Josh Lewenberg: VanVleet: ‘We play young and dumb a lot. Sometimes we get away with it and sometimes we don’t.’ FVV: ‘I believe in this team. I think we’ll be back to playing at the level that we need to be playing at, hopefully sooner than later. I take full responsibility for the poor performances and I’m looking forward to getting this team back to where we need to be.’
Source: Twitter @JLew1050
Source: Twitter @JLew1050
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Michael Grange @michaelgrange
“It’s not a major thing, but it’s a pain in the ass,” VanVleet on his sore knee. – 10:26 PM
“It’s not a major thing, but it’s a pain in the ass,” VanVleet on his sore knee. – 10:26 PM
Michael Grange @michaelgrange
“Coming out of the break is when you should be turning it up and we’ve done the opposite of that.” — Raptors guard Fred VanVleet on consecutive blowout losses. – 10:22 PM
“Coming out of the break is when you should be turning it up and we’ve done the opposite of that.” — Raptors guard Fred VanVleet on consecutive blowout losses. – 10:22 PM
Eric Koreen @ekoreen
The Raptors are minus-70 with VanVleet on the floor in the last two games, not that what’s happened is only or even primarily his fault. – 9:34 PM
The Raptors are minus-70 with VanVleet on the floor in the last two games, not that what’s happened is only or even primarily his fault. – 9:34 PM
Eric Koreen @ekoreen
Fred VanVleet is starting the fourth quarter for no good reason I can think of. – 9:22 PM
Fred VanVleet is starting the fourth quarter for no good reason I can think of. – 9:22 PM
Doug Smith @SmithRaps
Pretty gruesome quarter going on here; would imagine Siakam, VanVleet get to watch the fourth again – 9:10 PM
Pretty gruesome quarter going on here; would imagine Siakam, VanVleet get to watch the fourth again – 9:10 PM
Josh Lewenberg @JLew1050
Hawks closed the half on a 33-13 run, including 18 unanswered points. Raptors led by as many as 12 points in Q2, but went 7 minutes without a bucket and go into the break trailing by 8.
PG matchup has been something else. Trae Young: 25 pts, 11-14 FG. VanVleet: 20 pts, 7-13 FG – 8:41 PM
Hawks closed the half on a 33-13 run, including 18 unanswered points. Raptors led by as many as 12 points in Q2, but went 7 minutes without a bucket and go into the break trailing by 8.
PG matchup has been something else. Trae Young: 25 pts, 11-14 FG. VanVleet: 20 pts, 7-13 FG – 8:41 PM
Doug Smith @SmithRaps
Trae Young’s cooking the Raptors, he’s got 25
Fred VanVleet’s cooking the Hawks, he’s got 20
If Toronto starts guarding they might steal one but giving up 66 in a half isn’t gonna get it done – 8:41 PM
Trae Young’s cooking the Raptors, he’s got 25
Fred VanVleet’s cooking the Hawks, he’s got 20
If Toronto starts guarding they might steal one but giving up 66 in a half isn’t gonna get it done – 8:41 PM
Eric Koreen @ekoreen
The Raptors get outscored 33-13 in the final 9+ minutes of the quarter, and trail 66-58. They have a Trae Young problem. He has 25 points and six assists. VanVleet has 20. – 8:41 PM
The Raptors get outscored 33-13 in the final 9+ minutes of the quarter, and trail 66-58. They have a Trae Young problem. He has 25 points and six assists. VanVleet has 20. – 8:41 PM
Eric Koreen @ekoreen
Trae Young has just sprinted at VanVleet on a few possessions, and nothing Fred can do. They’ve got to try to make him turn in the backcourt. – 8:22 PM
Trae Young has just sprinted at VanVleet on a few possessions, and nothing Fred can do. They’ve got to try to make him turn in the backcourt. – 8:22 PM
Kevin Chouinard @KLChouinard
As the game has progressed, Trae has gotten more attentive to chasing FVV more aggressively over screens. – 8:22 PM
As the game has progressed, Trae has gotten more attentive to chasing FVV more aggressively over screens. – 8:22 PM
Doug Smith @SmithRaps
Raptors drop 37 on the Hawks in a quarter but give up 32
FVV’s got 14, somewhat predictable; Achiuwa’s got 8 and if you had that on the card, you’re smarter than most – 8:08 PM
Raptors drop 37 on the Hawks in a quarter but give up 32
FVV’s got 14, somewhat predictable; Achiuwa’s got 8 and if you had that on the card, you’re smarter than most – 8:08 PM
Eric Koreen @ekoreen
Raptors just had a 13-0 run snapped. VanVleet has 14, and missed another two open 3s. – 7:58 PM
Raptors just had a 13-0 run snapped. VanVleet has 14, and missed another two open 3s. – 7:58 PM
Doug Smith @SmithRaps
VanVleet’s got 14 of Toronto’s 30 points, Raptors up 6 with 2:55 left in the first – 7:58 PM
VanVleet’s got 14 of Toronto’s 30 points, Raptors up 6 with 2:55 left in the first – 7:58 PM
Josh Lewenberg @JLew1050
VanVleet was held to 8 points on 3-12 FG in 29 minutes last night. He’s already got 11 points on 4-5 FG in 8 minutes tonight.
Not bad for a guy who was highly questionable to play in this game an hour ago. – 7:54 PM
VanVleet was held to 8 points on 3-12 FG in 29 minutes last night. He’s already got 11 points on 4-5 FG in 8 minutes tonight.
