Toronto Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet had a good all-around performance in Wednesday's 104-88 loss at Boston, scoring 16 points with three rebounds, six assists, three steals and one block. He recorded two turnovers in 36 minutes while shooting 5-for-14 from the field and 4-for-9 from deep. It was a rough shooting night for VanVleet overall, but he's looked great from behind the arc this month, shooting close to 44 percent. He gets a miserable matchup next against the Sixers, but there's a chance to end the week with a big performance on Saturday against a rebuilding Pistons. Detroit has allowed teams to hit 41.7 percent of their three-pointers this season, which is by far the highest mark in the league, and it should suit VanVleet very well.

Toronto Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet came through with 21 points and eight assists in Sunday's 116-103 loss to Brooklyn, shooting 6-for-14 from the field and 3-for-8 from outside. He added three rebounds and two steals to his tally in 41 minutes with one turnover. VanVleet had an up-and-down week which included a 33-point performance but there were also a couple of inefficiency shooting nights. He can now nicely rest up for Wednesday's matchup against Boston. The Celtics defense looked horrible in the first few games of the season, but they have greatly improved and even limited opponents to below 80 points in back-to-back games this week. VanVleet has to be in top form in the matchup to avoid disappointing fantasy managers.

Toronto Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet had a huge game in the team's 109-100 victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday. He shot 13-for-22 from the field and 4-for-4 from the free-throw strike on the way to a season-high 33 points. He hit three three-pointers in the game and also added six assists, three rebounds, one block and one steal. VanVleet had a rough 38.9% field goal percentage last year, but he's been much more efficient through the early-going this year as he's shot 44.5% from the field through nine games. He'll look to build off of Wednesday's big game in his next trip to the court against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.

On Monday, in a 113-104 win over New York, Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet remained integral to steering the ship as the Raptors moved to 5-3 on the year. It was another heavy minute workload for FVV as he played at least 37 minutes for the seventh straight contest. Last night, he came away with 17 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, two steals, and three triples and continued to contribute in multiple categories for his fantasy managers. As long as VanVleet is healthy, he's one of the most reliable players in the game. He's up to a career-high 7.4 assists and 5.5 rebounds this year, and improvements in those numbers will lock him into a top-20 option for the season.

Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet has mentioned that he is not concerned with the heavy minutes this season. He continued by saying he put in a ton of work during the offseason to prepare his body for this situation. The increased minutes should come with a higher usage as well. Vanvleet has looked good over the last two games, but hopefully the increased minutes won't lead to any injuries. Right now, fantasy managers shouldn't be concerned and continue letting Vanvleet do his thing on the court.

Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet had an excellent night as a playmaker in Monday's loss to the Bulls. VanVleet dished out a career-high 17 assists though having the ball in his hands more often was not without its drawbacks, as he committed eight turnovers. The Wichita State product added 15 points, six boards, and a pair of steals in a team-high 43 minutes. VanVleet has been productive for fantasy purposes, though his shooting woes have carried into this year, as he's currently shooting below 40 percent from the field and 30 percent from deep. VanVleet has been more efficient from the field in his last two games, so he appears to be trending in the right direction as a scorer with a Wednesday matchup against the Pacers on deck.

