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.
For the skidding Toronto Raptors, it’s an effort thing
Dec 29, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic reacts to a foul call in the second half against the Atlanta Hawks at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton/Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
It’s the boomer-est, most tried and true next-day analysis in sports: One team tried harder, and therefore they won.
That’s not always true, of course, and it’s tough to quantify. We don’t really have metrics to properly gauge how much a team gave a damn on a given night, try as the NBA.com Hustle Stats page might. Sometimes talent covers up for a team giving less than everything. Teams go through peaks and valleys in their spirit over the course of 82. Human elements seep in and alter the nightly effort quotient. But in the immortal words of Rasheed Wallace, the base assumption about any pro sports contest should be that both teams played hard. Pro athletes don’t become pro athletes without being lunatic competitors.
But when a team’s ability to hang is tied directly to how hard it tries, how well it does the little things, you can pretty safely lean on ol’ reliable sports radio tropes when things go off the rails.
The Raptors got spanked by the Hawks on their home court last night, and it was in no small part because they got totally outworked.
You can empathize with this team to some degree. As Darko Rajaković noted after Sunday’s 136-107 loss, the toll of injury and illness has this team running into “the wall.” It’s human, relatable. Building rhythm and upholding good vibes through constantly evolving roles and rotations is tough stuff. You can only bail a leaky boat so long before it sinks.
On the other hand, as Scottie Barnes eloquently put it after Sunday’s game: “this is the NBA” and the Raptors need to “push through that shit.” Every team faces a wall; the ones that push through it are ones that win more than seven of their first 32 games.
What’s equally frustrating and encouraging about the Raptors’ recent spell of getting waxed is that we know something better lies within this group. Yeah, they lost a bunch earlier in the year, too, but they did it with a hell of a lot more dignity than they’ve gone down with in their last four or five outings. Giving a crap was the hallmark of the team that strung together the most entertaining 7-15 start in recent NBA history; a spark that’s been lost as the defense has come unspooled and the turnovers have gotten as lazy and unforced as ever.
If crummy health has been the team’s biggest downfall, maybe the return of some key pieces can help Toronto tap back into the energy well. Jakob Poeltl came back Sunday to help firm up things around both rims, a very welcome return that should help restore this team’s baseline functionality going forward. But it was Bruce Brown who brought the most voltage of anyone on the team in his first game of the year.
“Bruce Brown, he was incredible tonight. You know, his effort was off the charts,” said Barnes of Brown’s 12-point, 6-rebound outing in his first game in 8 months. “You see him get out there and put his body on the line after being out for so long, you know, he’s making himself so tired out there, just guarding, pushing himself and that’s what the team needs. We gotta all match that energy every single night.”
Yes, Immanuel Quickley is still unavailable for who knows how long, and the loss of his shooting and creation has hung over the team all season. But with Poeltl, Brown and Ja’Kobe Walter all returning last night, and the 10-game stretch between Barnes’ two injuries this year standing as proof of concept that this collection of guys can at least play respectable, near-500 ball, the list of viable excuses for nights like Sunday is quickly thinning.
It’s rare that a team is as bad as it looks in the midst of a 10-game skid, or in a 30-point loss. Toronto finally looks to have the health and runway to string together some good hoops over the next couple months. But with their talent level still coming in below most of the league’s, it’ll be connectivity, and a little elbow grease that makes a return to form possible. Without it, they’re toast.
“We build a lot of trust, build a good camaraderie where we’re being able to talk to each other and we know our standards,” said Barnes of the team’s in-practice dynamics. “But we go out there and play and we gotta hold ourselves to that standard every time we step on the floor. Getting beat by 30, man... that’s unacceptable.”
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Today on the podcast I break down the loss to the Hawks, the return of Bruce Brown, 10-game losing streak psychology and more. Enjoy the show!
Dec 21, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts to a question during a post game interview after the game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. | Ed Szczepanski/Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown was fired on his way to meet his team at the airport, Anthony Edwards was fined again — this time a cool $100k — for profanity, Amen Thompson picked Tyler Herro up and skipped him like a stone over the hardwood floor, the Suns and Mavs got into it too, and D’Angelo Russell was traded to the Nets (again) in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton. It was a busy weekend in the NBA.
