Big news for the pod! This is our last one at the Sonar Network. We’re moving to Raptors Republic and joining the Rapcast!
Some bittersweet news, but yes, we are leaving the Sonar Network to go to Raptors Republic. We’ve had a fantastic time at Sonar and can’t say enough good things about them. So many great podcasts on this network, and Michael and Marianna work their butts off. Freddie will still be coming at you with Sonar’s The Pickup WNBA podcast, so make sure you subscribe and listen.
RAPTORS: Kyle Lowry returns and gets his tribute. What was your favourite moment from the return and overall favourite Kyle moment? Do the Raptors have a Pat Beverley type of player?
NBA: What’s underappreciated in the NBA? What kind of award should such a thing be given?
With Darren Menezes and Yaw Attuah!
Again, thanks so much, Sonar. We love you.
Raptors Republic? Let’s go.
The season is winding down and the playoffs are coming soon. We talking teams we want in the play-in, mid-game honors, players who need rescuing and teams being slept on in the playoffs!
RAPTORS: If the Raps manage to avoid the play in, which team do you want/not want to face? The Canadian men's soccer team was celebrated at the Boston game. Who else would you like to see celebrated at a Raptors game?
NBA: The Thunder shut down Shai again. What other player most needs rescuing from their bad team/bad situation? What playoff/play-in team are people sleeping on?
With Matt Henry and Cathryn Naiker!
We're back after a week off and we're talking that Raps style in the play-in, favourite signature moves, playoff format changes and missed injured players!
RAPTORS: As the team gears up for the playoffs/play in, what about their style is going to benefit or hurt them? Siakam has the spin and FVV has the deep 3. Who else has a signature move on the Raptors and what is it?
NBA: Do we like the NBA playoff format? What changes would you make if you could? Injuries are a shitty but consistent part of the NBA. Which injured player have you missed the most this season?
With Vivek Jacob and Antony Hall!
We got some Scottie and Nurse heat, thoughts on the Raptors experiment, recasting Winning Time and picking the legit contenders!
RAPTORS: Scottie and Nurse were getting a little bit heated in the Cleveland loss. Does Nurse have the right approach with a young superstar like Scottie? This Raptors team is very experimental. What is there to like/not like about the approach?
NBA: Winning Time has started airing on HBO, the story of the Buss family buying the Lakers and drafting Magic Johnson. Cast is good, but we're gonna recast it for you because we can. How many legit contenders are there right now and who are they?
With Sheldon Alexander and Graham Kay!
We're off next week, so make sure to check out the most recent League Pass Report for some extra content to tide you over!
Another bonus episode of our segment League Pass Report! It’s the segment where Freddie and Matt assign each other non-Raptor teams and watch a game on League Pass and report back!
Freddie watched an actual Kyrie game with the Brooklyn Nets, as well as Dragic’s first game with the team. Matt watched the Ja 52/Poeltl slammer game against the Spurs and it did not disappoint.
We break down the games from the broadcasting to the on-court play, and give our playoff predictions for each team. Check it out! If you like, head on over to our Patreon to support.
We've got some Precious progress, some Yuta slammers, basketball-based games and ranking some exciting storylines!
RAPTORS: Precious + progress. What's working for Achiuwa? Was the Yuta dunk the play of the year for the Raptors? What has been your favourite highlight so far?
NBA: The word game (Poeltl) is taking the NBA by storm. What basketball-based game are you going to introduce to the masses? Rank these storylines 1-4 in order of your own excitement: Ja taking over, Denver getting back Jamal and KPJ, Harden and Embiid clicking and G-State is back!
With Alan Shane Lewis and Patrick Ronan Stewart!
We've got the end of the Goran Dragic Saga, how the Raps finish the season, All-Star game changes and weird happenings over the All-Star Weekend!
RAPTORS: The Goran Dragic saga is over with a heel turn to the Brooklyn Nets. Is Goran in villain territory for Raptors fans? Who is your top Raptors villain? The Raptors are 5 up of .500 and headed into the stretch run. With 25 games remaining, how are they finishing up this season?
