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Nets

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

TORONTO (AP) — Devin Booker scored 16 points, including the go-ahead basket with 1:02 remaining, and Chris Paul had 15 points and 12 assists as the Phoenix Suns beat Toronto 99-95 on Tuesday night to snap the Raptors' longest winning streak of the season at six games.
Jae Crowder scored 19 points, Deandre Ayton had 16 and Mikal Bridges added 12 as the Suns improved to 31-9, matching the franchise's best record through 40 games.
OG Anunoby scored 25 points, Pascal Siakam had 22 and Fred VanVleet added 21 for the Raptors, who lost for the first time since Dec. 28 against Philadelphia.
Chris Boucher had 13 points and 16 rebounds for the Raptors, who played without injured starters Scottie Barnes and Gary Trent Jr.
Trent missed his second straight game because of a sore left ankle, while Barnes sat out with a sore right knee.
The Raptors led 83-81 after Boucher made a pair of free throws with 6:19 left, but Crowder and Bridges each hit a 3-pointer before Ayton capped an 8-0 run as Phoenix opened an 89-83 lead with 4:13 to go, its biggest of the game.
Siakam stopped the run with a basket and Anunoby added a 3 to make it 89-88 with 2:36 to play.
Booker fouled Anunoby as they scrambled after a loose ball with 1:41 left, and the Toronto forward made both to put the Raptors up 90-89.
After three missed 3-pointers by the Suns, Booker hit a go-ahead jumper with 62 seconds left and, after Siakam missed, Paul’s pull-up jumper made it 93-90 with 32 seconds remaining.
Anunoby cut it to one with a driving basket, but Booker restored the three-point cushion with a pair of free throws.
Toronto’s Khem Birch and Paul each converted a pair of free throws and the Suns sent VanVleet to the line with four seconds left. He made the first and missed the second, but Phoenix’s Jalen Smith grabbed the rebound and Ayton pushed the lead to four with a pair of free throws.
VanVleet scored 10 points in the first as Toronto led 31-23 after one, but Crowder answered with 13 points in the second as the Suns cut the deficit to 48-46 at halftime.
Siakam hit a tiebreaking jumper with 8.8 seconds left in the third to give the Raptors a 71-69 lead heading to the fourth.
TIP-INS
Suns: F Cam Johnson (left ankle) was not available after being injured in Saturday’s loss to Miami. … G Landry Shamet returned after missing the past three games while in the health and safety protocols. … F Justin Jackson (personal) did not travel to Toronto. Phoenix coach Monty Williams said Jackson could rejoin the team Friday in Indiana. … F Ish Wainwright (health and safety protocols) was not available. … Phoenix signed C Bismack Biyombo for the remainder of the season.
Raptors: Siakam had four assists in the first quarter. He finished with seven. … Yuta Watanabe missed the previous four games after entering the health and safety protocols.
UP NEXT
Suns: Visit the Indiana Pacers on Friday.
Raptors: Begin a five-game road trip at Detroit on Friday.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The Phoenix Suns became the best team in the NBA record wise after beating the Toronto Raptors.

Booker scores 16 as Suns cool off streaking Raptors, 99-95

TORONTO (AP) — Fred VanVleet scored 33 points, Pascal Siakam had 18 points and 12 rebounds, and the Toronto Raptors extended their winning streak to three by beating the San Antonio Spurs 129-104 on Tuesday night.
Gary Trent Jr. scored 21 points as the Raptors evened their record at 17-17, reaching the .500 mark for the first time since they were 7-7 after a Nov. 13 home loss to Detroit.
The Raptors have won eight of their past 10 at home.
Toronto’s OG Anunoby scored 14 points and rookie Scottie Barnes had 11 points and a career-best eight assists. Justin Champagnie scored a career-high 14 for the Raptors, who matched their season-high point total.
VanVleet topped 30 points for the third straight game and fourth time in his past five. He’s the first Raptors player to score 30 or more in three straight games since Kawhi Leonard did it in four straight from Jan. 13-27, 2019.
“You recognize when you’re in rhythm and you just try to hold on as long as possible, because it’s not always like that,” VanVleet said. “I try to keep my floor a little higher but when you’re hot, you’ve just got to be aggressive and ride it out as long as you can.”
VanVleet shot 12 for 23 and matched his season highs with seven made 3-pointers and 14 attempts from distance. He also had seven assists.
Raptors coach Nick Nurse said VanVleet’s recent string of solid performances have burnished his All-Star credentials, but acknowledged that more Toronto wins would help strengthen the guard’s case.
“I think he’s got to be in the conversation,” Nurse said. “We’ve got to climb the standings some. I just think that’s part of it. If we do, then he certainly will deserve it.”
Toronto set a season high with 30 assists and shot 18 for 44 from outside the arc, matching its season best for made 3-pointers.
Former Raptors center Jakob Poeltl scored 19 points and Devin Vassell and rookie Josh Primo each had 15 as the slumping Spurs lost their fourth straight. Joe Wieskamp scored 13 points and Derrick White had 12 for San Antonio.
“I thought Jakob was great tonight,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “I was really glad to see Jakob be as assertive as he was on offense. With two G-League guys, Josh and Joe, I thought they were fantastic. Devin was fairly solid but we didn’t get much from anybody else.”
Toronto led 30-29 after one, and extended its lead with a 14-1 run in the second. The Raptors shot 7 for 14 from 3-point range in the second quarter and led 68-53 at halftime.
Toronto took a 97-81 lead to the fourth.
SIX PACK
VanVleet has scored 30 or more six times this season, matching the number of times he did so in 52 games last season.
HOME ‘CROWD’
For the third straight game, only family and friends of the players were allowed inside the arena. Toronto native Primo had expected to have a group of “hundreds” on hand for his first professional game in Canada, but had to reduce that to about 20 people.
“It’s great being able to come out here and be in my hometown, play in front of some family and friends,” Primo said. “Playing in this arena brings back memories of coming into the Air Canada Centre at the time, watching games and wanting to be on that stage. Now being here, it’s a moment I’m just grateful to have.”
BACK IN ACTION
F Keita Bates-Diop came off the bench for the Spurs after missing Saturday’s overtime loss at Detroit because of a sore right hamstring. He scored seven points in 16 minutes.
TIP-INS
Spurs: F Devontae Cacok, F Doug McDermott, and G Lonnie Walker IV were all unavailable (health and safety protocols) while G Dejounte Murray (conditioning) did not play. … Matched a season high with 20 turnovers.
Raptors: F Svi Mykhailiuk and F Yuta Watanabe entered the health and safety protocols. … F Isaac Bonga returned after missing the previous four games. Bonga was in the health and safety protocols for three games, then sat out Sunday for conditioning. … Toronto also scored 129 points and made 18 3-pointers in an overtime loss at Brooklyn on Dec. 14.
UP NEXT
Spurs: Visit Boston on Wednesday.
Raptors: Visit Milwaukee on Wednesday.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Fred VanVleet scored 33 points and the Toronto Raptors beat the San Antonio Spurs, 129-104.

VanVleet tops 30 for third straight game, Raptors rout Spurs

Kevin Love and Darius Garland scored 22 points apiece, and the Cleveland Cavaliers tied their franchise record with 46 points in the third quarter of a 144-99 rout over the COVID-19 depleted Toronto Raptors on Sunday night.
Lauri Markkanen added 20 points and Garland had eight assists for Cleveland, which led by 47 points twice late in the fourth. The Cavaliers won their fifth in a row at home and made 22 3-pointers in a team-record 52 attempts.
It was Cleveland&rsquo;s largest victory margin of the season and the first time Toronto has lost by more than 17 points in 2021-22. The Cavaliers had 39 assists, two shy of the most in the NBA this season.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re lucky to be in this position where we&rsquo;ve got such a good thing going on,&rdquo; Markkanen said. &ldquo;We play hard and we play unselfish basketball. Once we brought the energy we needed, the floodgates just kind of opened up after that.&rdquo;
Yuta Watanabe posted career highs of 26 points and 13 rebounds for Toronto, and Chris Boucher scored 21 points. The Raptors have 10 players in the NBA&rsquo;s health and safety protocols, including top scorer Fred VanVleet, rookie Scottie Barnes and Pascal Siakam.
&ldquo;We had to take a pretty good loss tonight, but we&rsquo;ll bounce back,&rdquo; Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. &ldquo;It was a good game for Yuta, and that&rsquo;s about it.&rdquo;
Toronto&rsquo;s eight-man active roster &mdash; featuring four hardship signees &mdash; had never been together until holding a brief practice on the main court at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse before the game. D.J. Wilson had 15 points and eight rebounds in his team debut.
&ldquo;We met those guys on the bus on the way to the arena,&rdquo; Watanabe said. &ldquo;Because we weren&rsquo;t permitted to do anything together the last few days, I spent a lot of time in the gym by myself putting up shots. That&rsquo;s all you could do.&rdquo;
The Raptors&rsquo; previous two games were postponed when they could not suit up the required eight players. Boucher, Watanabe, Svi Mykhailiuk and Dalano Banton were the only holdovers from their pre-outbreak squad.
Denzel Valentine had 17 points and nine rebounds, Dean Wade scored 17 points, and Ricky Rubio had 16 points and six assists for Cleveland. Love grabbed nine boards and Tacko Fall had three points and seven rebounds in 11 minutes off the bench.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got a good thing going and I&rsquo;m having a lot of fun,&rdquo; Love said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to be great watching this young team develop. We know we&rsquo;re going to get everyone&rsquo;s best shot at us going forward, so I hope 2022 is a year of growth.&rdquo;
Rookie Evan Mobley and center Jarrett Allen were among seven Cavaliers sidelined because of the safety protocols. Cleveland has the fifth-best record in the Eastern Conference at 20-13.
&ldquo;The Raptors came out and played hard, but as the game went on, we were more physical and that obviously took a toll on them,&rdquo; Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff said.
TIP-INS
Raptors: G Gary Trent Jr., F Precious Achiuwa, F OG Anunoby, C Khem Birch, F Isaac Bonga, F Justin Champagnie and G Malachi Flynn also are in the health and safety protocols. &hellip; G Goran Dragic (personal reasons) and G David Johnson (left calf strain) were officially active, but unavailable. &hellip; F D.J. Wilson, F Juwan Morgan, C Daniel Oturu and G Tremont Waters are on 10-day contracts via roster exceptions.
Cavaliers: G Isaac Okoro missed his third straight game as he works on his conditioning after being cleared from the safety protocols. &hellip; F Cedi Osman was added to the protocols earlier in the day, joining C Ed Davis, G RJ Nembhard, G Lamar Stevens and F Dylan Windler. &hellip; Cleveland leads the East and ranks third in the NBA with 15 double-digit victories. The Cavaliers&rsquo; last 11 wins have been by at least 10 points.
CHRISTMAS GIFT
Bickerstaff, who was promoted to the job on Feb. 19, 2020, signed a multi-year contract extension on Saturday morning. The son of longtime NBA coach and current Cleveland senior advisor Bernie Bickerstaff took over a team in disarray following the resignation of John Beilein. &ldquo;If you look at our roster, we&rsquo;ve got guys locked in here for a long time,&rdquo; said Bickerstaff, who is 47-69 with the Cavaliers. &ldquo;Now, with this coaching staff, we&rsquo;re locked in for a long time, too.&rdquo;
UP NEXT
Raptors: Host Philadelphia on Tuesday night.
Cavaliers: Visit New Orleans on Tuesday night.

