Tag: Canada

Nurse, the Raptors coach who also leads …

Nurse, the Raptors coach who also leads the Canadian team, said he had talked a bit to Wiggins about the possibility of playing and expected a decision shortly. “We’re trying to get all the … best players in, all the best Canadian guys, and it looks pretty good,” Nurse said. “Most of them are already on board and excited about playing. It’s a heck of an opportunity. It’s a chance to go to the Olympics, and you get to play the qualifier in your home country.”

Even if he does decide to play, he may …

Even if he does decide to play, he may make his signal behind the scenes in the coming weeks and let the world know when he arrives at training camp. For now, Wiggins is keeping his cards close to his chest. “I’m not sure [about the summer],” he said Saturday after recording his first career triple-double in a Timberwolves loss to the Toronto Raptors. “Right now my team is struggling a little bit [they were five games out of the 8th seed in the West as of Sunday] so we have to get back and try to get in a playoff run. That’s my main goal right now. And after that I’m going to decide on Canada Basketball.”

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander makes NBA history, again

Gilgeous-Alexander became the youngest player in NBA history with a 20-rebound triple-double in OKC’s 117-104 win over the Timberwolves.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made history on Monday night.

And yes, it’s a different history than the last time that he made NBA history.

In Oklahoma City’s 117-104 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander posted his first career triple-double.

Not just any triple-double. A monster triple-double. 20 points. 20 rebounds. 10 assists. Of which both the 20 rebounds and the 10 assists are also career-highs.

According to Sports Illustrated, only two other guards have posted a 20-point, 20-rebound game in the last 25 years. Ben Simmons, and none other than the former face of the Thunder franchise, Russell Westbrook.

At 21 years and 185 days, Gilgeous-Alexander is the youngest player in NBA history to record a 20-rebound triple-double according to the Elias Sports Bureau, surpassing Shaquille O’Neal.

He’s also just the fourth second-year player in league history with a 20/20 triple-double, joining a pretty star-studded group in O’Neal, Charles Barkley, and Oscar Robertson.

And if that wasn’t enough, Gilgeous-Alexander also became the first Canadian-born player to record a triple-double in the NBA. Not bad, eh?

(Also, for those of you saying, um … remember Steve Nash? Nash was born in South Africa.)

It might be worth it to also mention that somehow, Gilgeous-Alexander is not getting votes for the NBA All-Star game.

Maybe all of that history made in Minnesota on Monday night will change that.

Family Feud Canada has given us one of the great game show moments ever

Her answer is wrong. It’s very wrong. But is she really that wrong?

We are apparently a game show website right now, with most of my colleagues covering the Jeopardy! GOAT tournament with the breathless excitement and in-depth analysis usually reserved for, like, gold medal games. And I want in on the fun.

So that’s right: It’s time for some Family Feud Canada coverage.

This clip happened on their new version of the show, and it is just so good:

It’s not the wrong answer that’s so good, though it is very good. It’s the confidence with which she unveils that answer. She heard “Popeye” and “food” and didn’t bother thinking about context or the fact that there is more than one iteration of Popeye in our zeitgeist.

She thought chicken. And she went for it, with gusto. And a dance. 

In her defense, Popeye’s chicken is almost infinitely better than spinach. Any preparation.

[lawrence-related id=885353,885329,885204]

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made NBA history in win over Raptors

With his 32-point performance on Sunday, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander set an NBA record for most points scored against the Raptors by a Canadian.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to make history.

In the Thunder’s win over the Phoenix Suns on December 20th, Gilgeous-Alexander became the youngest player not named Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook to score 32 points in a game.

Less than ten days later, he’s done it two more times.

With his 32-point performance in Sunday’s 98-97 win over Toronto, Gilgeous-Alexander now owns the record for most points scored by a Canadian against the Raptors.

When asked it about it after the game, Gilgeous-Alexander said he wasn’t aware of the record, but said, “it’s cool though”.

SGA is Oklahoma City’s leading scorer, averaging 19.4 points per game and shooting 45.1% from the field.

Over the last five, he’s upped that average to 28.8 points a game, his latest big outing coming on a night that Oklahoma City desperately needed someone to step up in the absence of both Dennis Schroder and Danilo Gallinari.

Gilgeous-Alexander credits the recent change in his production to the game “slowing down”.

“I’m just seeing my teammates more and then that’s opening up driving lanes because the defense has to stay honest. I’m just trying to get better and continue to keep this thing going.”

Reporters aren’t the only ones who’ve noticed SGA’s recent improvement. Chris Paul, who has served as a mentor to the up and coming star said after the game that Gilgeous-Alexander “has everything.”

“He doing his own thing. I just stay in his ear all the time about being aggressive, staying aggressive. He’s got it all. Mid-range, finishes, shooting, his defense. His defensive intensity.”

Paul told ESPN that it was nice to see Gilgeous-Alexander succeed in a game that he’d “circled since training camp”. He added, “everybody here in Canada, know you all got a real one.”

Gilgeous-Alexander scores 32, hits game-winner as OKC tops Toronto 98-97

Hamilton, Ontario native Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points in his return to Canada, including the game-winner with 36 seconds left.

It was a homecoming to remember for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Back in his native Canada, Gilgeous-Alexander matched his career-high and banked in the game-winning basket as Oklahoma City escaped on Sunday evening with a 98-97 win over the Raptors.

Gilgeous-Alexander has now scored 32 points in three of the Thunder’s last five games, but to do it against the reigning NBA Champions near his hometown of Hamilton makes this one a little sweeter.

With 36 seconds left, SGA drove with his left hand into the lane, hung in the air and banked it in to put the Thunder ahead by one. He sealed the victory with a rebound at the other end when Fred Van Vleet’s potential game-winning 3-pointer was off the mark.

Three other players were in double-digits for Oklahoma City. Chris Paul had 25, while Nerlens Noel came off the bench to score 13 and Darius Bazley added 12.

The Thunder were without Dennis Schroder, who missed Sunday’s game due to right ankle soreness. It was the first game Schroder did not play in this season.

With the victory, Oklahoma City has now won six of their last seven games and improve to 17-15 on the season.

The Thunder are back in action on Tuesday when they host the Mavericks.

The Celtics play in Toronto on …

The Celtics play in Toronto on Christmas Day. Kanter wants to go. And he’s planning to reach out to a certain Canadian politician for some help. “I have a phone conversation with Justin Trudeau,” Kanter said. “So, that’s gonna be very exciting.” Yes, that Justin Trudeau. The prime Minster of Canada. “So, I’m literally gonna ask, like, ‘Hey, I’m coming to your country. Is it OK for me to come?’ ”

Thompson was hesitant to talk about …

Thompson was hesitant to talk about this summer at Monday morning’s shootaround, saying: “I’m just thinking about tonight, playing against the Raptors at home at 7:30 at Scotiabank Arena. So that’s where my mindset is at. I’m happy Nick Nurse is the coach.” But it’s unlikely Thompson or Miami Heat centre Kelly Olynyk — who could opt out of his current deal and so would also be without a contract — will play in the June 23-28 tournament.