NBA: The All-Star Weekend was a hot mess. What Saturday night event needs to be reworked? What was the weirdest thing that happened over the All-Star Weekend?
With Filipe Dimas and Matt McCready!
We talking the Thad move, Silver picking Allen over Siakam, Harden contract technicalities and the big Harden/Simmons trade!
Raptors: The Dragic era is over (ha) and the Thaddeus Young one has begun. How does he fit and how we feeling about the move? Adam Silver chose Jarrett Allen as the All-Star sub instead of Siakam. Was this warranted? And where does Pascal rank right now across the league?
NBA: Harden didn't opt into his deal before the trade, which might be a technicality but could also be a problem. What are some other sports technicalities that messed things up? We're looking at you, Jonas Hoglund! Simmons was finally traded. We talk about the big Harden/Simmons trade.
Special guest this week is Ms. Cathryn Naiker!
We've got Raptor rumour mill, hashtagging duos, wild trades happening and all-star snubs!
RAPTORS: What is your fav Raptors rumour right now? Friend of the pod Ennis Esmer created the wonderful nickname of Spice and Dice for Pascal and FVV as a duo. Who is another Raptor or Raptor duo in need of a nickname and what is it?
NBA: Major trades going down with some sad franchises. What is going on with Sacramento, New Orleans, Indiana and Portland? Besides Pascal Siakam, who is the biggest All Star snub?
With Sean Woodley and Jay Rosales!
Another bonus episode of our segment League Pass Report! It's the segment where Freddie and Matt assign each other non-Raptor teams and watch a game on League Pass and report back!
This week, Freddie was assigned the New Orleans Pelicans and Matt was assigned the Golden State Warriors. Our goal is to cycle through all the teams! We talking King Cake Baby sightings, sad franchise vibes, New Orleans potentially being a play-in underdog, player analysis, broadcast critiques, Maple Jordan, Klay is back, G-State to the Finals and lots more fun!
Check it out and if you like it, head to our Patreon to support!
We've got good-luck charms, Dragic trades, win-win deadline deals and the most undervalued NBA skill!
RAPTORS: The Raptors starting five has really started to click. Gary has his headband to thank. What is a good-luck charm for the other starters? Doug Smith thinks the Raptors will find a Dragic deal. What is the best deal Masai/Bobby can get?
NBA: What is a win-win deadline deal? What is the most undervalued NBA skill?
With Katie Heindl & Tristan Douglas!
We've got zone talk, deadline moves to make, NFTs and Top Shot and the best role player!
RAPTORS: The Raptors are .500 and it's halfway through the season. As the league starts to scout the squad more, it seems like "zoning the Raptors" is going to happen a lot. What is the in-house, long-term solution to teams zoning us? What should the team do a the trade deadline?
NBA: NFT's and Top Shot are still here! If you had to create an NFT, what would it be? (See episode artwork). Who is the best role player in the league?
With Steven Mann and Dylan Gott!
We got that tight-rotation talk, what to do with Boucher, monster highlights and non-Raps teams we're watching the most!
RAPTORS: Nurse played seven guys and Spo played nine and I'm getting Raptors V Boston in-the-bubble flashbacks. How you feeling about Nick's tight rotations? Does Boucher have more value as a rotation piece or a trade asset?
NBA: Russel Westbrook just had a monster dunk on Rudy Gobert. What is your highlight of the season so far and how would you call it if you were the broadcaster? Who is your current league pass team, the non-Raptor team you watch the most?
With Samson Folk and Cathryn Naiker!
Raptors are turning heads, Devin Booker is shaming the Raptor, Klay is back and shocking losing teams!
Raptors: Lowe is starting to get excited by the freaky-long Raptors. Is the Masai/Bobby gamble to not have a traditional centre working? Devin Booker couldn't handle The Raptor mascot distracting him. Hopefully the Raptors fight this injustice and double down on distracting players from now on. What are some good ideas to distract players while they take free throws?
