3 reasons Raptors would be fools not to hire Monty Williams

3 reasons Raptors would be fools not to hire Monty Williams

The Toronto Raptors might need to put all of their coaching plans on hold until they get a chance to sit down with former Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams. Who would have thought that he would end up being available at this point in the season after winning Coach of the Year so recently? Williams […]
3 reasons Raptors would be fools not to hire Monty Williams – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. scratched from game with Pirates due to wrist issue but Blue Jays win 8-2

What losing streak?

After their nightmare series in Boston, the Blue Jays have rolled into Pittsburgh and have pulled off back-to-back commanding wins over the Pirates. The score on Saturday at 8-2 for the Blue Jays, as José Berríos put together a quality start and the bottom of the lineup came through with some big hits.
Things worth mentioning…
José Berríos had a tough outing against the Red Sox but he rebounded nicely in Pittsburgh on Saturday evening. He went six-and-one-third innings and scattered just two earned runs on five hits and one walk while striking out seven.
Berríos was dominant in the first few innings and carried a perfect game and no-hitter into the fifth inning. The perfecto was broken up when he walked Jack Suwinski and the no-hitter was broken up the following batter when Ke’Bryan Hayes smacked a single.

José Berríos let out a roar after his strikeout to end the 6th inning.
He’s been fantastic tonight, and he’s sure as hell enjoying it. #BlueJays pic.twitter.com/7qdS0KriLN
— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) May 7, 2023

After Berríos came out of the game, the Blue Jays’ bullpen locked down the final few innings without any difficulty. Anthony Bass struck out both batters he faced, Tim Mayza struck out the side in the eighth, and Jay Jackson had a scoreless frame in his Blue Jays debut.

Jays win! 🥳 pic.twitter.com/fYIRu0jd01
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 7, 2023

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was a late scratch from Saturday’s game because of a wrist issue. He was dealing with discomfort during Friday’s series opener and came into the batting cages to test it out on Saturday and wasn’t good to go.
The lineup looked pretty thing without Vladdy but the guy …

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Author: Cam Lewis / Blue Jays Nation

Raptors news: Reason Ime Udoka spurned Toronto revealed, Canadian becomes available

Raptors news: Reason Ime Udoka spurned Toronto revealed, Canadian becomes available

The Toronto Raptors got their offseason started off on the wrong foot, as they missed out on hiring their top Nick Nurse replacement. After weeks of Ime Udoka rumors, Toronto simply could not seal the deal and name him the next head coach. Before the Raptors even managed to curate a list of candidates, Udoka […]
Raptors news: Reason Ime Udoka spurned Toronto revealed, Canadian becomes available – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

Raptors news: Sergio Scariolo linked to HC job, Paul Pierce backs Nick Nurse

Raptors news: Sergio Scariolo linked to HC job, Paul Pierce backs Nick Nurse

The Toronto Raptors appear to finally be kicking their coaching search into high gear. Names like Kenny Atkinson and Becky Hammon are among the names that have populated the early list of Toronto’s coaching candidates that could end up sliding into the main spot. While Scariolo has a great deal of respect within that organization, […]
Raptors news: Sergio Scariolo linked to HC job, Paul Pierce backs Nick Nurse – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

Leafs need to be flexible with Knies, Holmberg should be an option, and the 11/7: Leaflets

Tonight the Leafs make their fourth attempt at eliminating the Lightning from the playoffs, the second attempt this season. The previous three haven’t gone particularly well, but as the saying goes, the fourth or fifth time is the charm. And if you are looking for some additional optimism, the Leafs haven’t been defeated in three straight games since October so with this current iteration of the Leafs the wheels seem far less likely to come off. I’m sure absolutely none of that is comforting and when it comes to all the numbers, being favourites in the series, and the knowledge that this dynasty of failure can’t go on forever, it doesn’t change that an entire generation hasn’t seen the Leafs live up to their potential. It would be great if that changes tonight and we can raise the bar from “just win a round” to “win it all.”
Deploying Knies differently
It was very cool to see Knies up in the top six for game five. We won’t reflect on how that game went for the Leafs, but certainly no one is hanging anything on Knies and he has established himself as a competitor that Sheldon Keefe wanted out with the best of the Leafs forwards to …

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Author: Jon Steitzer / The Leafs Nation

Leafs erase 4-1 deficit in the final 11 minutes, win 5-4 in overtime: Game Highlights

The Leafs had one of their most clutch performances of the last decade on Monday night. They found themselves down 4-1 with just over ten minutes remaining and somehow managed to tie it up. Alex Kerfoot scored the game winner in overtime to give Toronto a 3-1 series lead.
Ilya Samsonov stood tall early on. After Brandon Hagel drew a penalty shot shorthanded, Samsonov calmly denied the Lightning winger…

Samsonov denies Hagel on the penalty shot 🙅‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/j0WoXGb4KP
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 24, 2023

A couple minutes later Alex Killorn got off the schneid. The two time cup champ hadn’t scored in 29 consecutive playoff games before this tally. He finished a beautiful touch pass from Nikita Kucherov to put the Bolts up 1-0…

Killorn converts on the power play to open the scoring! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/06ankloUW0
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 24, 2023

Late in the first Mikhail Sergachev double Tampa Bay’s lead. Kucherov with another primary assist moving the puck across the seam…

Sergachev rips one past Samsonov to put Tampa up two! ✌️ pic.twitter.com/LVvFABBWws
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 25, 2023

Noel Acciari got things going for the Leafs in the second period. Ryan O’Reilly stripped Kucherov to keep the play alive. He found Justin Holl at the point and the Toronto defender threw the puck on net. Acciari tipped it past Andrei Vasilevskiy to bring the game within one…

