Sean Woodley here, the host of the daily Locked On Raptors podcast, with your daily Locked On Raptors newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Raptors and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
The NBA Cup is here! Can the Raptors pull a Group B shocker?
Nov 24, 2023; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (19) and Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) on the tip-off during the first half on the In-Season Tournament floor at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports|John E. Sokolowski/John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
On any other night, a sad sack tilt between the injury-riddled 2-9 Toronto Raptors and the disaster show 2-8 Milwaukee Bucks might be the type of game you’d relegate to PVR skim status.
But not on an NBA Cup night, baby!
On the doorstep of the second edition of the league’s soccer-style in-season sidebar, it’s already pretty obvious The Cup has already had its desired effect. The beautifully garish courts, the added stakes hitting just as the early season honeymoon period wanes, mid-November point differential math — it’s all, as they call it, The Good Stuff.
Nothing on TV is better than an NBA game where both teams play hard, my man, and that the league has found a way to extract a higher give-a-damn quotient out of one of the sleepiest portions of the schedule is, with no hint of irony or sarcasm, a triumph. Regular season basketball should matter more; we spend half our calendar years watching it. Call it a gimmick, or just a smart adaptation of a format that’s worked in the world’s most popular sport for a century-plus, but the tourney — despite some detractors in the executive class who think trying hard in games is bad actually — has undeniably juiced up previously under-appreciated random November Tuesdays and Fridays. The only issue is that there aren’t more Cup nights, though maybe one day, once the GMs procure some helmets.
For the Raptors, The Cup may be their first and last time to truly shine on the national stage this season. They’re not good, and though their play to date doesn’t totally reflect their bottom-of-the-league record, it’s gonna take something pretty freaking special from Scottie Barnes and company once (if) the team reaches full health to secure some playoff dates in April (though as I wrote last week, the rotten state of the East has cracked that door open a touch).
Of course, as with any potted-and-drawn tournament format, so much of any prospective underdog’s hopes hinge on the group that team gets placed in. And boy oh boy, have the Raptors earned a plum draw. Tonight it’s the Bucks — now with Damian Lillard sidelined. This Friday they take on the hardly-frightening Pistons back at home, before closing out the group stage with games against the Heat, who may or may not be the type of ‘7-game team’ that truly thrives in this environment, and the Pacers, who feel eminently upsettable at all times with their hair-on-fire play style and injury troubles of their own.
These Raptors, under-talented yet over-scrappy, with nothing to save their powder for later in the year, are who the NBA Cup is built for. Over 82 games, sure, the Raptors finish below all but maybe one Group B’s contestants. But in the small-sample, high-leverage world of one-off tournament hoops, it’s OK believe in the unbelievable.
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Today on the podcast, James Herbert of CBS Sports joins the show to talk about the Raptors’ pre-Cup form, how they stack up in a wide open East Group B, and our predictions for how the tournament ultimately shakes out.
The second annual NBA In-Season Tournament/much catchier ‘NBA Cup’ begins tonight, kicking off roughly a month of tournament games that fall on Tuesdays and Fridays. Then, we get into the quarterfinals and conference semifinals, the rules of which I am still not 100% clear on and am not ashamed to admit.
The newness of the Cup is what makes people skeptical of it. It’s what made me skeptical of it last season. It’s difficult to introduce new things into competitive ecosystems that seem largely “set”, which is why it happens rarely. My skepticism of the tournament came from the need to gameify what is already a game, but then I thought about how often the “product” of the NBA (e.g. basketball) gets complained about and realized the league was trying something. Trying something different versus just complaining about what already exists for the sake of griping is also rare.
Part of the fun of the tournament in its current, very green iteration, is its messiness. Last season, athletes were clear about how they, too, were stumped on the rules. How did the point system work? What were the knockout rules? Why were the custom courts so garish? But for the most part, players leaned into it. Did the Lakers lean a little too hard into it by hanging the In-Season Tournament banner in the rafters? Absolutely. But these are Tuesday night games in November — nothing about them should be sacrosanct.
