Week 2 of the NBA has come and gone and the Toronto Raptors sit with an overall record of 7-1, but how did they fare individually? We take a look at a couple of players with Stock Up, Stock Down.
Welcome to episode two! The Toronto Raptors are rolling. After an impressive week one, the Raptors have continued their success and are off to the best start in franchise history.
The Raptors welcomed Dallas to the Scotiabank on Friday evening and – despite multiple attempts to claw themselves back into the game – Toronto dispatched the Mavericks in a fairly competent manner. Toronto looked dominant in transition with Lowry racking up 12 assists, his fourth game with double-digit assists up to that point.
Kawhi still looked like a fun guy masquerading as a bonafide basketball stud and proved his worth to Toronto.
All eyes were on the battle in the East on Monday night. Milwaukee versus Toronto, the battle of the undefeated. Giannis versus Kawhi, the best two players in the East locking horns early on in the season.
Giannis, however, was placed into concussion protocol after the Bucks victory over the Magic on Saturday night. Once he was ruled out, a rest day for Kawhi seemed inevitable. The Raptors were outclassed by Milwaukee on a night where the Bucks shot 42-percent from three. The Raptors stifling defense of recent games was non-existent. All that remained was empirical evidence that the talisman Leonard is a necessary factor on both ends of the court.
ENTER TUESDAY, oh sweet, sweet Tuesday. Ben Simmons and the Sixers rolled into town and were nothing more than mere-mortals as Toronto put on a supernatural clinic in the defensive department. Ben Simmons was forced into 11 turnovers and may well be leaving Toronto a few days after his team – depending on when Kawhi lets him out of his clamps. Heh.
How did everyone’s stock shape up this week? Let’s find out.