Fred VanVleet has nothing but great things to say about Tampa. He likes the food. The people in the arena are friendly. The temporary accommodations for the Toronto Raptors were as good as anyone could expect. He didn’t even mind that an alligator was living in his backyard. The Raptors’ guard has just one complaint. “It’s just not Toronto,” VanVleet said. “It’s not where we’re supposed to be.” Toronto’s runs of seven consecutive winning seasons, seven consecutive playoff seasons and five consecutive 50-win seasons are over, after a season like none other for the Raptors. They haven’t played in Canada since February 2020, had to make do on the Gulf coast of Florida this season, watched players get hurt, watched players and most of the coaching staff deal with coronavirus-related issues, and it all added up to a dismal 27-45 record. Now comes an offseason where point guard Kyle Lowry — he's now called the GROAT, or the greatest Raptor of all-time — is a free agent. There also is uncertainty... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers were dealt another disappointing loss, this time by the short-handed Toronto Raptors. But seeing LeBron James head to the locker room early served as a reminder it could have been much worse. James left with 6:42 to play as the Raptors defeated the Lakers 121-114 on Sunday night. Los Angeles coach Frank Vogel said it was a precautionary move to pull James in his second game back after missing 20 because of a sprained right ankle. James said he would wait to see how his ankle felt before deciding if he could play against Denver on Monday, but acknowledged it has yet to hold up for an entire game. “The first half, it feels really good. Obviously warming up for the game, everything is going well,” said James, who had 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists. “Last two games at halftime, you know, after the break, it’s kind of gotten a little sore on me — a little tight. "And obviously Coach decided not to put me back in towards the end because of... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kyle Lowry had 37 points and 11 assists, Pascal Siakam had 39 points and 13 rebounds and the short-handed Toronto Raptors defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 121-114 on Sunday night. LeBron James had 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists before going back to the locker room with 6:42 to play. It was the second game back for James after missing 20 because of a sprained right ankle. Toronto ended a three-game losing streak despite not having Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, Chris Boucher or Gary Trent Jr. available because of injuries or to rest after losing at Utah on Saturday. DeAndre’ Bembry had 14 points off the bench and the Raptors led by as many as 21 to hand the defending NBA champion Lakers another baffling defeat. Kyle Kuzma had 24 points for Los Angeles, Anthony Davis chipped in with 12 and Andre Drummond had 19 points and 11 rebounds. After trailing by as many as 12 points in the first quarter, the Raptors led 72-59 at the half after blitzing the Lakers for 40 points... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Toronto Raptors guards DeAndre’ Bembry and Fred Van Vleet and Los Angeles Lakers guard Talen Horton-Tucker were suspended one game without pay Thursday for leaving their benches during a fight. The suspensions, announced by NBA executive vice president for basketball operations Kiki VanDeWeghe, stemmed from the first quarter of Tuesday night's game, a 110-101 victory by the Lakers. Bembry will serve his suspension in Toronto’s game against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night in Tampa, Florida. Horton-Tucker will miss the Lakers’ game at Miami on Thursday night. Van Vleet has missed the past two games with an injury. He will serve his suspension when physically able to play. Also, Toronto's OG Anunoby and Montrezl Harrell of Los Angeles were fined for their roles, leading to their ejections. With 2:24 left in the first quarter, Dennis Schroder fouled Anunoby’s layup attempt. Schroder and Anunoby squared off and other players became involved. The ejections were determined by video review. Anunoby, who received a technical foul, was fined $30,000 for initiating the altercation by grabbing Schroder by the leg and flipping him to the ground. Harrell, who also received a technical foul, was fined $20,000 for aggressively entering the fray and shoving Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday followed up his biggest game of the season by making a long-term commitment to his new team. Holiday agreed to a four-year contract extension that would be worth at least $134 million if he exercises his option for the final season. The Bucks announced the agreement Sunday. “I'm a Buck for life,” Holiday said in a video posted on the Bucks' Twitter account. “Just know that I'm glad to be a part of Bucks Nation. Let's do some big things, man. I'm really excited.” The announcement came one day after Holiday had a season-high 33 points as well as 11 assists and seven rebounds in a 129-128 victory at Sacramento. Holiday's performance enabled the Bucks to withstand the absence of reigning two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who sat out with a sore left knee. The move represents the latest step in the Bucks’ heavy investment in their trio of Holiday, Antetokounmpo and two-time All-Star Khris Middleton as the franchise chases its first NBA title... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday has agreed to a four-year contract extension that would be worth at least $134 million if he exercises his option for the final season. The move represents the latest step in the Bucks’ heavy investment in their trio of Holiday, two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and two-time All-Star Khris Middleton as the franchise chases its first NBA title since 1971. "Jrue is one of the top guards in the NBA and we are thrilled to sign him to this extension,” Bucks general manager Jon Horst said in a statement Sunday. “Adding him to our team has made us better on both ends of the floor. He’s an elite defender and an impactful offensive player with the ability to score, shoot and facilitate.” Holiday had a $26.7 million player option remaining for the 2021-21 season as part of the five-year, $126 million contract he signed with the New Orleans Pelicans in July 2017. Under the terms of this deal, Holiday declines that option but receives base... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Norman Powell scored 30 points, Kyle Lowry had a triple-double and the depleted Toronto Raptors beat the Houston Rockets 122-111 on Friday night. The Raptors were without head coach Nick Norse, five assistant coaches and starting forward Pascal Siakam in accordance with the NBA’s health and safety protocols regarding the coronavirus. Assistant coach Sergio Scariolo directed the team. He had been away from the Raptors while coaching Spain in FIBA’s EuroBasket 2022 qualifiers and just cleared quarantine Friday. Scariolo has extensive experience as a head coach, winning championships of leagues in Italy, Spain and Russia, plus has been Spain’s national coach — helping that team win medals at the 2012 London Games and 2016 Rio de Janiero Olympics, plus capture the Basketball World Cup title in 2019. Siakam was listed as out about two hours before the game, indicating that he either has a testing issue or a contact tracing issue. He played Wednesday night in Miami in the Raptors'... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — All-Star center Joel Embiid didn't get his hands on the ball much in the first half Tuesday night, but his Philadelphia teammates made the Toronto Raptors pay in the 76ers' 109-102 victory. Tobias Harris scored 12 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter after the 76ers built a big early lead with long-range shooting, ending Toronto's four-game winning streak. “I thought we had a chance for a high-scoring game when they took the ball out of Joel's hands, but I thought our guys played well,” Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers said. “The turnovers (18) hurt us, no doubt, but we made great decisions and that's how you win games.” Embiid made only 3 of 13 shots and finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds and six turnovers. Furkan Korkmanz had 19 points and made five of Philadelphia's 17 3-pointers and shot 17 for 38 (44.7%) from behind the arc while the Raptors were denying Embiid the ball. “I should have run a better rotation scheme, let's leave it at that,” Toronto coach Nick Nurse... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tobias Harris scored 12 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter and the Philadelphia 76ers beat Toronto 109-102 on Tuesday night to end the Raptors' four-game winning streak. Joel Embiid had 18 points and 12 rebounds for the 76ers, and Furkan Korkmanz added 19 points. Normal Powell led the Raptors with 24 points. Pascal Siakam added 22 and Fred VanVleet had 12 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Ben Simmons finished with 15 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the 76ers, who overcame seven fourth-quarter turnovers to end their four-game road losing streak. Korkmanz scored 16 points in the first quarter and the 76ers led by 21 after Harris' layup completed a 7-0 run midway through the second quarter. The 76ers led by 16 early in the fourth quarter, but Terence Davis scored three straight baskets and Siakam scored twice on an 18-8 run that got the margin down to six with 5:05 left. Harris responded with a couple of inside shots and a 3-pointer, and Embid scored... [More]

