Raptors look for missing energy, shooting touch vs. Nets | Toronto Sun torontosun.com/sports/basketb…

The Raptors know who they are. Now they just have to play like it again: tsn.ca/sluggish-rapto…

Interesting pregame ritual by LA, while the home team starting lineup is being announced they each Laker takes their turn getting a feel for the game ball.

Some words of wisdom from Jason Spezza here via @lukefoxjukebox -- any elite team sport athlete should take few minutes to read them, but in a nutshell: 'it's not about you' -- sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/lea…

Serge Ibaka says he hasn’t been himself since his return, but he’ll get there and isn’t worried. Agreed team needs to up its energy and get back to hitting shots. Is figuring out how to play with RHJ and others he hasn’t spent much time alongside.

Ibaka (who went scoreless on 0-8 FG vs LAC) said his ankle isn't quite 100% yet but won't use that as an excuse. "The truth is I've been a little different since I got back but I'm going to get there. I'm a hard worker, you know that, and hard work is always going to pay off."

Nurse says the Raps need to get back to their identity of "playing super hard" but thinks their shooting slump may be affecting energy level. "I think we let it get to us and that caps our energy a bit. We've gotta try to not let that happen but it's hard to not let that happen."

Hollis-Jefferson said he's looking forward to facing his former team, the Nets, for the first time tomorrow: "It's like I grew up there, coming in the league at 19-20... Just being there and seeing that culture and letting the fan base grow on me and my family."

VanVleet practiced today. Nick Nurse says they'll probably list him as doubtful for tomorrow vs Brooklyn but see how he feels before the game. "I think there's a chance (he plays)."

Fred VanVleet went through practice today, but will be listed as doubtful for tomorrow vs nets and be a game time decision.

Raptors say VanVleet is a game time decision for Saturday vs. Brooklyn

I'm up to 94 of my favourite artists represented in this here decade playlist. Will I think of more? Stay tuned to find out. open.spotify.com/playlist/69jRY…

"I'm happy (drop the mic 🎤)" - Jimmy Butler
youtube.com/watch?v=ruZnVK…

#NBA pic.twitter.com/E6Yr6cPo16

Later Leaf game = #Hoops airing at its old time of 7p ET tonight (not the usual 11p). So tune in shortly for another jammed edition...featuring plenty on Kawhi's return to T.O. ... the #Raptors recent struggles & much more. Interviews w/ @Mike Fratello, @Chuck Swirsky & @Michael Lee

Philippians 3:14 instagram.com/p/B5_LSppg-d4/…

Hey, I've been putting together a playlist of my favourite songs of the decade. Boy, did my taste stagnate this decade! open.spotify.com/playlist/69jRY…

Quick question for my soccer folks, and I'm looking at you @lauraarmy

Easier to understand
(A) Quantum physics
(B) MLS salary cap, TAM, DP, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah

Nearly 3.2 million unique viewers and an average audience of nearly 1 million viewers tuned into Kawhi's return on @TSN_Sports last night, making it the most-watched regular season NBA game ever in Canada. The previous record was set on opening night.

🤔 'All French Canadians' are Catholic, Quebec premier tells governor of California | CBC News cbc.ca/news/canada/mo…

The Raptors needed every bit of Kawhi’s emotionless killer persona to win a title. But that same quality makes reunions a bit one-sided. theathletic.com/1454254/2019/1…

My game-over from Kawhi Day: sportsnet.ca/basketball/nba…

Kawhi Leonard on Pascal Siakam growing in his absence: pic.twitter.com/t4VB3dy7Km

Kawhi has a middle finger emoji inscribed on his ring. Presumably because it's his second ring and that's where it goes, and not because he's saying FU to anyone in particular.

Apparently Kawhi’s personalized symbol on the inside of ring is something akin to an FU emoji — to remind him to wear it on his middle finger, he said. Seriously. Fun(ny) Guy.

Nurse: "We're in a period where we're not playing very well for a week. It's strange because last Monday against Utah we may have played the best half of basketball we've ever seen in this building. So things can change quickly. We just have to get back to who we are."

Siakam: "I don't think our energy overall has been good as a team. We've gotta find a way because that's how we play at our best, when we have energy and we're flying around. That's Toronto basketball and we've gotta play that way."

Lowry on the Kawhi ceremony: "It was great. It was well deserved. He helped this franchise do amazing things. He got his ring and I think he was pretty happy with it."

He was asked about Kawhi's wiping away fake tears: "I think something flew in his eye. Seriously. Seriously."

Lowry: "I've had 2 good games (since coming back) and the rest have been s***, to be honest. Once I get back to where I was at the beginning of the season it'll be great, but right now I'm just trying to work my way back. Right now I'm nowhere near where I want to and need to be"

‘Topes lose. 112-92. Kawhi returns in June. Good night.

Raps need to take a deep breath and re-focus. Murderous stretch of games is over, but others will come. They’ve lost the plot a little bit with who they want to be. Also, they can’t hit a freaking shot. Not time to panic, but they were exposed over last five.

The hope for the Raptors was that Kawhi's return, an elite opponent and a national audience would help break them out of their recent funk. That won't be the case.

They're not as good as their 15-4 start and they're not as bad as this 1-4 slide, but where are they in the middle?

Fred VanVleet’s agent as Toronto’s offence craters without him: pic.twitter.com/pMVSKR50Px

20-point Clipper lead with 5:28 left and we're done.
Leonard's been, as usual, quietly excellent -- 23-5-6 -- and the Raptors can't shoot to save their lives

Brooklyn here Saturday

If for some reason you weren’t, give Kawhi credit: He’s been sublime.

Toronto's season-low for FG% this season is 36.9%. Raptors at 36% now after hitting two straight.

PG: Lowry
SG: Siakam
SF: Boucher
PF: Ibaka
C: Gasol

I think there's no better low-risk, high-reward, low-cost option.

Guy is a world class good guy; who cares about his defence, he'd be here to score off the bench and he scored 51 points in the last NBA game he played in.

Worth a call, I'd say

This might be the worst game I've ever seen Serge Ibaka play. Have to wonder if his ankle is still bothering him.

The rarely seen 5 backup lineup
Ibaka, Davis, Hollis-Jefferson, McCaw, Boucher

This might be gruesomely funny

Raptors go starter-less to start the 4th. Davis-McCaw-RHJ-Boucher-Ibaka. Would say scoring should be an issue with this unit, but it's not like the regulars have been lighting it up lately, anyway.

This game was close, now it isn't. #Woznalysis

Raps cut it to 5...at 76-71.

Then Clips close the quarter on a 12-0 run; holding Toronto scoreless for almost 4 min.

88-71 LA heading to q4.

The Raptors cut their deficit (once 20) to 5 with 3.5 minutes left in the 3rd before the Clippers closed the Q on a 12-0 run. LA by 17 going into the 4th.

Remember when they got back within 5?

Clippers 88, Raptors 71 after 3 and I return to my regularly scheduled game over writing

Clippers 88-71 after 3. The Clippers decided to put Kawhi on Lowry, which just seems mean!

The good vibes left as soon as Gasol checked out, what a coincidence!

We are getting Full On Norm tonight

They only giving 1-year Raptors tribute videos tonight? If Lou Will gets one, Pat Patterson deserves his too. One of the most underrated Raps ever. Reluctant shooter sometimes, sure, but his value transcended the boxscore.

In his 4 seasons, Raps with him: +1201, w/o him: +44.

Siakam and Anunoby have combined for five blocks tonight and they have been of the emphatic variety. Gasol has built a wall, but has no blocks. Both teams trying to figure out who can shoot worse from behind the arc.