Toronto Raptors: Stock Take, and saying goodbye to Kobe Bryant

In a week where basketball proved to be secondary, the Toronto Raptors managed to stretch their winning streak to eight games. Whose stock rose and who fell this week?

Losing someone as emphatic and incredible as Kobe Byrant has rocked the basketball community like never before. The fact that we lost Gianna Bryant – Kobe’s daughter who was destined to do great things – and seven other people, who were no doubt all amazing in their own way, hurts even more. We will be talking about the Toronto Raptors, but the grieving process remains.

However, there is a section dedicated to it all in this week’s column. Therefore, for now, we will try to concentrate on basketball. For the Toronto Raptors, that meant stretching their impressive winning run to eight games, with victories on the road against the New York Knicks – who have once again proved that they may well be the most disenfranchised team in all of sport – and the San Antonio Spurs before coming back to the Scotiabank Arena to take on Atlanta Hawks and dispatching them in fairly smart manner.

In reality, that game against the San Antonio Spurs probably shouldn’t have been played. But with the news only breaking a few hours before tip-off, the NBA found themselves in a dilemma. So, the game went ahead. It was hard to watch.

But yet, the Toronto Raptors came away with the victory thanks to an impressive first half from Pascal Siakam, who put up 30 points on just 13 shots. Still, the game felt empty and without meaning.

There was something to celebrate against the Atlanta Hawks, though. Something very big for Kyle Lowry. That will be explained shortly, my friends.