(Toronto) There were Shai Gilgeous-Alexander jerseys in the stands at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday night. Luguentz Dort could hear his supporters calling out his name.
Scotiabank Arena may be the home of the Raptors, but the two Canadians Thunder from Oklahoma City love playing in Toronto, where the basketball dreams of so many Canadian players have taken shape.
And we saw it, as the two players guided the Thunder to a narrow 110-109 victory at the expense of the Raptors.
“It’s an exciting feeling,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. I grew up watching this land. The atmosphere was electric. Every time I have been here it has been and it is great fun to play in Toronto. It’s no different for Lu Dort, even though he grew up in Montreal. ”
Gilgeous-Alexander, who is from Hamilton, and Dort, from Montreal, totaled 48 points against the Toronto team. Gilgeous-Alexander’s brilliant assists, especially on the Thunder’s last basket, and Dort’s stifling defense are the main reasons for the Oklahoma City team’s victory.
PHOTO CHRIS YOUNG, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Gary Trent Jr.
Dort repeated his compatriot’s comments. This stop in Toronto was expected for them.
“As a child, all Canadians dream of playing in this arena and it was great to have a lot of people from Montreal who came to cheer me on. Even some people I didn’t know shouted my name in the crowd, Dort said. It felt good. It’s always nice to come back to the country. ”
Gilgeous-Alexander was in the thick of the Thunder’s 25-3 streak in a pivotal third quarterback, but it was his game with nine seconds remaining that confirmed his victory. The 23-year-old Canadian drew four Raptors players and passed the ball to single-handed Mike Muscala who had a three-point basket.
“I noticed the Raptors were using a box plus one, so I knew that as soon as I got rid of my player there would be four players waiting for me,” Gilgeous-Alexander said of the Raptors’ defensive scheme. I wanted to attract as many players as possible, fake a shot and when I saw that Mike was free I knew what to do. ”
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault hoped for a great game from his two Canadian players, saying they “are very proud of where they come from.”
Daigneault had some nice words about the type of leader Gilgeous-Alexander is becoming.
“He’s incredibly confident in himself and as a person,” he explained. He does not look left and right for how to act or how to think, he is his own person. He also balances that out with great humility. ”
Dort’s frame, worthy of a football linebacker, and quick feet have made him one of the fiercest players in defense. He held off Fred VanVleet for the majority of Wednesday’s clash.
The Quebecer is also developing as a serious offensive threat.
“Defensively, it’s a luxury for us,” said Daigneault. There are a lot of perimeter players in the league who can keep you awake at night, but we have an elite player against these guys. Luguentz is difficult to face because he never lets go, he has a good physique and he is a great athlete. ”
There were a total of five Canadians in both teams on Wednesday. It’s a statistic that is becoming more and more common in the NBA. There were 18 Canadians across the league in the season opener, which is a record for the country.
The Raptors have three Canadians in their lineup, Chris Boucher, Khem Birch and rookie Dalano Banton, who became the first player from Toronto to be drafted by the team.