Not bad for a guy who was highly questionable to play in this game an hour ago. – 7:54 PM
Michael Grange @michaelgrange
So Fred VanVleet is playing, Nick Nurse had said it was ‘looking unlikely’ pre-game. That’s a break for Toronto trying to contain Trae Young and also get some shooting on the floor. – 7:34 PM
So Fred VanVleet is playing, Nick Nurse had said it was ‘looking unlikely’ pre-game. That’s a break for Toronto trying to contain Trae Young and also get some shooting on the floor. – 7:34 PM
Mike Ganter @Mike_Ganter
Never bet against Freddy. VanVleet will start tonight in Atlanta. – 7:03 PM
Never bet against Freddy. VanVleet will start tonight in Atlanta. – 7:03 PM
Doug Smith @SmithRaps
Raptors just say VanVleet will go and start tonight in Atlanta; Siakam’s in as well with Trent, Barnes and Birch – 7:02 PM
Raptors just say VanVleet will go and start tonight in Atlanta; Siakam’s in as well with Trent, Barnes and Birch – 7:02 PM
Eric Koreen @ekoreen
Per @Raptors_PR, VanVleet will start tonight with Trent, Siakam, Barnes and Birch. – 7:01 PM
Per @Raptors_PR, VanVleet will start tonight with Trent, Siakam, Barnes and Birch. – 7:01 PM
Doug Smith @SmithRaps
The Nick Nurse pre-game bullet points:
SIakam will give it a shot
VanVleet seems less likely to go
Anunoby will see hand specialist in NY on Monday, there’s a hospital/medical centre that specializes in hands there that many NBA players have used over the years – 6:55 PM
The Nick Nurse pre-game bullet points:
SIakam will give it a shot
VanVleet seems less likely to go
Anunoby will see hand specialist in NY on Monday, there’s a hospital/medical centre that specializes in hands there that many NBA players have used over the years – 6:55 PM
Michael Grange @michaelgrange
Siakam is expected to play; VanVleet (knee) is still questionable. MRI was clear a couple of weeks ago, but knee is still sore, says Nurse. ‘He’s not been ruled out yet, but is unlikely’. – 6:12 PM
Siakam is expected to play; VanVleet (knee) is still questionable. MRI was clear a couple of weeks ago, but knee is still sore, says Nurse. ‘He’s not been ruled out yet, but is unlikely’. – 6:12 PM
Mike Ganter @Mike_Ganter
Siakam will try again tonight but he’s not fully recovered from his non-COVID illness. Fred VanVleet is still questionable. – 6:12 PM
Siakam will try again tonight but he’s not fully recovered from his non-COVID illness. Fred VanVleet is still questionable. – 6:12 PM
Eric Koreen @ekoreen
Fred VanVleet (knee soreness) is questionable and Pascal Siakam (non-Covid illness) will play against the Hawks on Saturday. – 6:12 PM
Fred VanVleet (knee soreness) is questionable and Pascal Siakam (non-Covid illness) will play against the Hawks on Saturday. – 6:12 PM
Aaron Rose @AaronBenRose
Pascal Siakam is expected to play tonight. Still not 100% but he’s testing negative for COVID. Fred VanVleet is still questionable – 6:11 PM
Pascal Siakam is expected to play tonight. Still not 100% but he’s testing negative for COVID. Fred VanVleet is still questionable – 6:11 PM
Vivek Jacob @vivekmjacob
Nurse says Siakam will play, still feeling a bit of the flu symptoms but all his covid testing has been negative. VanVleet still questionable. – 6:11 PM
Nurse says Siakam will play, still feeling a bit of the flu symptoms but all his covid testing has been negative. VanVleet still questionable. – 6:11 PM
Eric Koreen @ekoreen
Upon arriving in Atlanta, I see that both VanVleet (knee) and Siakam (non-COVID illness) are questionable for tonight’s game vs. the Hawks. Anunoby is out. – 1:49 PM
Upon arriving in Atlanta, I see that both VanVleet (knee) and Siakam (non-COVID illness) are questionable for tonight’s game vs. the Hawks. Anunoby is out. – 1:49 PM
Josh Lewenberg @JLew1050
OG Anunoby remains out for tonight’s game in Atlanta with the fractured finger. Fred VanVleet (knee soreness) and Pascal Siakam (non-COVID illness) are both questionable. – 12:30 PM
OG Anunoby remains out for tonight’s game in Atlanta with the fractured finger. Fred VanVleet (knee soreness) and Pascal Siakam (non-COVID illness) are both questionable. – 12:30 PM
Doug Smith @SmithRaps
Raptors have put Pascal Siakam in the same “questionable” category as Fred VanVleet for tonight in Atlanta
SIakam has non-COVID illness, VanVleet’s knee is still sore
And OG Anunoby is out again – 12:23 PM
Raptors have put Pascal Siakam in the same “questionable” category as Fred VanVleet for tonight in Atlanta
SIakam has non-COVID illness, VanVleet’s knee is still sore
And OG Anunoby is out again – 12:23 PM
Vivek Jacob @vivekmjacob
Siakam (non-covid illness) and VanVleet (right knee soreness) are both listed as questionable for tonight at the Hawks. – 12:22 PM
Siakam (non-covid illness) and VanVleet (right knee soreness) are both listed as questionable for tonight at the Hawks. – 12:22 PM
More on this storyline
Josh Lewenberg: Fred VanVleet: “As the leader, as the point guard I take the responsibility for the performance that we put together these last 2 nights. We’ve gotta be better. It’s time to wake up and at least fight, fight a little bit more and just play together and have a bit more resolve.” -via Twitter @JLew1050 / February 27, 2022
Josh Lewenberg: VanVleet said he doesn’t really want to talk about his knee unless/until it becomes a bigger issue. “I’m not going to make excuses for myself. It’s something I’ve got to deal with. It’s not a major thing but it’s definitely a pain in the ass.” -via Twitter @JLew1050 / February 27, 2022