COOKIE GETS US ON THE BOARD! 🍪 pic.twitter.com/HzVoV56zSm
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 25, 2023

The Lightning kept pressing for an insurance goal and nearly got it. Anthony Cirelli pushed the puck towards the net but Matthew Knies was there to prevent the goal…

Knies save Matthew 👀 pic.twitter.com/zfVNNpyQZi
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 25, 2023

A few minutes later Steven Stamkos scored his first goal of the series. Just after his penalty expired Victor Hedman shot the puck off the foot of Stamkos to give the Lightning a 3-1 lead…

Stammer gets his first of the Stanley Cup Playoffs! ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/8Y6Hxgx0dd
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 25, 2023

With 1:11 remaining in the second period Killorn scored his second of the game. Sergachev hit Hagel with a beauty stretch pass and he droppe …

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Author: Scott Ony / The Leafs Nation

5 All-Stars Toronto Raptors painfully passed on in NBA Draft

5 All-Stars Toronto Raptors painfully passed on in NBA Draft

For the majority of their history, the Toronto Raptors have actually been one of the better teams at drafting in the league. Looking back at their first-round NBA Draft history, there aren’t a ton of complete whiffs made by the team. However, as is the case for every franchise, there are a few times in […]
5 All-Stars Toronto Raptors painfully passed on in NBA Draft – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Michael Saenz / Raptors HQ

Leafs knock off Lightning 4-3 in overtime to take a 2-1 series lead: Game Highlights

The Leafs won their biggest game of the year on Saturday night. Game three was the first close one of the series. There was plenty of scoring and several lead changes. Toronto tied the game late and won it overtime. Below are the highlights from the game.
Noel Acciari scored the game’s first  goal just over three minutes into the game. Matthew Knies set him in the slot and he ripped a wrist shot by Andrei Vasilevskiy…

COOKIE TIME!! 🍪⏰ pic.twitter.com/lPOwqUsBPm
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 22, 2023

Toronto didn’t hold the lead for long. A minute and 26 seconds later Anthony Cirelli tied it up with a wrist shot of his own…

Anthony Cirelli answers right back! ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/L0HEHJszlB
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 22, 2023

Later in the first Auston Matthews found the back of the net for the first time in the series. He tipped in Mitch Marner’s point shot for the go-ahead goal…

TONE TIME! 👀⏰ pic.twitter.com/O4YdWFOYZU
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 22, 2023

The first period scoring wasn’t done there. In the final minute Brandon Hagel’s shot somehow wound up in the Leafs net. The puck deflected off TJ Brodie and Ilya Samsonov before trickling across the line. After review it was determined a good goal…

GOOD GOAL FOR TAMPA! 🚨
Brandon Hagel buries the late period equalizer for the Lightning. pic.twitter.com/lVFE98WO9r
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 22, 2023

Tampa Bay pressed early in the second period and Samsonov kept the game tied with two massive saves…

SAMMY 🗣SAMMY 🗣 pic.twitter.com/idVHNWfSUq
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) April 23, 2023

Late in the middle frame the Lightning took their first lead of the game. Darren Raddysh circled the net, bounced off a check from Jake McCabe and wired home his first career playoff goal…

Top shelf for Darren Raddysh. 🎯
Catch all the Game 3 action on Sportsnet! pic.twitter.com/uqkZJTZoQ4
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 23, 2023

There was a scary moment in the third when Brayden Point crashed hard into the boards after engaging with Morgan Rielly. Rielly was assessed a five minute major on the play but after review no penalty was called on the hit…

Scary p …

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Author: Scott Ony / The Leafs Nation

Kevin Gausman allows seven earned runs as the Blue Jays take a beating for the second straight day

The Blue Jays suffered their second straight seven-run loss tonight as the Astros jumped on Kevin Gausman early and defeated Toronto 9-2 in the series opener from H-Town. Toronto has gotten back-to-back poor outings from Alek Manoah and now Gausman, but they’ll have a chance to redeem themselves this weekend as they’re both in line to start against the Yankees.
Blue Jays Nation’s Player of the Game: Santiago Espinal
After earning a spot in last year’s All-Star Game, it has been a rough start to the 2023 season for Espinal. While he was a substitute in tonight’s game, Espinal smoked his first home run of the season in the 8th inning. He took a sweeper from Seth Martinez 377 feet, and it could’ve gone a lot farther had it not hit the upper wall below the railroad tracks in left field.

Santiago Espinal’s first home run of the season is about as far as 377 feet can look. #BlueJays pic.twitter.com/NRZzEdLXiB
— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) April 18, 2023

Things worth mentioning
Kevin Gausman: Gausman’s performance can ultimately be chalked up to a rough first inning. For starters, the Astros were seeing the ball really well, as they were making supreme contact off the bat. Three balls were hit over 105 mph, with those hits resulting in two doubles and a home run. He also walked two batters in the first frame, which is quite abnormal for Gausman as he had only walked three total batters on the season coming into tonight.
Furthermore, Houston wasn’t biting on the splitter at all. Gausman threw the splitter 16 times in the first inning; it registered only two whiffs versus nine balls. Several hits l …

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Author: Evan Stack / Blue Jays Nation

Raptors news: DeMar DeRozan previews play-in, Dwane Casey out as Pistons coach

Raptors news: DeMar DeRozan previews play-in, Dwane Casey out as Pistons coach

The Toronto Raptors are officially gearing up for their matchup against old friend DeMar DeRozan and the Chicago Bulls, another squad who expected to take a step forward this season. Both teams can play a hard-nosed style that may not be the most fun to watch, yet can stifle even the most formidable offenses when […]
Raptors news: DeMar DeRozan previews play-in, Dwane Casey out as Pistons coach – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