The Cavaliers tied their franchise record with 46 points in the third quarter of a 144-99 rout over the depleted Raptors.

Love, Garland score 22 as Cavs rout depleted Raptors 144-99

Basketball has evolved into a truly global sport, and the NBA pulls talent from all over the world. That&rsquo;s great for the overall quality of play, but it means that there is more competition for NBA roster spots, which are harder than ever to earn.
With Media Day in the rearview mirror and training camp underway, competition to make the final cut is heating up. Teams enter camp with as many as 20 players, but must trim the roster down to 15 by opening day (excluding the pair of two-way contracts allowed in addition for players who can move between the G League and NBA rosters).
While every team has important decisions to make, it&rsquo;s not as if every roster spot is up for grabs. On the contrary, most spots are taken by players who are signed to guaranteed contracts. It&rsquo;s the players on training-camp deals who have the most to prove this time of year; sometimes, it can be the occasional (and unlucky) guaranteed player who has underachieved so badly that his team is considering paying him to play elsewhere.&nbsp;
The last guy on the bench rarely has a great impact on his team&rsquo;s success, but it can happen &ndash; and it surely impacts the individual players. Considering the ramifications of these decisions, let&rsquo;s examine the three most interesting roster situations in the Eastern Conference.&nbsp;
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets are intriguing because &ndash; while it might look as if they don&rsquo;t need much from the end of their bench on paper &ndash; their situation is more complicated than it appears. Depending on where Kyrie Irving ultimately lands with his decision to get the COVID vaccine or not, he could miss all of his home games (and games against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden). In total, Irving could miss as many as 43 regular-season games if he stands firm on being unvaccinated. And while there is more than enough star power in Brooklyn to get by, removing a key player from the rotation for half of the season puts more pressure on a team&rsquo;s depth.
So what exactly will Brooklyn look to address with its final roster spot? The team's backcourt is in relatively good shape thanks to a combination of James Harden, Patty Mills, Jevon Carter and rookie Cam Thomas, but there are other needs to address. The Nets' frontcourt could use a youth infusion, and there&rsquo;s a limit on swingmen beyond Joe Harris and Bruce Brown. After cutting Jahlil Okafor last month, Brooklyn's decision should come down to DeAndre&rsquo; Bembry or Sekou Doumbouya. No disrespect to Bembry, but Doumbouya is a 6-foot-8 <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/detroit-pistons-moving-on-from-sekou-doumbouya-is-a-headscratcher" target="_blank" rel="noopener">former first-round pick who is 20 years old</a>. He fills multiple needs, and his youth gives the added benefit that if he works out, he could be part of the team&rsquo;s future.&nbsp;
Prediction: Sekou Doumbouya makes the cut.
New York Knicks&nbsp;
The Knicks are in an interesting spot. They just cut Luca Vildoza, who signed a four-year, non-guaranteed contract with the team at the end of the 2020-21 season. He was seen as someone who would make the team as recently as June, but things happen fast in the NBA. Considering New York will start the season without its presumptive starting center, Mitchell Robinson, the Knicks might want to add another big man. Nerlens Noel is more than qualified to hold down the fort, and Taj Gibson is a valuable, albeit slightly undersized backup, but does New York want to kick off the season without any other options? What if one of those two suffers another injury?
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The Knicks have two rookies on their training camp roster who could fill that need in Jericho Sims and Aamir Simms. The former is a freakish athlete, similar in nature to Robinson, who is an above-average defender and rim-runner. Conversely, Simms possesses <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/aamir-simms-eager-to-exhibit-a-side-of-his-game-we-havent-seen-at-the-next-level" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a more polished offensive game</a>, but he lacks the burst and leaping ability of Sims. There&rsquo;s also Dwayne Bacon and Wayne Selden, who are actively competing for the team&rsquo;s final roster spot. Bacon looked good with Orlando last season, and I expect him to make the cut. The Knicks do have a two-way contract remaining, so maybe they'll use that on one of the Sim(m)s, while keeping Bacon on the main roster.&nbsp;
Prediction: Dwayne Bacon makes the cut.
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors are also in an interesting position, but more so because they have multiple spots to fill. Toronto has 12 guaranteed contracts, and both two-way deals are spoken for. That means Toronto can keep three of the following six players: Isaac Bonga, Sam Dekker, Freddie Gillespie, Reggie Perry, Ishmail Wainright and Yuta Watanabe. Gillespie and Watanabe are known commodities north of the border, having played with the Raptors last season, and Dekker is a former first-round pick with plenty of NBA experience. All but Perry have partial guarantees for 2021-22, but a partial guarantee will not secure you a spot in the NBA.
Bonga and Perry are both 6-foot-8 and 21 years old. Perry has just one year of NBA experience, whereas Bonga has three &ndash; but neither has made their mark yet. Beyond Goran Dragic, Fred VanVleet has the most experience of all Raptors with five professional seasons. With that in mind, expect Dekker &ndash; who has four years of NBA experience &ndash; to make the cut. Additionally, the Raptors will probably stick with the guys they know, meaning that Gillespie and Watanabe are likely to be in Toronto for the 2021-22 season, too.
Prediction: Sam Dekker, Freddie Gillespie and Yuta Watanabe all make the cut.
NBA roster decisions aren&rsquo;t entirely fair. Sometimes, players are cut because of an injury or other circumstance-related issues. But it really is just a business (rarely personal), and front offices do what they feel is in their best interest.
And at the end of the day, that&rsquo;s about as objective as it gets.&nbsp;

Drew Maresca examines the three most interesting final roster spot situations in the East.

3 roster-spot battles to watch for in the Eastern Conference

With the No. 4 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Toronto selected a player who fits the Raptors&rsquo; signature archetype: a versatile-and-eager project with a good work ethic, defensive intangibles and length.&nbsp;
At 6-foot 9, with a 7-foot-3 wingspan, Barnes provides myriad possibilities that excite Raptors head coach Nick Nurse.
&ldquo;He's a multi-faceted, multi-positional, two-way player... It's a great pick for us,&rdquo; Raptors head coach Nick Nurse said.
Barnes is now slated to become the latest &lsquo;jack-of-all-trades&rsquo; wing in the team&rsquo;s recent history. Nurse also appreciates the 19-year-old&rsquo;s infectious charisma.&nbsp;
"He really has a magnetic personality,&rdquo; Nurse said. &ldquo;He has a high-energy type of personality... He is a great communicator and has a passion for winning."
Over the last few weeks, the rumor mill was churning and leaks indicated that the Raptors had been taking a closer look at Barnes.&nbsp;
Jalen Suggs was the assumed choice at No. 4 on countless mock drafts, presenting as the most linear positional fit. Since recent rumblings suggest that Kyle Lowry&rsquo;s departure is almost inevitable, Suggs seemed to be the natural replacement guard with his two-way talent and history of embracing the spotlight in the tensest moments.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Jalen Suggs' all-time game-winner against UCLA called by Gonzaga's IMG radio team of Tom Hudson and Adam Morrison (yes, that Adam Morrison): <a href="https://t.co/DBtqdFjenL">pic.twitter.com/DBtqdFjenL</a>
&mdash; Brian Fonseca (@briannnnf) <a href="https://twitter.com/briannnnf/status/1378553798411628545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2021</a></blockquote>