A genuine lift I noticed and liked about last season’s tournament, and my real point of defense, is how these games operated as additional runway for a handful of teams on the verge. The In-Season Tournament was where we started to see the Pacers flourish and use the breakneck speed that went on to become a critical component of their entirely unique offense. The Pelicans also treated the tournament as something different, approaching the games like an escape from the early season injury woes that derailed them (unfortunately in a very cruel deja vu, we’re seeing the same thing this season). There’s going to be more emerging teams and play styles showing themselves this time around.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Preview Get ready for an exciting week as the Raptors face off against the Bucks, Pistons, and Celtics. Key matchups and narratives await fans. (Raptors HQ)
Watch The NBA Cup kicks off with the Raptors taking on the Milwaukee Bucks. Expect a thrilling start to this new tournament format. (Raptors HQ)
Injury The NBA has a ‘missing stars’ problem with injuries piling up faster than normal. (Yahoo! Sports)
Rumor Did Giannis Antetokounmpo’s fake handshake prank launch a new NBA rivalry?
Preview The tiny town and legendary 1980s NBA team that built NBA Draft phenom Cooper Flagg (ESPN)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Monday’s NBA Fantasy Basketball Recap
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts during the second half against the Sacramento Kings at Frost Bank Center.|Photo by Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
Monday’s NBA action featured five games, each packed with performances and injury updates that could reshape your fantasy basketball strategy.
Injury Updates Affecting Lineups
Damian Lillard’s entry into concussion protocol means he’ll miss Tuesday’s game, with a slim chance of returning by Wednesday. This quick turnaround is unusual, so keep an eye on updates. Meanwhile, Gary Trent Jr. is still dealing with back spasms, and despite his fantasy position eligibility, he’s not a point guard, averaging only two assists per game. The Milwaukee Bucks are experimenting with their lineup, with Pat Connaughton and Ryan Rollins as potential backup point guards. Giannis Antetokounmpo can handle point guard duties, but he needs support, especially with Khris Middleton unavailable.
Zion Williamson’s injury update is a blow to fantasy managers. He’s expected to be out for four to six weeks, longer than initially anticipated. If you have an IR spot, hold onto him, but be prepared for a potentially extended absence. Malik Monk’s ankle injury will keep him out for at least two weeks, affecting the Sacramento Kings’ lineup. Kevin Huerter and Keon Ellis could see increased value in the short term.
Game Highlights and Player Performances
The San Antonio Spurs pulled off a surprising 116-96 victory over the Sacramento Kings. Victor Wembanyama was the standout performer, delivering a stellar 34 points and 14 rebounds, solidifying his status as a top fantasy player. De’Aaron Fox’s assist numbers are concerning, especially with DeMar DeRozan’s arrival affecting his role. DeRozan’s on-court fit with the Kings remains a question mark. Kevin Huerter’s inconsistency continues, and while he had a hot streak, his recent performance was lacklustre. Keegan Murray’s struggles are evident, and I don’t see him breaking into the top 75 players this season.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Raptors podcasts.
Monday — Raptors get a reality check on 0-2 tour through LA Sean goes solo to break down the Raptors narrow loss to the Clippers and less narrow loss to the Lakers over the weekend, which served as a reality check on the team’s current situation. Plus, Immanuel Quickley’s return examined, and the Good, Bad & Hmmmm from the weekend,
Friday — Toxic Positivity Friday! Is there a path into the Top-6 in the East for the Raptors? Sean and Katie Heindl (this newsletter, Basketball Feelings) talk about how meaningful the return of Immanuel Quickley will be to the Raptors, and why there’s a path for the Raptors to climb the Eastern Conference despite their tough start in the win column.
Thursday — Raptors fall apart in 4th quarter vs. Kings to spoil Davion Mitchell’s revenge game Sean goes solo to talk about what went wrong in the 4th quarter against the Kings on Wednesday night, Davion Mitchell finding his way, the injuries to Jonathan Mogbo and Ja’Kobe Walter and more.