NBA: Klay Thompson is back and it was really nice. What's another heartfelt return (doesn't have to be in sports) that comes to mind? What's the most shocking team with a losing record?
With Jonathan Yam and Ian Gordon!
Raps are rolling! We got some FVV All-Star talk, empty Scotiabank, DeRozan having a season and top five rookies!
Raptors: Fred Van Vleet. Is he an all-star this year? Where does he rank amongst guards in the eastern conference? No fans in the stands at Scotiabank Arena. What change could be made to the broadcast to make it more entertaining?
NBA: The DeRozan revenge tour has been delightful so far. Who else is having a "y'all forgot about me" kind of season? Who are the top five rookies so far this year? Freddie QUIZ action and more.
With Alexey Ots and Andre De Pape!
Last ep of '21! We talking the Cleveland game, Yuta stuck in a hotel for Christmas, best of the Christmas Day games and some realistic trades that need to happen!
RAPTORS: The Cleveland game was insane to watch. Beside it being a spectacular mess, what did you take away from the Raptors hardship game? Yuta Watanabe had to spend his Christmas in a Cleveland hotel ( or was it Chicago?). We find ways for him to pass the time.
NBA: The Christmas Day games. Which game was the best? Did you even watch it? What's a realistic trade that needs to happen as we slide into 2022?
With Jay Rosales & Rob Mailloux!
Happy New Year, everybody! See you in '22. (next week)
Hot new segment:
Freddie and Matt both have NBA League Pass, a streaming service where you can watch all out-of-market games in the NBA. Every month, Freddie and Matt assign each other a team to watch at least one game, and they can’t be playing the Raptors!
They’ll take turns giving their takes on everything from the broadcast, the arena vibes, the play of the team, and lots of other fun tidbits. This week Matt got the Chicago Bulls and Freddie got the L.A. Clippers. Enjoy this bonus ep and have a happy and safe holiday!
COVID making its way through our teams, star players resting against the Raps, Toronto icons who will replace missing staff, Steph Curry's record breaker and hardship contracts!
Raptors: Bucks and Warriors both rested their top guys against the Raps. How are we feeling about this trend? COVID and COVID protocols are making the Raptors improvise with players and staff out. Kayla Gray, Eric Smith and Paul Jones all stepping in. If you could choose a Toronto/Canada personality to step into any Raptors position, who would it be and what would they do?
NBA: The league is extending rosters and introducing hardship contracts. Besides shutting down, what else could the league do to relieve some of the COVID strain? Steph Curry passed Ray Allen for most made 3's ever. What's another fun player milestone that's coming up?
With Alan Shane Lewis & Matt Henry!
We got Yuta in the 6, we’ve got some scenes from the new Nav movie, Zion getting fat-shamed and NBA news getting lost to COVID!
RAPTORS: Is Yuta Watanabe working himself into the role of the sixth man? Nav missed his first home game ever due to COVID protocols. There’s a movie being made about him. What kind of scene would work to up the drama with Nav almost missing a game?
NBA: Zion might be shut down for the year with a foot injury and he’s getting a lot of unfair commentary about his weight. How should fans/analysts talk about players and their bodies? NBA news cycle is heavy about COVID. What stories are getting buried in the COVID flurry?
With Vong Show and Lauren Mitchell!
Raps are coming off a couple big wins, welcome to the milk bag, being on the wrong side of NBA records and weird players!
RAPTORS: Lots of developing players on the Raptors. Which two players are you most enjoying witnessing the growth of? Precious freaked out over bagged milk. How would you help ease the process for other future, international Raptors?
NBA: On December 2nd, Memphis beat OKC 152-79..the largest victory in NBA history. What is another example of being on the wrong side of an NBA record/moment? Who is the weirdest player in the NBA?
With Antony Hall and Mat Mailandt!
