Raps take camp west ….Injuries starting to mount already ….Yuta and Freddie stand out

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LONDON, ONT — The Raptors took the tail finish of coaching camp on the street Saturday for a really specific goal.

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The vacation spot was London, Ont., residence to a malicious assault earlier this summer time that left a Muslim household mourning 4 members of the family.

It was homicide for the only real motive that the household was Muslim.

The Raptors wished their voices heard on this tragedy so that they packed up the entire operation and made the two-hour drive west to make their assertion.

“We are able to solely achieve this a lot and be so many locations without delay however I believed it was only a good gesture to make our method, a brief drive down to simply present the place we stand on issues and simply make it clear that we’re towards all types of hate,” Raptors guard Fred VanVleet mentioned. “We undoubtedly stand with the Muslim group — and all folks however the Muslim group that was affected right here in London — it was essential for us to indicate that we stand for them and we stand towards hatred and simply make it clear, that clear distinction, that is who we’re, this what we’re about.”

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Head coach Nick Nurse took the mic earlier than an entertaining scrimmage to inform the sellout crowd of two,650 in attendance why his staff made the journey.

“I all the time do a organizational-wide assembly earlier than we kick off coaching camp,” Nurse mentioned afterwards. “It’s all the time about issues we’re planning on doing and the imaginative and prescient and on the basketball court docket, however we put method up there on the prime that we might need to be world leaders for social justice. We predict we’ve carried out some good issues; we expect we’re uniquely positioned — we do have gamers from everywhere in the world and coaches and workers from everywhere in the world.

“We wished to return right here and once more we expect it offers us an opportunity, primarily to make use of our platform to speak about these points and let all people know they’re welcome, you recognize, we all know we welcome everybody within the Raptors fan base. And it’s an excellent likelihood for us to speak about that.”

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AND SO IT STARTS

Coaching camp not often comes with out some accidents and the present one for the Raptors is not any exception.

Already down Pascal Siakam who’s recovering following shoulder surgical procedure and isn’t prepared for contact but, the Raptors introduced three extra gamers yesterday have joined Siakam on the sidelines.

Chris Boucher, who’s coming off a standout season a 12 months in the past, suffered a dislocated center finger on his left hand in follow Friday and was not with the staff in London.

Gary Trent Jr. made the journey however he didn’t take part and isn’t anticipated to participate in Monday’s pre-season recreation towards the 76ers as he offers with some left quad soreness.

Lastly centre Khem Birch didn’t make the trek to London as a result of he’s within the league’s COVID well being and security protocols.

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Assistant coach Nate Mitchell can be suffered an early-camp harm. He was in a tough forged and strolling solely with the help of crutches yesterday.

GAME STANDOUTS

You can begin with Yuta Watanabe and Freddie Gillespie on this class.

It was apparent early on that Watanabe has benefited significantly from his summer time with the Japanese nationwide staff on the Olympics and within the run-up to the Video games.

Watanabe was the primary possibility on the Nationwide staff and with that got here all types of added duties from scoring to setting the offence to simply about every thing else within the handbook.

He was everywhere in the court docket Saturday trying very comfy each defensively and offensively the place he together with Sam Dekker have been two of the more adept three-point shooters.

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“I don’t know if it was the FIBA really feel to the gymnasium,” Fred VanVleet mentioned when requested about Watanabe’s recreation yesterday. “I believe it was a FIBA line, the scoreboard was somewhat decrease however Yuta’s been balling, man. Hopefully we are able to get that out of him below the intense lights however he’s been enjoying on one other degree recently.”

Gillespie, who got here on like wild hearth when he joined the staff late within the 12 months in Tampa, confirmed no hangover from what was not his greatest efficiency in summer time league.

Saturday in London he was ending every thing on the rim and defending his personal basket like he was nonetheless in Tampa.

“He had a day; he was just about flawless you recognize?,” Nurse mentioned of Gillespie. “He was on the offensive glasse, he by no means offers up on the rim to contest, regardless that he’s a bit undersized and doesn’t essentially soar out of the gymnasium however he he’ll be there and he’ll take a swat late and avoid wasting baskets on that stuff and it’ll get you some additional possessions. He had an excellent day, which was good, I believe I believe we’re going to want, you recognize, some depth at that place on sure nights for certain.”

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ABOUT THAT GILLESPIE SUMMER LEAGUE

You’ve most likely heard gamers from any variety of sports activities after a very poor recreation speaking about the necessity to simply flush that specific efficiency. Summer season league was no totally different for Gillespie.

“Attending to the place you need in life, I imply I don’t find out about your profession, however I doubt to get to the place you might be was a straight path,” Gillespie started. “It by no means is one straight line. It’s ups and downs. One factor somebody as soon as instructed me was you by no means let any expertise go to waste, good or dangerous. You be taught from every thing. So yeah, I’ve been doing this for a minute now, I do know you simply get up and hold shifting ahead. So long as you might be shifting ahead you’ll be alright.”

Gillespie doesn’t know or selected to not share what he thought went unsuitable in Vegas.

“Typically issues simply occur,” he mentioned. “I imply I’ve been an excellent finisher since I used to be within the G-League, faculty, Division three and I don’t take a look at three or 4 video games and assume ‘Man, what’s going on now?’ I simply say this isn’t taking place and I hold engaged on what I do and I hold doing it and I get higher.”

There isn’t any query that Gillespie was higher Saturday than he confirmed in Vegas.