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

It&rsquo;s tempting to criticize Toronto for choosing to bypass what was seen as the consensus choice, but the organization&rsquo;s confidence in Barnes, coupled with their record for drafting overlooked gems, suggests his game will translate well into the league. 
Coach Nurse also cited a "combination of size, length, two-way [ability], possible potential down the road" as qualities that stood out about Barnes in comparison to his peers that were considered.&nbsp;
Again, textbook Raptor stuff.&nbsp;
Toronto entered Thursday&rsquo;s draft with their first top-five pick since selecting Jonas Valančiūnas at No. 5 in 2011. How they fell into possession of the fourth overall pick was a little untraditional. Following a disappointing start to the 2020-21 regular season, Toronto couldn&rsquo;t find footing, continuously struggling with obstacles that disrupted their season. There was their relocation to Tampa Bay, the COVID-19 outbreak that affected the bulk of players and coaches, and a series of unfortunate injuries sidelining a host of contributors.
Eventually, the team realized their year was unsalvageable, and the final month or so of Raptors basketball consisted of Stanley-Johnson-and-Yuta-Watanabe-led starting lineups &mdash; a complete shell of the dominant rotation we witnessed just a season before.&nbsp;
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The Raptors were presented with a unique opportunity to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-to-tank-or-not-to-tank-analyzing-the-toronto-raptors-present-and-future" target="_blank" rel="noopener">go all-in with the tank</a>. It's safe to say the team&rsquo;s end-of-season performance didn't accurately depict their ceiling or talent-level. The opportunity to land a top-five pick and welcome a special young talent into the fold &mdash; hopefully in the comfort of Scotiabank Arena, before the team&rsquo;s ravenous fans &mdash; was too good to pass up. Consider it a reset of sorts, to reinvigorate an organization that was going through the motions after repeatedly drawing the shortest end of the stick.
In <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/should-nba-teams-draft-for-fit-or-take-the-best-player-available" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a recent piece for BasketballNews.com</a>, we discussed the layers involved in drafting for the &ldquo;best fit&rdquo; vs. selecting the &ldquo;best player available&rdquo; and the approaches that teams use in what could be a franchise-altering night. A major component of each team&rsquo;s approach is intel, as our Matt Babcock noted. The word in scouting circles was that Barnes impressed at his workouts with the Raptors. And considering Toronto&rsquo;s thinness at the forward spot, it isn&rsquo;t shocking that they went with Barnes. The Florida State product is eager to improve under the supervision of Toronto&rsquo;s respected player-development staff.
&ldquo;If they feel like they need to fix something, I'm willing to work with them,&rdquo; Barnes told reporters shortly after being drafted. &ldquo;I'm willing to do whatever it takes to be the best player I can be."&nbsp;
With all of the boxes Barnes checks, a shot that needs work is probably a drop in the bucket to the Raptors, who have polished multiple players into serviceable (and even top-percentile) shooters over the last half-decade. Rookies are rarely ever finished products, and there seems to be enough upside in Barnes to make the risk worthwhile for the franchise.
Amidst the talk of whether the front office made the correct decision, Barnes doesn&rsquo;t hold a shred of doubt regarding his fate in the NBA.
&ldquo;I feel I can be the greatest player in the league," he said.
This jolt of confidence and joy might be exactly what Toronto needs after a season they&rsquo;re likely trying to forget.

Many mock drafts had the Raptors selecting Jalen Suggs at No. 4. Instead, Toronto chose Scottie Barnes. Was that the right call?

Was Scottie Barnes the right pick for the Toronto Raptors at No. 4?

Before we look ahead to Lakers-Warriors (the most epic game of the week, one would think), the play-in tournament and all of the first-round playoff series that will begin next weekend, we need to take a closer look at the 10 teams that failed to make the expanded postseason and what to expect from them this offseason.
This will be play-in week for the eight NBA teams that qualified for the expanded postseason but did not finish top-six in their respective conferences. Two of them (the losers of the 9/10 games) will be finished with their seasons by Wednesday night, and two more by Friday, moving them into exit interviews and draft-prep mode.
But let&rsquo;s start with a bottom-up look at the teams conducting exit interviews with their players today.
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HOUSTON ROCKETS: The Rockets finished with the NBA&rsquo;s worst overall record (17-55) and worst home record (9-27), and lost their season finale to Atlanta by 29. Since March 29, they lost 23 of 27 games. And let&rsquo;s just say it wasn&rsquo;t supposed to be this way when they opened the season with James Harden, John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins on their roster and immediately started getting huge production from Christian Wood. Not yielding to Harden&rsquo;s trade demand in the preseason cost them; the deal that brought them Victor Oladipo actually didn&rsquo;t turn out all that bad for them when they flipped Oladipo for a very productive Kelly Olynyk, but now there is talk of a buyout for Wall, who is owed $91.6 million over the next two years if he exercises his player option, as a long rebuild ensues. Olynyk will be an unrestricted free agent and will likely leave, which means the core they are building around includes Wood, Jae&rsquo;Sean Tate, KJ Martin, Kevin Porter Jr. and whatever they can get for Eric Gordon, who injured his groin in early March and did not return. The next big date on their calendar is the June 22 draft lottery, and because they finished with one of the three worst records, they have an equal chance (with Detroit and Orlando) of winning the No. 1 overall pick, which is projected to be Cade Cunningham of Oklahoma State.
DETROIT PISTONS: A season that began with Derrick Rose and Blake Griffin on the roster ended with a 13-point loss to a Miami Heat team that rested most of its regulars, and Troy Weaver heads into the offseason with decisions to make on Cory Joseph (non-guaranteed $12.6 million), Rodney McGruder (non-guaranteed $5 million) and Dennis Smith Jr. (eligible for a $7.7 million qualifying offer). Assuming all of those are declined, but Hamidou Diallo&rsquo;s $2.07 million qualifying offer is extended, the Pistons will have somewhere in the area of $20 million in cap room, depending on where the salary cap comes in following a season of vastly reduced revenues. Jerami Grant was a nice signing a year ago, and now the Pistons need to find some offense from the wing positions and hope Killian Hayes can have a full healthy season. Detroit had the league&rsquo;s fourth-worst offense in terms of points per game. With Isaiah Stewart finishing the season so strongly, is there a market for the underrated Mason Plumlee?
ORLANDO MAGIC: A bottom-three finish seemed unlikely after they started 4-0 and had Nikola Vucevic playing at an All-Star level, and it never quite made sense that they offloaded Vucevic at the same time they got rid of Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier. All-Stars do not grow on trees, and Wendell Carter Jr. (acquired from Chicago) was being outplayed by other bigs on the Bulls and now the same thing is happening on the Magic. They will have Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac back next season, Otto Porter and his expiring $28 million contract now comes off their books, and the only contract decision they have to make soon is whether to pick up Dwayne Bacon&rsquo;s $1.8 million non-guarantee. R.J. Hampton <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-orlando-magic-rj-hampton-q-and-a-i-dont-think-you-can-put-a-cap-on-our-ceiling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">just won Rookie of the Month for May</a> and Cole Anthony has shown plenty of promise as well. John Hammond, Jeff Weltman and Steve Clifford have roughly $28 million of cap space to work with, and the Magic have their own pick along with Chicago&rsquo;s (top-4 protected). Choosing three of the top-33 draft picks will keep the scouting staff busy.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
One of the most exciting rookies in the NBA! HBD <a href="https://twitter.com/The_ColeAnthony?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@The_ColeAnthony</a> <a href="https://t.co/KW0Y04sOUY">pic.twitter.com/KW0Y04sOUY</a>
&mdash; Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ballislife/status/1393623077238493184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2021</a></blockquote>

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OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER: The only NBA team that never opened its arena to fans, the Thunder made the questionable decision to shelve Al Horford immediately after the trade deadline, after which they lost 26 of their final 29 games, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's injury was handled with extreme caution. Their victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on the final night of the season actually hurt them because it prevented a tiebreak situation with the Magic, who finished with a 21-51 record to OKC&rsquo;s 22-50 record. Sam Presti is going to do what Sam Presti wants to do, and it will be interesting to see whether NBA commissioner Adam Silver addresses the unprecedented move that was made with Horford &ndash; something his predecessor, David Stern, never would have allowed. If the veteran big man and Gilgeous-Alexander had finished the season, we probably would not have the Spurs in the No. 10 spot. OKC was just five games under .500 in late March.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS: Cleveland's trophy acquisition is Jarrett Allen, who was a superb pickup by Koby Altman. Still, they were unable to turn Andre Drummond into anything, and the loss of Darius Garland for most of the final three weeks of the season kept him from further developing chemistry with fellow backcourt speedster Collin Sexton. The Cavs still owe Kevin Love $60 million, and they must pay Taurean Prince $13 million next season unless they can find a taker on the trade market. He averaged only 10.1 points and 3.7 rebounds after coming over from Brooklyn, but Altman had to take him for salary-matching purposes. The Anderson Varejao re-signing was pretty cool, so we will give them that. Otherwise, the rebuild figures to be slow unless Love and Prince can be moved, which seems unlikely.
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES: The A-Rod era will begin next season, and keeping Karl-Anthony Towns happy will be Project A, B and C. One of the league&rsquo;s best people and best players, he has been in the NBA for six years after being the No. 1 overall pick of the 2015 draft, and he has a nice running mate now in Anthony Edwards along with his buddy, D&rsquo;Angelo Russell. Ricky Rubio, entering the final season of a contract that will pay him $17.8 million, seems superfluous and could be moved if a pick was coming back in return. The Wolves&rsquo; pick in this year's draft will go to Golden State unless it is top-3, in which case Minnesota's 2022 pick becomes unprotected and will go to the Warriors. Chris Finch will have a training camp for the first time to work with whatever the roster looks like, and help will not come through free agency, as the Wolves are projected to be over the cap.
TORONTO RAPTORS: The future of team president Masai Ujiri seems very much up in the air. He is the director of Basketball Without Borders, and ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski has suggested Ujiri <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CODxcX6haii/?igshid=1nsv2bsewml2h" target="_blank" rel="noopener">will look elsewhere for his next job</a> and hand the reins over to general manager Bobby Webster. The Raptors get a pass for their failure of a season because they had to relocate to Tampa, Fla., which meant that they basically played 72 road games when not working on their tans and fighting off mosquitoes and alligators. Webster/Ujiri will likely look at all possible sign-and-trade scenarios for Kyle Lowry, who may feel it is time to move on. Decisions must be made on the non-guaranteed contracts of Rodney Hood, Aron Baynes, Chris Boucher, DeAndre' Bembry, Paul Watson Jr., Yuta Watanabe and Freddie Gillespie. If all are declined, the Raps would have about $30 million in cap space to play with.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
2020-21 Closing thoughts: Coach Nurse <a href="https://t.co/ffAsqLN1zv">pic.twitter.com/ffAsqLN1zv</a>
&mdash; Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) <a href="https://twitter.com/Raptors/status/1394319579237736449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2021</a></blockquote>

