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.
Trade or no trade, Chris Boucher’s stamping his Raptors legacy
Jan 13, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Chris Boucher (25) drives to the net against Golden State Warriors forward Kyle Anderson (1) during the first half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski/John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
We, as in the people who watch a lot of basketball, pour a lot of sweat into trying to understand what’s going on out there. Intricate set breakdowns, hours of sifting through tape, perusing the stat pages to test your eyes against the data, all in the interest of trying to not sound like a total doofus when you talk about the games.
And yet for as fun as the pursuit of higher basketball learning can be, nothing quite matches the thrill of the inexplicable. Sometimes pro hoopers do stupid cool things that make absolutely no sense, leaving you with no recourse but to sit back, enjoy and accept that some things are just beyond grasp of our puny human minds.
Chris Boucher scoring 17 points on nine shots in one quarter to help the Raptors take down Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors, capping off a week in which he’s gone 25 of 33 from the field and roared back into the Raptors’ rotation, falls under that umbrella. Boucher’s on the heater of his life, and it just might go down as the high watermark of his seven-year Raptors career.
There is of course a little logic to Boucher being on one at the moment. Throughout his extended Raptors tenure, he’s been prone to spells of extreme hot and cold. He’s the NBA’s foremost human roulette wheel, capable of spellbinding stretches of heat-check shot-making and highlight reel blocks, offset by runs of driving fans’ faces directly into the soothing embrace of their palms. As we dubbed him on an episode of the podcast earlier this year with our pal Keeks, there’s a case to be made that Boucher is the most sustainably unsustainable player in the league; what happens one night is likely to invert itself the next, and you live with it, because the highs are so hysterically fun.
“He’s been playing great. I’m telling you like he’s such a professional,” Darko Rajaković said of Boucher, about whom he joked pregame Monday that the source of his recent powers has been a steady dose of pregame espressos, which clearly kicked in just in time for the fourth.
“He’s been around. His voice is very important with the team as well and I’m really happy for him when he plays the way he played tonight,” the coach finished.
That veteran know-how and his propensity for hilariously productive nights are why Boucher’s latest bucket bender might be his last in Toronto. The realities of the league are what they are, and 32-year-olds in good form on expiring contracts who play for rebuilding teams are rarely going to dodge pre-trade deadline scuttlebutt. Boucher very well could be on the move to a contender in need of some bench juice in the coming weeks.
If that is the case, Boucher’s going full-Costanza, ensuring he leaves on the highest of possible notes. The great appeal of Boucher has never really been high-leverage, two-way play that translates to all kinds of winning, though he’s certainly had his moments in that department. Rather, Boucher’s nights of manic production have helped soothe what’s been a pretty rough handful of years for those who watch the Raptors night in, night out. His pops and flourishes keep you going on cold mid-season nights, even when your team loses more than it wins, maybe never encapsulated more clearly than on Monday against Golden State.
Toronto will not win many games this year, and of those, only a handful are likely to stand out in the memory of the true sickos who kept on watching all year long. You can bet for damn sure that his fourth quarter heroics on Monday will hold up as one of the defining wins not only of this season, but of Boucher’s 390+ game run with Canada’s team.
There’s no way to know exactly what’s next for Boucher, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
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Today on the podcast, Vivek Jacob and I ran through Boucher’s incredible 4th quarter in the win over Golden State, talked Scottie Barnes and Ochai Agbaji’s strong nights, Jamal Shead’s shooting uptick and more. Enjoy the show!
Jan 13, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) dribbles up court against the Toronto Raptors during the second half at Scotiabank Arena. | John E. Sokolowski/John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Something I realized last night at the Warriors-Raptors game, perhaps more pressingly than the last time the team was in town a season ago — this thing isn’t going to last forever.
You wouldn’t get that impression from Steph Curry, who takes his pre-game warmup last and happily engages with the fans who show up an hour before tip-off to watch him. Curry’s off-court presence, compared to his superstar contemporaries, has always been demure and private, but watching him revel and work within that outsized adoration is a privilege in itself. No fan in attendance watching him take feathery lob after feathery lob, or take a volleyball spike to the basketball so he could meet it mid-air for a dunk, was thinking about the finite nature of Curry — performer or competitor.
Even if the underlying desire of proximity to greatness stems from the understanding that one day that greatness will no longer exist, that reality doesn’t translate in the moment. In the moment, there’s just Curry, laughing with his coaches, signing the backs of jerseys, going through footwork, prepping for the night’s game.
Where the impression of a dynasty in its final stages becomes more pronounced is through the words of Warriors coach, Steve Kerr. Asked about how difficult it is to maintain a dynasty, and Kerr reverted to Curry.
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
Fans Drake humorously addressed his absence from Raptors broadcasts, joking about a recent broadcast ban. The Raptors’ global ambassador continues to support the team passionately. (Sports Illustrated)
Analysis The Raptors managed to spoil Steph Curry’s big night with strategic plays and strong defense. Key takeaways from the Raptors’ victory focus on their effective tactics. (Sports Illustrated)
Prediction In the latest 2025 NBA mock draft, experts predict potential picks and pro comparisons, with insights on how upcoming talents could impact teams, including the Raptors. (Bleacher Report)
Rumor Speculation surrounds what each team might do if the trade deadline were today. For the Raptors, potential moves could reshape their season. Explore the trade possibilities and strategic considerations. (Bleacher Report)
Analysis TheDetroit Pistons are emerging as a serious surprise story this season. (TSN)
Biz Explosive court documents show co-conspirators and other shocking details in Jontay Porter’s ongoing betting scandal. (The Athletic)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
NBA Injury Update: Key Players Sidelined and Return Timelines For Fantasy Basketball
Jan 12, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier (13) attempts a three point basket against the Brooklyn Nets during the third quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray/Rob Gray-Imagn Images
As we approach the midpoint of the NBA season, injuries continue to play a significant role in shaping team dynamics and fantasy basketball strategies. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most impactful injuries across the league and their potential implications.
The Utah Jazz are once again at the forefront of injury-related drama. Lauri Markkanen’s back spasms and John Collins’ hip issue have raised eyebrows, with many speculating about potential load management strategies. Keyonte George’s heel soreness has kept him out for five consecutive games, while Jordan Clarkson’s plantar fascia injury could potentially end his season. The Jazz’s injury situation is one to monitor closely, as it could lead to increased opportunities for players like Kyle Filipowski and Isaiah Collier
In Philadelphia, Joel Embiid’s knee injury has kept him out for four consecutive games. This absence highlights the risks associated with drafting Embiid in the first round of fantasy drafts. With a busy schedule ahead, including back-to-back sets, Embiid’s playing time could be limited even upon his return.
For more insights and a deeper dive into NBA injuries and their fantasy implications, tune into the Locked On Fantasy Basketball podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Fantasy Basketball Podcast:
• Portland Trail Blazers injury updates
• Phoenix Suns roster changes and injury concerns
• Orlando Magic’s lengthy injury report and fantasy implications
Locked On Raptors
3peat (ICYMI)
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.
