bey, Detroit Pistons Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves Tyrese Haliburton, Sacramento Kings Jaden Hardy, G League Ignite Isaiah Stewart, Detroit Pistons
 TEAM PAYTON
LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors Ayo Dosunmu, Chicago Bulls Chris Duarte, Indiana Pacers Scoot Henderson, G League Ignite Jaden McDaniels, Minnesota Timberwolves Davion Mitchell, Sacramento Kings
 TEAM WORTHY
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic MarJon Beauchamp, G League Ignite Josh Giddey, Oklahoma City Thunder Jalen Green, Houston Rockets Herbert Jones, New Orleans Pelicans Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers Jalen Suggs, Orlando Magic
 Tournament Bracket
&nbsp; &nbsp; Game 1: Team A vs. Team B &nbsp; &nbsp; Game 2: Team C vs. Team D &nbsp; &nbsp; Game 3: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2
"In addition, a timed shooting competition called the Clorox Clutch Challenge will take place between Games 2 and 3 of Clorox Rising Stars. A total of eight NBA and NBA G League Ignite players will be divided into four teams of two and compete to make shots from five locations on the court tied to iconic shots made in the NBA Playoffs.
&bull; Teams will break down as follows:
&mdash; Desmond Bane/Tyrese Haliburton &mdash; Scottie Barnes/Chris Duarte &mdash; Josh Giddey/Evan Mobley &mdash; Michael Foster Jr./Fanbo Zeng (G League Ignite)
&bull; Each team will compete with one shared ball and its players must alternate shots so no player shoots two times consecutively. Team 1 is given 1 minute and 30 seconds (1:30 counting down) to make a shot from each of the five locations in any order. Team 1&rsquo;s time is then the marker for Team 2. If Team 1&rsquo;s time is 1:15, then Team 2 will have a 1:15 countdown clock to complete the competition. Each team that establishes a new standard sets the clock for the next team competing, and the fastest finisher will win the Clorox Clutch Challenge."

The Clorox Rising Stars challenge has been set after the conclusion of a 4-team draft.

Clorox Rising Stars rosters set after 4-team draft

TORONTO (AP) &mdash; Pascal Siakam matched his season high with 33 points, Fred VanVleet had 26 points and 11 assists and the Toronto Raptors beat the Atlanta Hawks 125-114 on Friday night for their fifth straight victory.
The Raptors also beat the Hawks 106-100 in Atlanta on Monday night, with the Hawks' only two losses in the last 10 games coming against Toronto.
Siakam scored 21 points in the first quarter. Gary Trent Jr. scored 19 points, Scottie Barnies had 16, Chris Boucher 11 and Precious Achiuwa 10.
De&rsquo;Andre Hunter and John Collins each scored 23 points for Atlanta, Trae Young had 22 points and 13 assists, and Bogdan Bogdanovic had 18 points.
&ldquo;This team, they speed you up with their pressure and their trapping, and changing defenses,&rdquo; Hawks coach Nate McMillan said about the Raptors. &ldquo;We had a couple of turnovers late that hurt us.&rdquo;
Besides its two wins over Atlanta, Toronto beat Miami twice in this five-game streak, once in triple overtime, and had an OT victory over Chicago on Thursday night. The Bulls and Heat are the top two teams in the Eastern Conference.
&ldquo;I think we should feel pretty good,&rdquo; Siakam said. &ldquo;Definitely some tough games out there against really good teams in the East. Those are the teams we want to face every single night. The games came at us pretty fast. I liked the way we responded every single game.&rdquo;
Both teams were playing the second night of a back-to-back. Toronto played its fifth game in seven days, while Atlanta played for the fifth time in eight days.
&ldquo;We knew it was going to be rough and we knew we were going to be fatigued,&rdquo; Toronto&rsquo;s OG Anunoby said. &ldquo;We just try to pick each other up and play hard, get through it.&rdquo;
Young was coming off a 43-point performance Thursday night in a 124-115 home victory over NBA-leading Phoenix. Young shot 9 for 20 against Toronto and went 0 for 4 from 3-point range.
&ldquo;We definitely had heavy legs,&rdquo; McMillan said. &ldquo;They had heavy legs as well. I thought it affected our shooting.&rdquo;
Atlanta shot 20 for 41 from distance against the Suns, but missed 19 of its first 24 attempts Friday before four straight 3-pointers in the final quarter helped close the gap to five points, 115-110, with 4:11 remaining.
Young&rsquo;s jump shot with 3:26 left cut the gap to three, but Barnes scored a layup and Trent hit a corner 3 to put Toronto up by eight, 120-112, with 1:56 left.
&ldquo;It wasn&rsquo;t a work of art but it was enough tonight,&rdquo; Raptors coach Nick Nurse said.
QUARTER POUNDERS
Siakam is the second Raptors player in the past month to put up a 20-point quarter. VanVleet had 24 in the third quarter of a Jan. 7 home win over Utah. Siakam holds the Raptors record for points in a quarter, scoring 25 in the first quarter of a Jan. 26, 2020 win at San Antonio.
DOWN AND OUT
The Hawks are 2-12 in road games where they trail after the first quarter, and 5-18 overall in such games.
TIP-INS
Hawks: Collins started after injuring his right shoulder late in Thursday&rsquo;s win over Phoenix. &hellip; G Lou Williams returned after sitting out Thursday because of back spasms. &hellip; F Danilo Galinaro (right hamstring) was not available.
Raptors: Shot 5 for 11 from 3-point range in the first half but made 7 of 10 from distance in the third quarter. &hellip; Anunoby had 10 rebounds, while Siakam and Barnes each had nine. &hellip; Toronto had 17 turnovers. Its season high is 21.
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UP NEXT
Hawks: At Dallas on Sunday night.
Raptors: At Charlotte on Monday night.

Pascal Siakam scored 33 points, Fred VanVleet had 26 points and 11 assists and Toronto beat Atlanta 125-114.