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SACRAMENTO KINGS: It would not be surprising to see the Kings lose Richaun Holmes, who has <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-richaun-holmes-qa-interview-free-agency-all-defensive-team" target="_blank" rel="noopener">turned into a terrific NBA player</a> and may want to play in a bigger market for a franchise that has not grown as accustomed to bad seasons as the Kings have. They have not won a playoff series since 2003-04 and have not played a playoff game since 2005-06. Does Vivek Ranadive keep head coach Luke Walton around? De'Aaron Fox, Harrison Barnes and Buddy Hield account for more than $70 million of next season&rsquo;s payroll, and Marvin Bagley III adds an additional $11.3 million. General manager Monte McNair came up under Daryl Morey in Houston, so he has seen proactive roster turnovers when the situation called for it. What is in question is whether Bagley or Hield could bring anything of value in return on the trade market because both have not lived up to expectations. They seem likely to appear in a similar column approximately one year from now.
CHICAGO BULLS: The Bulls made so many deals at the deadline and did not have enough acclimation time following March 25. Getting Nikola Vucevic at such a small cost was a coup for executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas in his first season. Now he must decide on non-guarantees for Thaddeus Young ($14.1 million) and Tomas Satoransky ($10 million), and the franchise should expect to see Al-Farouq Aminu exercise his player option and thereby remain on the roster with a salary of $10.1 million. Lauri Markkanen should receive his qualifying offer of $9.026 million, and perhaps the biggest question is whether this team will stick with Coby White as the point guard of the future or try to find a way to get a player such as Kyle Lowry to be their primary playmaker.
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS: All in all, it was not a good season for David Griffin, Stan Van Gundy, Zion Williamson or Brandon Ingram after the previous campaign ended with so much promise. The JJ Redick episode did not make anyone happy. The season ended with four-consecutive losses and Ls in six of the final eight games, a $50,000 fine for Griffin for complaining that Williamson&rsquo;s broken finger was the result of rough treatment of the former overall No. 1 pick that was being overlooked by the referees. Not one single player appeared in all 72 games &ndash; although Eric Bledsoe came up closest with 71. James Johnson and Willy Hernangomez are the only unrestricted free agents of note, and Lonzo Ball will be a restricted free agent who could solve some roster problems through a sign-and-trade. Griffin will have three extra second-round picks, and next year he gets the Lakers&rsquo; pick unprotected.

Chris Sheridan checks in with the organizations whose respective seasons ended Sunday and areas they'll need to address.

Closing the door on the NBA's 10 non-playoff teams

To tank or not to tank, that is the question that every team will have to face at one point or another.
That&rsquo;s not to say there aren&rsquo;t many routes to contention in the NBA; the Eastern Conference&rsquo;s top-three teams are proof of that.
The Philadelphia 76ers -- the poster boy for tanking -- bottomed out for four-straight years, resulting in a quartet of top-three picks, including back-to-back No. 1 overall picks in 2016 and 2017.
The Brooklyn Nets made 2020 free-agency splashes, signing superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to a combined $305 million over four years (and then traded for James Harden).
The Milwaukee Bucks got lucky to draft centerpiece Giannis Antetokounmpo with the 15th overall pick in 2013, and then, through various trades over the years, acquired Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday.
Now, only a year removed from owning the league&rsquo;s second-best record and two years removed from winning the Larry O&rsquo;Brien trophy -- and currently on the outside looking in at the play-in tournament -- the Raptors are asking themselves: to tank, or not to tank? &nbsp;&nbsp;
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It's a question that Masai Ujiri has been fortunate enough to evade since arriving in Toronto in 2013, when, fortuitously, a Rudy Gay trade to the Sacramento Kings sparked the greatest era in Raptors history. An era that was capped with a championship.&nbsp;
Two years later, five of the eight core championship players are on new teams, including three of the starting five. Fans hope that this season is an anomaly and that the team&rsquo;s bad fortune is a result of lady luck being held by customs at the border. With the roster undergoing so much turnover, the front office is left having to assess the current roster and future of this team.
Even with the NBA changing the lottery odds, tanking remains the most efficient way for a majority of teams to obtain and develop elite young talent -- something the Raptors haven&rsquo;t been able to do since James Dolan goofed into trading for Andrea Bargnani.&nbsp;
But what does it mean to tank? And have the Raptors done a good enough job of it? &nbsp;
In Hamlet&rsquo;s most famous soliloquy, written by Shakespeare, Hamlet asks:&nbsp;
&ldquo;To be, or not to be? That is the question&mdash;
Whether &rsquo;tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them?&rdquo; &nbsp;
Asking if it&rsquo;s better to suffer through your bad luck, or to push back against it -- and in his case&hellip; die. But in a less-grim Raptors scenario, shut down the real season and actively tank. So, have the Raptors tanked?
Tanking is often reduced to losing as many games as possible to ensure the highest odds at the draft. Have the Raptors done a good job of that? If we&rsquo;re keeping to Hamlet&rsquo;s extreme binary, most would argue not only have they not tanked, they haven&rsquo;t not tanked either. &nbsp;Which is correct, in the most immediate short-term view of the season.&nbsp;
But what if we took a step back and shifted our focus? What if we changed the lens with which we view the Raptors' decisions from the short term to a long-term view? Instead of prioritizing losses above all else, development becomes the main priority, with losses added as a bonus. The outcome of games matters less than the journey it took to get there. With our new adjusted lens, let&rsquo;s take a look at the back half of the Raptors' season to see how they&rsquo;ve fared.&nbsp;
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Keeping Kyle Lowry at the Deadline
There has been a good deal of criticism levied at the Raptors for holding onto Kyle Lowry. If your plan is to tank, why hold onto your 35-year-old, All-Star-caliber veteran point guard who's on an expiring deal? &nbsp;
Although the question is fair, as <a href="https://twitter.com/william_lou/status/1391058680360099840?s=21" target="_blank" rel="noopener">William Lou of Yahoo Sports&rsquo; Canada points out</a>, the answer isn&rsquo;t so cut and dry. The Raptors are 3-6 with Lowry since the trade deadline, and 6-9 in the 15 games without him.&nbsp;
While Lowry is a free agent, and the Raptors risk losing him for zilch in the offseason, they can also offer him the most money and still include him in sign-and-trades this summer.&nbsp;
With our adjusted focus on the long-term success of the team, holding on to the greatest Raptor in franchise history instead of trading him for a pu-pu platter at the deadline feels like a no-brainer. You haven&rsquo;t closed your opportunities to trade him in the summer, you have him to help the development of your young guys, you&rsquo;ve put yourself in a prime position to retain him should he want to stay and (as an added bonus in the short term), he isn&rsquo;t winning you many games. &nbsp;
Pascal Siakam&rsquo;s Extended Minutes
Since the trade deadline, Pascal Siakam is averaging 36.8 minutes per game, tied with Harrison Barnes for third-most in the league. If the goal is to tank, why play your star extended minutes? &nbsp;
Focusing solely on the short-term goal of losing as many games as possible, playing Siakam nearly 37 minutes a night makes little sense. Shifting your focus to a long-term view, we&rsquo;ll see that wins and losses for a marginal chance at a higher pick matter a lot less than your 27-year-old&rsquo;s continued development. In the last 10 games, Pascal Siakam is averaging 23.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists on 46/35/74 splits.&nbsp;
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The Raptors have managed to find a way to tank but not at the expense of developing their core guys. As the season has progressed, we&rsquo;ve seen Siakam finally return to the player he was prior to the league shutting down over one year ago. He&rsquo;s taken on a higher usage rate without the same major dips in efficiency. He&rsquo;s been more aggressive, more decisive and, in the last five games, averaging over 28 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists.
Winning Too Much
The Raptors have won nine games since the trade deadline. Many on the #Fade4Cade train contend that that&rsquo;s far too many wins. And even with the short-term lens on, it's hard to see this argument.&nbsp;
Bringing us back to the great Will Lou, of the Raptors' nine wins, <a href="https://twitter.com/william_lou/status/1391060329585594369?s=21" target="_blank" rel="noopener">five were to tanking teams</a>. Those wins include: The Stephen Curry-less Golden State Warriors, who Toronto beat by over 50 points (protect the net rating at all costs), the Cleveland Cavaliers twice, the Orlando Magic and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Outside of the win-by-accident games, the Raptors defeated the San Antonio Spurs in a game that saw Yuta Watanabe, Khem Birch, Malachi Flynn and Chris Boucher all finish in double digits. They took down the Washington Wizards, thanks to a game-winner by newbie Gary Trent Jr. They upset the Brooklyn Nets, which saw Siakam and OG Anunoby combine for 52 points on 18-for-33 shooting, and won over the L.A. Lakers, as Lowry and Siakam combined for 76 points on 27-for-46 shooting. In all of these victories, the Raptors were missing core players and allowing a rookie to play extended minutes in competitive games.
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Since the deadline, the only Raptors to have played one-third of the available minutes have been players with contracts that go beyond next year or guys expected to stay (Gary Trent Jr., Khem Birch and Yuta Watanabe).
Realigning our perspective to a long-term view, we wipe away any anger over losses and recognize that outside of the Tankathon wins, the Raptors won games by relying on their bench depth and young guys to carry a large offensive load. You never waste an opportunity to develop your young talent for a 1-to-2% chance at a more favorable position in the lottery.
And even if you&rsquo;re stubborn in your belief that they have won too much over their last 20 games, the Magic (who own the next-best odds) are 5.5 games back from Toronto. No matter how hard the Raptors pivot toward the bottom of the standings, they were never going to be bad enough to catch Orlando, let alone the other tankers. (The Magic are so deep in the tank, they literally gifted Birch to The North, who is now the Raptors' potential future Hall-of-Fame starting center).
There are a multitude of routes to building a contender. There are also several forms of tanking, and the Raptors have selected one that's far less harsh than the #TrustTheProcess Sixers of yesteryear. And that&rsquo;s because a one-year tank, with a 33% chance at a top-five prospect, isn&rsquo;t going to catapult this team back into contention.&nbsp;
If the goal of this year was to tank to come back next season and once again contend, the Raptors have successfully done that with a promising team of young players to support their core -- with or without Kyle Lowry next season. Going into the year, the Raptors had no bigs and no bench. Since the trade deadline, the Raptors have acquired Birch and Freddie Gillespie, providing them ample opportunity to grow and develop for the future. In addition, the Raptors went younger, trading Norman Powell to the Portland Trail Blazers for Trent. And most importantly, the organization has continued to develop Flynn, Watanabe, Jalen Harris and Paul Watson Jr. while simultaneously distributing big minutes to Anunoby and Boucher to grow into bigger roles.
Tanking for a lottery pick is only one piece of the puzzle for team development, and the Raptors have placed themselves in prime position to acquire a lottery pick and focused their attention on development of their young, long-term prospects at the same time.
Doing that at the expense of playing your veterans is a minor form of tanking that should aid the Raptors in a major way.&nbsp;