The Toronto Raptors aren’t going back to Toronto this season. Ongoing challenges related to the coronavirus pandemic and how that affects the process of crossing the border between the U.S. and Canada will keep the Raptors in their adopted Tampa, Florida, home for the remainder of the regular season, the team said Thursday. “It took us a while to get settled in," Raptors coach Nick Nurse said Thursday before Toronto played at Boston. “I think to pick up shop and go back and try to re-settle in, kind of like you would at the start of the fall ... we're just kind of getting settled in, we might as well finish it out now." The Raptors are 6-5 in their “home” building this season, Amalie Arena, which they’re sharing with the Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning. Tampa also has the reigning Super Bowl champion Buccaneers and the Tampa Bay Rays played in the World Series last season. “Florida has been really welcoming to us and we’re so grateful for the hospitality we’ve found in Tampa and... [More]

The Toronto Raptors aren’t going back to Toronto this season. Ongoing challenges related to the coronavirus pandemic and how that affects the process of crossing the border between the U.S. and Canada will keep the Raptors in their adopted Tampa, Florida, home for the remainder of the regular season, the team said Thursday. The Raptors are 6-5 in their “home” building this season, Amalie Arena, which they’re sharing with the Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning. Tampa also has the reigning Super Bowl champion Buccaneers and the Tampa Bay Rays played in the World Series last season. “Florida has been really welcoming to us and we’re so grateful for the hospitality we’ve found in Tampa and at Amalie — we’re living in a city of champions, and we intend to carry on the tradition of winning for our new friends and fans here,” Raptors President Masai Ujiri said. “But home is where the heart is, and our hearts are in Toronto. We think often of our fans, of our Scotiabank Arena family, and... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The New York Knicks might have been able to take advantage of the absence of Toronto forward Pascal Siakam on Thursday night if they could have made some outside shots. Fred VanVleet scored 25 points and the Raptors, playing without their star forward, earned their first victory this season by beating the Knicks 100-83. New York's bid for a three-game win streak was ruined by 3-for-36 shooting from 3-point range. “If we would have made some of our 3s, we probably would have had a good chance to win,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. Siakam, who left the court promptly in frustration Tuesday night after fouling out of a game at Philadelphia, was on the Toronto bench but not in uniform. Norman Powell started at small forward and finished with 17 points after making three of Toronto's first four baskets. “Obviously it was a disciplinary thing for an internal matter. Let's keep it at that for tonight,” Toronto coach Nick Nurse said. Kyle Lowry had 20 points and seven rebounds... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Fred VanVleet scored 25 points and the Toronto Raptors, playing without star forward Pascal Siakam, earned their first victory this season by beating the New York Knicks 100-83 on Thursday night. New York's bid for a three-game win streak was ruined by 3-for-36 shooting from 3-point range. Siakam, who left the court promptly in frustration Tuesday night after fouling out of a game at Philadelphia, was on the Toronto bench but not in uniform. Norman Powell started at small forward and finished with 17 points after making three of Toronto's first four baskets. Kyle Lowry had 20 points for the Raptors (1-3). Julius Randle had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Knicks (2-3). Reggie Bullock and RJ Barrett combined to go 0 for 17 from behind the arc. The Knicks fell behind by as many as 11 points early in the game and were were shooting only 29% (11 for 38) midway through the second quarter. But Randle scored eight straight points and put New York ahead for the first time with... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Just like last year, the Toronto Raptors are opening the season at home, against the New Orleans Pelicans, and every available ticket for the game has been sold. It’s exactly the same. And entirely different. The Tampa era — it’ll last until at least early March, maybe the full season, nobody knows for certain yet — of Raptors basketball formally opens Wednesday night, when the team plays host to the Pelicans. Unlike last season, when more than 20,000 fans crammed into Scotiabank Arena on opening night, Wednesday’s matchup is expected to draw a socially distanced 3,800, the maximum permitted right now at Tampa’s Amalie Arena according to the health and safety protocols put in to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. For the Raptors, it feels like home. It looks like home. It is home, for now. “We are all creatures of habit. Familiarity is where we thrive,” said Teresa Resch, the Raptors’ vice president of basketball operations and one of the guiding forces behind the team’s... [More]