But let’s not focus on the chaos. Let’s instead look to a milestone within the milieu of the NBA’s theatrics, one that’s sat looming, casting a long shadow over the league for years now and especially over LeBron James, who turns 40 today.
James is a rare athlete in many ways. He’s been dominant in every decade of his career — and it’s rare enough to pluralize “decade” when discussing the length of an athlete’s career — and at one point was the greatest athlete on the planet. He’s won NBA titles, Olympic gold medals, has played a huge role in furthering athlete autonomy and reshaping the public’s perception of what an athlete can do and be off the court (or field, rink, etc.) in terms of political and social awareness and advocacy. He’s the first ever athlete to play alongside his son at a professional level and he’s advanced, even introduced, the concept of recovery and physical and mental longevity for an athlete.
He’s also still capable of forcefully taking your breath away with a rousing block, dunk, and the ability to toss his team on his back and take control of the game — he’s still averaging 23.5 points, 9 assists and 7.5 rebounds per game.
James’ rarest attribute though is something of a double-edged sword: his longevity. The quality of longevity, pure staying power, James has maintained throughout his career is the kind of consistency we just don’t see in sports yet he’s made it feel routine, totally normal.
The gift of this for basketball fans has been having James as both a metronome and a backdrop for over 20 seasons. Other players have taken what he’s done and made their own improvisations, but he’s the rhythm that drives the game like he’s the mountain set at the horizon, offering a perennial sense of direction. What happens when these two constant factors aren’t there anymore?
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
Replay The Toronto Raptors faltered against the Atlanta Hawks with a 136-107 loss. Relive the highlights of the game and analyze the critical moments. (Raptors HQ)
Rumor NBA insider reports reveal the Raptors’ asking price for acquiring Kelly Olynyk and Bruce Brown. Explore the potential moves and their implications for the team’s future. (Sports Illustrated)
Personnel Toronto Raptors coach shares the real reason behind his ejection in a recent game, shedding light on the incident and its context. (Sports Illustrated)
Celebrate 40 great moments for LeBron James on his 40th birthday. (NBA.com)
Milestone By the numbers: a statistical look at NBA milestones as LeBron James turns 40. (TSN)
Biz A look inside Mike Brown’s final days with the Sacramento Kings. (The Athletic)
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Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Fantasy Basketball Implications Of The Lakers & Nets Trade
Dec 28, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell (1) moves the ball against Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez/Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
The NBA trade market is heating up, and the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers have made the first significant move of the season. In a surprising turn of events, D’Angelo Russell is heading back to Brooklyn, while Dorian Finney-Smith makes his way to Los Angeles.
The trade details are as follows:
Brooklyn receives:
D’Angelo Russell
Maxwell Lewis (2023 second-round pick)
Three second-round picks
Los Angeles receives:
Dorian Finney-Smith
Shake Milton
This move has significant implications for both teams and fantasy basketball managers alike. For Brooklyn, Russell’s return could shake up their backcourt rotation. With Cam Thomas also returning from injury, the Nets suddenly have an abundance of scoring guards. While this might lead to some exciting offensive performances, it could also create a defensive nightmare for Brooklyn.
Noah Clowney’s value may see an uptick with Finney-Smith’s departure. The rookie has shown flashes of potential in recent games, and this trade could open up more consistent minutes for him. However, it’s important to temper expectations, as the Nets’ rotation remains fluid.
Ben Simmons’ role is now in question. With Russell taking over primary ball-handling duties, Simmons might see a reduction in minutes and usage. Fantasy managers should monitor this situation closely, as Simmons could become a potential drop candidate if his playing time dips significantly.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Raptors podcasts.
Tuesday — Raptors win sixth game in seven, defense shines again vs. Pelicans Sean goes solo to talk about the Raptors’ 113-104 win over the Pelicans, the defense’s continued success, the offense’s struggles & more!
Monday — Raptors complete sweep of Atlanta Hawks on the road Sean and Vivek Jacob recap a Raptors win over the Hawks on Saturday, talk about Scottie Barnes turning in another two-way master class, and debate a red hot Would You Rather conundrum.
Friday — Raptors hang on to topple Hawks for second road win of season Sean goes solo to talk about the Raptors taking the Hawks, Scottie Barnes’ two-way excellence (again) and why, no, the Raptors aren’t winning too much.