Imman Adan breaks down the Raptors' season, and how the team found a way to tank while still developing their core players.

To tank, or not to tank? Analyzing the Raptors' present and future

The Toronto Raptors <a href="https://www.nba.com/raptors/raptors-sign-watanabe-standard-nba-contract" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced in a statement today</a> that they have signed Yuta Watanabe to a standard NBA contract.&nbsp;
Watanabe had previously been on an Exhibit 10 deal with the team, and is averaging 4.0 points and 3.3 rebounds across 39 games this season. The 26-year-old packs a scoring punch off the bench and can space the floor as a 6-foot-9 forward. He previously played his first two seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies.&nbsp;

Watanabe is averaging 4.0 points and 3.3 rebounds per game this season.

Toronto Raptors ink Yuta Watanabe to full contract

Gary Trent Jr. scored a career-high 44 points and the severely short-handed Toronto Raptors scored a franchise-record 87 first-half points en route to a 135-115 blowout victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night.
Trent made 17 of 19 field goals, including shooting 7 of 9 from 3-point range, and went 3 of 3 from the foul line in 33 dynamic minutes. The third-year pro was acquired from Portland with Rodney Hood on March 25 for Norman Powell.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve brought everything I learned from the great players in the Portland Trail Blazers organization to my new team,&rdquo; said Trent, who is averaging 17.9 points in nine games with Toronto. &ldquo;I took everything they taught me to heart, and I appreciate being put in certain situations to show what I can do now.&rdquo;
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◽️ Career-high 44 points ◽️ 17-19 FGM ◽️ 7 3PM ◽️ Season-high 60.4 FPTS Gary Trent Jr. had HIS WAY yesterday 😤 <a href="https://t.co/3JFtEMqfqJ">pic.twitter.com/3JFtEMqfqJ</a>
&mdash; NBA Fantasy (@NBAFantasy) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAFantasy/status/1381245653838393344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The Raptors, who built an 84-46 lead late in the second quarter, were without their top three scorers in Pascal Siakam (rest), Fred VanVleet (left hip flexor strain) and Kyle Lowry (right foot infection), who are averaging a combined 57.5 points.
Toronto rookie Malachi Flynn had season highs of 20 points and 11 assists in his second NBA start, while OG Anunoby scored 15 points and Yuta Watanabe added 14 off the bench. Trent also matched his career best with seven rebounds.
&ldquo;Gary doesn&rsquo;t need a whole lot of encouragement to keep shooting, which you can probably tell,&rdquo; Raptors coach Nick Nurse said with a chuckle. &ldquo;And he was feeling it, too. It was one of those nights, right?&rdquo;
Collin Sexton scored 29 points, Darius Garland had 19 points and eight assists, and Isaiah Hartenstein posted 12 points, eight boards and six assists for Cleveland, which trailed 47-26 after the first quarter and 87-54 at halftime.
&ldquo;It was embarrassing what happened in the first half,&rdquo; Sexton said. &ldquo;We came out being soft and it&rsquo;s our job as starters to be better, to set the tone for the game right away.&rdquo;
Toronto made its first 12 shots and broke the Cavaliers&rsquo; opponent records for points in the first quarter and in any half. Trent buried his first nine attempts and had 25 points at the break, six shy of his previous best for an entire game.
&ldquo;Gary caught fire super early and it never left,&rdquo; Flynn said. &ldquo;He didn&rsquo;t force anything at all. He just kept looking for his shot when it was there.&rdquo;
The Raptors wrap up a stretch of nine games in 15 days Sunday at New York. Nurse said Siakam will play and Lowry could return against the Knicks.
TIP-INS
Raptors: VanVleet sat out his fourth straight game and Lowry missed his seventh in a row. Toronto last played with its starting backcourt on March 29 at Detroit. ... G Jalen Harris (right hip pointer) and G Paul Watson Jr. (COVID-19 protocols) also were inactive. ... C Khem Birch, who played for Nurse on the Canadian national team in 2019, was signed before the game and will join the team in New York.
Cavaliers: C Jarrett Allen (concussion), F Larry Nance Jr. (illness) and G Dylan Windler (left knee soreness) remain out, but coach J.B. Bickerstaff said each is making progress. Allen has missed seven games since absorbing an elbow to the head on March 26 at the Lakers. ... F Mfiondu Kabengele signed a 10-day contract. The 6-foot-9, 250-pounder averaged 1.2 points in 23 games with the Clippers this season.
LOVE SHACK
Cavaliers C Kevin Love, who remains on a minutes restriction, scored 18 points in his fifth game back from a three-month absence with a strained right calf. The three-time All-Star is averaging 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds over 22.8 minutes since returning. &ldquo;Kevin takes so much pressure off everyone else because teams have to game plan for him,&rdquo; Bickerstaff said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s such an efficient player.&rdquo;
UP NEXT
Raptors: Visit New York on Sunday. Toronto has won its last four games at Madison Square Garden and has beaten the Knicks nine straight times overall.
Cavaliers: Host New Orleans on Sunday. Cleveland has lost five in a row to the Pelicans, including a 116-82 road drubbing in their only meeting last season.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Trent made 17 of 19 field goals, including shooting 7 of 9 from 3-point range, and went 3 of 3 from the foul line in 33 minutes.

Gary Trent Jr. scores career-high 44, Raptors rout Cavaliers 135-115

At the beginning of the 2020-21 NBA campaign, I took a look at how this year's lottery class <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-rookies-lottery-draft-2020-picks-anthony-edwards-james-wiseman-lamelo-ball-patrick-williams-killian-hayes-deni-avdija-tyrese-haliburton-kira-lewis-isaac-okoro-jalen-smith-devin-vassell-aaron-nesmith" target="_blank" rel="noopener">began their individual seasons</a>.
Players aren&rsquo;t expected to grasp every concept and adjust to the physicality of the league right away, so the first season is where mistakes are made, where roles change and minutes aren&rsquo;t guaranteed (*ahem* Malachi Flynn).
Regardless, it&rsquo;s a good time to recognize strengths and take some risky bets on a rookie&rsquo;s future successes.
Simply put, it&rsquo;s no longer too early to note the 2020 lottery picks who have already begun to find their NBA identity, so here&rsquo;s a list of five players doing quite well in their roles as freshmen, or, at least as well as one can do under the circumstances of this unpredictable, first-of-its-kind season.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves, No. 1 overall pick Stats: 16.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists per game
Okay, so that Edwards dunk on the Toronto Raptors&rsquo; precious Yuta Watanabe has been immortalized. In the initial article where I took a look at how the rookies were adjusting to playing NBA basketball, I wondered whether Edwards&rsquo; charisma and charm would bleed its way onto the court, and I&rsquo;m delighted to confirm that it has.
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"I&rsquo;d rather get dunked on than give up an easy two points by missing it." Yuta Watanabe isn't dwelling on that Anthony Edwards poster dunk. <a href="https://t.co/ipKPiiwOVH">pic.twitter.com/ipKPiiwOVH</a>
&mdash; NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1367630669304778766?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Edwards is already looking to be a poised, bonafide scorer and has already endeared himself to NBA viewers and players alike, who frequently praise his highlights and postgame interviews. There&rsquo;s no doubt greater efficiency will come along with reps -- he&rsquo;s shooting just 38.5% from the field. But in spite of those numbers, the Timberwolves should be pleased with the assertiveness Edwards&rsquo; 15.6 field goal attempts per game represent. It&rsquo;s tough to teach that kind of confidence.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
James Wiseman, Golden State Warriors, No. 2 overall pick Stats: 11.8 points, six rebounds, 0.6 assists per game
I can&rsquo;t think of a stranger scenario for a top prospect to end up in.
Due to injuries that decimated the Warriors&rsquo; roster for the 2019-2020 season, the tank that followed has led to a perennial NBA Finals contender landing the second pick of the draft. For Wiseman, that means entering a dynastic system that employs a superstar like Steph Curry and the championship aspirations that come with it. Because of the franchise&rsquo;s goals, Wiseman&rsquo;s flaws and drafting have been ruthlessly scrutinized since the season began. But for his sake, let&rsquo;s remove these caveats and judge his play alone.
One thing I&rsquo;ve already come to enjoy is Wiseman&rsquo;s understanding of his role, when rolling to the basket.
His agility needs to improve since his build has the potential to give the Warriors a lot of defensive versatility, but for a big man, cleaning up his ball handling and finishing lobs goes a long way. It isn&rsquo;t where his development will end, though finding some strength and using his athleticism early is a great start.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets, No. 3 overall pick Stats: 15.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists per game
So who doesn&rsquo;t love the Hornets? Who doesn&rsquo;t love LaMelo&rsquo;s funky strides and funkier passes? Who doesn&rsquo;t love their panicky home team commentators and the visceral, unabashed joy in his wails? Who doesn&rsquo;t love Scary Terry and the Gordon Hayward memes that come with any political unrest? I do, and you should too!
There was some shock when Ball wasn&rsquo;t selected with the first pick, with discourse about whether teams should draft according to &ldquo;fit&rdquo; versus &ldquo;best available guy&rdquo; flooding feeds everywhere.
It&rsquo;s too early to say whether the shock was warranted, and either way, LaMelo has eased his way into the league and has made his NBL professional experience obvious (only took him a few months to tune up his lower body shooting from). The ability to elevate team play, confuse opposing defenses and instill confidence in lineups is every trait you want to see in a lottery point guard. One thing to note is his decent defensive instinct. LaMelo still has ways to go, but an ability to cut off passing lanes &ndash; evidenced in his 1.6 steals per game -- is interesting indeed for a 6-foot-6 point guard.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Patrick Williams, Chicago Bulls, No. 4 overall pick Stats: 9.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists per game
It&rsquo;s hard for me to talk about Patrick Williams without mentioning that his video for the e-draft featured a segment detailing his job delivering flowers for his mother&rsquo;s florist business, but I&rsquo;ll try.
It&rsquo;s tough to find a niche on a team searching for an identity, which Chicago is. Williams has, though, and that&rsquo;s a testament to his steadiness. Having across-the-board efficiency with such low usage is no small feat. Gaining a power forward with a good shot would be an awesome addition for the Bulls and with reps, it&rsquo;s reasonable to think that Williams will be more than capable to build on the potential he&rsquo;s been flashing.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Tyrese Haliburton, Sacramento Kings, No. 12 overall pick Stats: 12.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists per game
Haliburton has become a favorite of mine among the rookies this season.
If there is a formula, &ldquo;first year players that execute like a veteran on the court&rdquo; is probably the easiest indication of future success. Already a 42.3% three-point shooter (on a significant amount of attempts), Haliburton has a knack for draining long-range shots. Paired with his 5.2 assists (against just 1.5 turnovers) in a secondary role while playing less than 30 minutes a game? The possibilities for him are endless.
At 6-foot 5, his rebounding should improve, and with the confidence Haliburton already has in excess, it&rsquo;s exciting to think of how he&rsquo;ll use his positional height advantage.
Stylistically, the Sacramento Kings have an awesome contrast between him and De&rsquo;Aaron Fox. With more time alongside one another, they can act as backcourt puzzle pieces that give plenty of playmaking and pace versatility for the Kings&rsquo; offense.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
The 2020 rookie class has been somewhat impressive thus far, including some who were drafted outside of the lottery. But so far, these five are my favorites.

Yasmin Duale checks in on the progress of her five favorite lottery picks from the 2020 NBA rookie class.

Which 2020 NBA lottery picks are separating themselves from the pack?

Each day, BasketballNews.com scours #NBATwitter to bring you the best tweets from the previous day. Some are insightful, some are just hilarious (so we had to include them).
Without further ado, here are the tweets of the day for March 15, 2021.
Lens Perspective
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Dame looks fucking tiny lol <a href="https://t.co/Wj5vducwo3">pic.twitter.com/Wj5vducwo3</a>
&mdash; DamesGoat (@DamesGoat) <a href="https://twitter.com/DamesGoat/status/1370406433343238144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2021</a></blockquote>

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It&rsquo;s probably just the camera angle and not the fact that both Giannis and Jokic are nearing 7-feet tall, but imagine being 6-foot-2 and looking like a toddler?
DPOY
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Ben Simmons on the recent comments calling him overrated on the Washington broadcast. "He's like a 5'5 commentator for the Wizards, I can't give it too much attention."
&mdash; Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyleNeubeck/status/1371268347057278978?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2021</a></blockquote>

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On the complete opposite side of the height spectrum, Ben Simmons locked up Wizards commentator Justin Kutcher who stated that Simmons was overrated. DPOY on and off the court.
Whose Man Is This
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
No one: Not a single Windy City soul: Denzel Valentine: <a href="https://t.co/DXTkbtntLO">pic.twitter.com/DXTkbtntLO</a>
&mdash; Vred FanFleets (@nasimali) <a href="https://twitter.com/nasimali/status/1371295378285473795?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2021</a></blockquote>

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On the night that he and the Bulls played against what essentially was the Raptors 905 and Kyle Lowry on a second night of a back-to-back, Denzel Valentine, in all his glory, decided that he was actually Klay Thompson with the demeanor of the spawn of Draymond Green and Patrick Beverley. It&rsquo;s nice to be excited about things.
A Good Use of Quarantine
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
TIL my 94-year-old grandma spent her year in isolation studying the NBA and filling a notepad with her favorite players on each team. <a href="https://t.co/B01OWmNsvS">pic.twitter.com/B01OWmNsvS</a>
&mdash; Lili Gu (@wiwigoo) <a href="https://twitter.com/wiwigoo/status/1371284909398970371?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2021</a></blockquote>

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This is the cutest new hobby of all time. Also cute is the official team accounts in the replies asking to see her favorite player on their respective teams. We at BasketballNews will follow this story closely.
Earned Not Given
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
I wouldn&rsquo;t even be mad if Jaxson Hayes went ahead and posted his first half highlights on his IG story during the halftime break
&mdash; Louis Prejean (@LouisPrejean) <a href="https://twitter.com/LouisPrejean/status/1371280488606928898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Jaxson Hayes flattened Reggie Jackson like a big blue pancake, effectively erasing both the Anthony Edwards dunk over Yuta Watanabe weeks prior and the Nathan Knight dunk on sweet Jarrett Allen like five minutes prior from memory. He has earned the right to go live on Instagram for the rest of the game, in my opinion.
Generational
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Ant going three to the dome on Melo <a href="https://t.co/w3jqP6SBbB">pic.twitter.com/w3jqP6SBbB</a>
&mdash; CJ Fogler #BlackLivesMatter (@cjzero) <a href="https://twitter.com/cjzero/status/1371281444161589250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The student has become the master. This is oddly emotional.
See a tweet that should be featured in our next Tweets of the Day piece? Send it to <a href="https://twitter.com/kelsea_lately" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@kelsea_lately</a>.

Every day, our Kelsea O'Brien scours #NBATwitter to find the best posts. Here are the tweets of the day for March 15, 2021.

NBA Tweets of the Day: Various Feelings

Each day, BasketballNews.com scours #NBATwitter to bring you the best tweets from the previous day. Some are insightful, some are just hilarious (so we had to include them).
Without further ado, here are the tweets of the day for February 22, 2021.
Roll Tide?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
How I like the Raptors roster 🤝 How I like possible marriage prospects No Cousins
&mdash; Vred FanFleets (@nasimali) <a href="https://twitter.com/nasimali/status/1363685390620753922?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2021</a></blockquote>

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There is a very big divide between Raptors fans who would like to pursue DeMarcus Cousins and Raptors fans who would not. This is one way to say that you&rsquo;re on the &ldquo;I&rsquo;m good luv...enjoy,&rdquo; side, I guess.
And Who Are You Again?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
I saw you and was wondering who you were sitting with! 🤷🏼&zwj;♀️
&mdash; Dawn Crane (@dawncrane524) <a href="https://twitter.com/dawncrane524/status/1363635179101814785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Las Vegas Aces forward Dearica Hamby and New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara, both former Norcross Blue Devils, attended the Celtics-Pelicans game on Sunday. While ESPN failed to mention Dearica sitting right beside Kamara, Dawn had no idea who Alvin was, with her eyes going directly to Hamby.
Why Do Men
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
and what league did you make it to?? <a href="https://t.co/TEuaPPy2o3">https://t.co/TEuaPPy2o3</a>
&mdash; Lexie Brown (@lexiekiah_4) <a href="https://twitter.com/lexiekiah_4/status/1363147406532087813?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Men who have zero accolades besides their names sure love to tell professional basketball players, who also happen to be women, how much better they are than the ones who do this for a living. Sir, if Lexie had a blindfold and one arm she would still have you on skates without breaking a sweat. Please sit down and humble yourself.
Yuta Only Girl I&rsquo;m Talking To
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
someone is gonna lose their virginity next to a poster of this in a college dorm room, put money on it <a href="https://t.co/ihPtGyiI53">pic.twitter.com/ihPtGyiI53</a>
&mdash; claire de lune (@ClaireMPLS) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClaireMPLS/status/1362973879027736576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2021</a></blockquote>

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It&rsquo;s going to happen and it&rsquo;s only a matter of time.
Penny For Your Thoughts
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
My <a href="https://twitter.com/Venmo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Venmo</a> campaign has officially ended this morning! With your help we raised $25,395.86! With my match that&rsquo;s $50,791.72 plus the <a href="https://twitter.com/TheNBPA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheNBPA</a> match equates to a GRAND TOTAL OF $76.187.58!!!!! THANK YALL so much!!! the funds will be going to multiple charities! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TexasForever?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TexasForever</a>
&mdash; Myles Turner (@Original_Turner) <a href="https://twitter.com/Original_Turner/status/1363865538007605255?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2021</a></blockquote>

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When a fan sent a $100 Venmo request to Myles Turner after the team lost to the Chicago Bulls, Turner instead sent the fan a single cent, a penny for his thoughts. The exchange turned into hundreds of fans sending Turner &ldquo;their two cents&rdquo; and Turner decided to match all of the nickels and dimes sent to him over the weekend, in an effort to provide relief efforts for those affected by the winter storm in his home state of Texas. The NBPA also matched the donations, and as of Monday, Turner and his fans have raised $76,187.58. Not bad for a troll job.
Is This Your King?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Bill Simmons said the Raptors wouldn't make the playoffs this year and they currently have a better record than the Celtics lmao what a dumb loser
&mdash; Marx Gasol (@socialistraptor) <a href="https://twitter.com/socialistraptor/status/1363678822239903744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Bill Simmons coming completely unraveled because his beloved Celtics are not the greatest team to ever touch the hardwood is a car wreck that you simply can&rsquo;t look away from. Imagine being this wrong all the time?
Karma Chameleon
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Lol I got hit in the face by the ball today. That&rsquo;s karma from my letting yuta get dunked on. I&rsquo;ll take it 🤣🤣 Good wins guys!! No splits 🤞🏾
&mdash; Deandre Bembry (@fearthefro95) <a href="https://twitter.com/fearthefro95/status/1363697942062919684?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2021</a></blockquote>

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DeAndre&rsquo; Bembry&rsquo;s face did not have a good night on Sunday. First an elbow from Ben Simmons, then getting a ball to the face. Bembry acknowledges that this is a small price to pay for leaving Yuta Watanabe alone in the trenches, though.
Can I Copy Your Homework? "Yeah, Just Change It Up A Bit"
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
<a href="https://t.co/cAVayazZOV">pic.twitter.com/cAVayazZOV</a>
&mdash; Taylor (@ItsLowrysWorld) <a href="https://twitter.com/ItsLowrysWorld/status/1363710970124791808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The Clippers stole a few Raptors coaches, their entire flow, bar-for-bar, two of their players and are trying to poach their star point guard. The Pacers hired Toronto assistant coach Nate Bjorkgren to lead the team. And now, literally minutes after a win over the 76ers, the Minnesota Timberwolves hired assistant coach Chris Finch to replace Ryan Saunders. If you can&rsquo;t beat &lsquo;em, just do everything they do, I guess.
See a tweet that should be featured in tomorrow's Tweet of the Day piece? Send it to <a href="https://twitter.com/kelsea_lately" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@kelsea_lately</a>.

Every day, our Kelsea O'Brien scours #NBATwitter to find the best posts. Here are the tweets of the day for Feb. 22, 2021.

NBA Tweets of the Day: Copycats and Kissin' Cousins

Each day, BasketballNews.com scours #NBATwitter to bring you the best tweets from the previous day.
Some are insightful, some are just hilarious (so we had to include them). Without further ado, here are the tweets of the day for February 10, 2021.
Hometown Hero
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Fun fact from the NBA's International PR team: Yuta Watanabe and Rui Hachimura together account for 46% of all jerseys sold on Japan's online NBA store.
&mdash; 𝐀𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐞 (@AaronBenRose) <a href="https://twitter.com/AaronBenRose/status/1359178502482898945?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Not many fan bases love their players the way that fans in Japan love Toronto&rsquo;s Yuta Watanabe and Washington&rsquo;s Rui Hachimura. The Raptors as a team are also the best selling franchise in Japan.
I Do Art
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Some recent details <a href="https://t.co/OZnzCte0mA">pic.twitter.com/OZnzCte0mA</a>
&mdash; Jack Perkins (@purehoop) <a href="https://twitter.com/purehoop/status/1359192283262849024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Unique basketball art is something so admirable for someone who can draw a cloud and not much else. Zion resting under a tree in the style of Rip Van Winkle is as comforting as it is incredible.
Out With the Old&hellip;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
They&rsquo;ve started to replace the artwork outside Toyota Center with current <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rockets?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rockets</a>, including John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins. Harden and Westbrook used to makeup a majority of the artwork on La Branch St. <a href="https://t.co/G0lgz3WWP4">pic.twitter.com/G0lgz3WWP4</a>
&mdash; Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rockets_Insider/status/1358276064888430592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2021</a></blockquote>

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And in with the new. The James Harden era of the Houston Rockets still feels current, as the trade still doesn&rsquo;t feel real. But to the organization, there is a new pair of sheriffs in town.
MVB
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Blake Griffin talking about becoming the first ever back-to-back Blake of the Year winner. Absolutely electric. <a href="https://t.co/y8jXbDxdcl">pic.twitter.com/y8jXbDxdcl</a>
&mdash; Nicolas (@NicolasHenkel) <a href="https://twitter.com/NicolasHenkel/status/1359303519887646723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Blake Griffin&rsquo;s Rookie of the Year and All-NBA years may be behind him, but he is the only athlete in the history of the world to win Blake of the Year back to back. Take that, Giannis.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
THE MOTOR CITY. WHERE YOUR FAVORITE TEAM GOES TO DIE. The Detroit Pistons knock off the Brooklyn Nets, continuing their reign over the NBA&rsquo;s top teams. Unbelievable team effort. <a href="https://t.co/8zgXR2Of6G">pic.twitter.com/8zgXR2Of6G</a>
&mdash; Nicolas (@NicolasHenkel) <a href="https://twitter.com/NicolasHenkel/status/1359329234691518465?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Bonus shoutout to Nicolas for this gem.
 First-Team All-Wink Murder
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Me while playing heads up, seven up: <a href="https://t.co/mG3LP4aINu">pic.twitter.com/mG3LP4aINu</a>
&mdash; karlee (@kdubsyaa) <a href="https://twitter.com/kdubsyaa/status/1359341671532683264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Jimmy Butler getting caught doing what all players do -- trying to sell a call -- looks exactly like cheating in Heads Up 7 Up, or when you&rsquo;re pretending to be sick to stay home from school and waiting for your mom to go back downstairs.
Is This Season Even Real?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
The Pistons lead the NBA in wins that make SportsCenter do a whole segment on what&rsquo;s wrong with the team they just beat
&mdash; Anthony Broome (@anthonytbroome) <a href="https://twitter.com/anthonytbroome/status/1359332047127523328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2021</a></blockquote>

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And has anyone told Shaq that the Pistons are still a team that exists? Detroit may be dead last in the Eastern Conference, but the team's 6 wins have come against Boston, Phoenix, Miami, Philadelphia, Brooklyn and the Lakers. Nothing makes sense anymore.
See a tweet that should be featured in tomorrow's Tweet of the Day piece? Send it to <a href="https://twitter.com/kelsea_lately" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@kelsea_lately</a>.

Every day, our Kelsea O'Brien scours #NBATwitter to find the best posts. Here are the tweets of the day for Feb. 10, 2021.

NBA Tweets of the Day: Jimmy Buckets, Oscar Winner

Each day, BasketballNews.com scours #NBATwitter to bring you the best tweets from the previous day. Some are insightful, some are just hilarious (so we had to include them).
Without further ado, here are the tweets of the day for February 1, 2021.
Shooters Shoot (From Wherever)
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Dwight Howard&rsquo;s free throw distance is getting outta hand <a href="https://t.co/4NSGQpP1TQ">pic.twitter.com/4NSGQpP1TQ</a>
&mdash; Jasmine (@JasmineLWatkins) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasmineLWatkins/status/1355026122610794498?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Free-throw shooting is the strangest argument in basketball analysis, because if it goes in, who cares? More players should shoot underhand, and more should shoot from a completely different area code like Dwight Howard.
Role Model
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
I&rsquo;m usually not scared to share news publicly but the amount of hate, myths &amp; ignorance actually had me debating sharing this joy. I had Top Surgery! I&rsquo;m feeling free &amp; euphoric in my body &amp; want Trans people to know and see that we&rsquo;ve always existed &amp; no one can erase us! 🏳️&zwj;⚧️✊🏽❤️ <a href="https://t.co/6ERDPoQGwb">pic.twitter.com/6ERDPoQGwb</a>
&mdash; Layshia Clarendon (@Layshiac) <a href="https://twitter.com/Layshiac/status/1355237900963573760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Layshia Clarendon has always been a role model, from using their position on the WNBA&rsquo;s Social Justice Council, to never letting the conversation about the tragic death of Breonna Taylor and so many other Black women be forgotten, to now sharing with the entire world -- a world that can be cruel and unforgiving to things they don&rsquo;t understand -- their decision to undergo top surgery in an effort to live a more authentic life.
If Your Girl Says Hey to Me, That&rsquo;s Our Girl Now
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
It&rsquo;s not covid, he&rsquo;s the reason I won&rsquo;t take my girl to games.
&mdash; Franz Gr&uuml;ber (@franz_gruber49) <a href="https://twitter.com/franz_gruber49/status/1355302595871473665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2021</a></blockquote>

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It&rsquo;s a good thing that arenas aren&rsquo;t open to the public, because Walt Frazier getting his &lsquo;fit on while looking happy as a clam doing it would distract every fan in attendance.
Whoop De Doo, Basil
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
You guys keep tagging me on this like 40 plus years of failing miserably has been erased bc you have the best record after 18 games. <a href="https://t.co/DhSRkvAY71">pic.twitter.com/DhSRkvAY71</a>
&mdash; Vernon Maxwell (@VernonMaxwell11) <a href="https://twitter.com/VernonMaxwell11/status/1355195330036445187?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Vernon Maxwell using retirement to consistently dunk on the Utah Jazz is my favorite retired player venture.
This Is A Larry Nance Jr. Fan Account
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
They said I&rsquo;m a buzz kill because I told them they couldn&rsquo;t outrun a lion 😑 <a href="https://t.co/DSvaRkHAYP">https://t.co/DSvaRkHAYP</a>
&mdash; Larry Nance Jr (@Larrydn22) <a href="https://twitter.com/Larrydn22/status/1355194091101954048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2021</a></blockquote>

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How can we be sure though? Who is asking the question? Who is convinced they can outrun a lion?
All I Need Is One Mic
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Had to put <a href="https://twitter.com/Money23Green?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Money23Green</a>&rsquo;s thoughts on Rodney McGruder with the Ether instrumental 😂😂😂 <a href="https://t.co/IrrvWXksTu">pic.twitter.com/IrrvWXksTu</a>
&mdash; Randy Cruz (@randyjcruz) <a href="https://twitter.com/randyjcruz/status/1355881349954088965?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Never has Rodney McGruder&rsquo;s name been mentioned so much in a single weekend.
The Creation of Adam Damian
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/jeffhaynesmedia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jeffhaynesmedia</a> nailed this moment of Dame's buzzer-beater <a href="https://t.co/Kh225UKUI6">pic.twitter.com/Kh225UKUI6</a>
&mdash; Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) <a href="https://twitter.com/WorldWideWob/status/1355779052628488192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2021</a></blockquote>

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WHY IS THERE A CAR THERE????????
Friendship
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
No doubt this is my favorite image from tonight. <a href="https://twitter.com/EnesKanter?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EnesKanter</a> is quickly becoming a <a href="https://twitter.com/trailblazers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@trailblazers</a> cult-hero, and <a href="https://twitter.com/Dame_Lillard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Dame_Lillard</a> is a legend forever in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RipCity?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RipCity</a> <a href="https://t.co/gbK4itIzQ5">pic.twitter.com/gbK4itIzQ5</a>
&mdash; Curtis Long (@Principal_Long) <a href="https://twitter.com/Principal_Long/status/1355739022115491843?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2021</a></blockquote>

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More teammates should kiss each other, in my opinion. Normalize kissing your friends gently on the head after their successes.
Lip Sync For Your Life
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Can&rsquo;t believe nobody caught Lowry telling T-Ross he was gonna fuck up Aaron Gordon. LMFAOOO ☠️ <a href="https://t.co/izpNNzRlUK">pic.twitter.com/izpNNzRlUK</a>
&mdash; AD (@ADthePlug) <a href="https://twitter.com/ADthePlug/status/1356044394370113537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2021</a></blockquote>

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This wasn&rsquo;t the first rodeo featuring both Kyle Lowry and Aaron Gordon, nor was it the only one where Kyle&rsquo;s lips can clearly be read.
Catch Me Outside
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
863 was his room number, Aaron Gordon. Where were you? <a href="https://t.co/EO7AnM1mgQ">pic.twitter.com/EO7AnM1mgQ</a>
&mdash; dan (@TorontoInSix) <a href="https://twitter.com/TorontoInSix/status/1356041565089763329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The same way that more players should kiss, more players should also be allowed to throw a punch or two outside of the game so that serious injuries (and flagrant fouls) don&rsquo;t occur during the game.
He Shoulda Been Hoopin&rsquo; Instead of Killin&rsquo; People
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If Slender Man hadn&rsquo;t turned to a life of crime, I bet he could have been a pretty solid stretch four in today&rsquo;s NBA. With those physical tools he has real 3 and D potential!
&mdash; Josh Gondelman (@joshgondelman) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshgondelman/status/1356053994146304010?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Slenderman is just the newest addition to the &ldquo;First-Team Should Have Hooped&rdquo; roster.
Seven Seconds Or Less
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BRADLEY BEAL AND THEN WESTBROOK🔥 <a href="https://t.co/yOMCWfAHHm">pic.twitter.com/yOMCWfAHHm</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1356067027753070593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The Brooklyn Nets have the worst defensive rating in the NBA, but this is just insane. Beal&rsquo;s shot was understandable, but the scrambling on the inbounds that allowed Westbrook&rsquo;s was...a choice.
Teacher&rsquo;s Pet
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
nets twitter when joe harris committed that inbound turnover vs when tlc missed the potential game winning layup <a href="https://t.co/uDt7FcpRZM">pic.twitter.com/uDt7FcpRZM</a>
&mdash; chiɔinthegeɘk⨟ (@chicinthegeek) <a href="https://twitter.com/chicinthegeek/status/1356076537443807232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2021</a></blockquote>

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This is what being the oldest sibling is like.
Buckle Up Buckaroos
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Nikola Jokic on his way to win the NBA's 2021 MVP award <a href="https://t.co/6PR5z3ULCm">pic.twitter.com/6PR5z3ULCm</a>
&mdash; Blue Wire Podcasts (@bluewirepods) <a href="https://twitter.com/bluewirepods/status/1355996506986336262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2021</a></blockquote>

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47 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, and about a 75% chance that he would actually pull up to the arena like this.
Feelings
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I feel like Pascal is a very passionate/emotional player &amp; that&rsquo;s definitely why he fluctuates so much in terms of consistency. When he doesn&rsquo;t do well, he stays bummed. When he does well, he stays snapping. Once he gets control over that I think he&rsquo;ll show up more consistently🤷🏼&zwj;♀️
&mdash; P (@paraaand) <a href="https://twitter.com/paraaand/status/1356055910217637891?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Emotions rarely show up on the stat sheet, except for technical fouls and ejections, but the case of Pascal Siakam is probably more common than the average fan thinks.
They Think I&rsquo;m Cute
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
He was also asked if, with the increased playing time, he&rsquo;s started to feel like he&rsquo;s being being scouted a bit. He answered that when he hears the other team talking about &ldquo;number 18&rdquo; he thinks &ldquo;oh I made the scouting sheet&rdquo;, and it makes him happy lollll <a href="https://t.co/bD43TxtfZT">pic.twitter.com/bD43TxtfZT</a>
&mdash; Ari P. (@latenightmatcha) <a href="https://twitter.com/latenightmatcha/status/1356092595471065090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2021</a></blockquote>

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As a Raptors fan, opposing teams taking notice of Yuta makes me uneasy, but this whole thread is so wholesome. (But please don&rsquo;t steal him)
We Believe In Yu
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did you guys know people discouraged Yuta from going to the US to play basketball because apparently it&rsquo;s gonna be a different level from what he&rsquo;s used to in Japan but his parents encouraged him to go for it and look where he is now. so glad he&rsquo;s with our team right now
&mdash; #startyuta (@rapsdnty) <a href="https://twitter.com/rapsdnty/status/1356078418236989443?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Yuta Watanabe&rsquo;s parents supporting his dreams makes his glee at being on the scouting sheet even more adorable.
See a tweet that should be featured in tomorrow's Tweet of the Day piece? Send it to <a href="https://twitter.com/kelsea_lately" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@kelsea_lately</a>.

Every day, our Kelsea O'Brien scours #NBATwitter to find the best posts. Here are the tweets of the day for Feb. 1, 2021.

NBA Tweets of the Day: February 1, 2021

This year, there were 107 international players from 41 countries on opening-night rosters for the 2020-21 NBA season.