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A22 sports
Monday 10 June 2019

VanVleet, Raptors aren’t smiling now, but they might be soon

By BRIAN MAHONEY Serge Ibaka on the interior
AP Basketball Writer have come off the bench
TORONTO (AP) — Fred Van- to provide big boosts.
Vleet had a face that only “Most teams, they’re ex-
a country of hockey fans pecting their bench to be
could love. better than ours,” Green
A bandage covering said, “and when they
stitches under his right eye. come in outplaying their
Swelling near the side of his bench or giving us a huge
nose. Fresh dental work to plus against their starters,
repair a damaged tooth. it’s due for a win when
His day off in the NBA Finals you’ve got guys performing
consisted of a trip to the like that off the bench.”
hospital and then the den- VanVleet will be back out
tist, necessary stops after there trying to keep doing it
he was hit in the face and Monday — this time wear-
bloodied late in Game 4, ing a mouthpiece — after
when he had to leave the having to leave Game 4
court with part of his tooth when he was inadvertently
somewhere still on it. hit in the face by Shaun Liv-
The play hurt, but the To- ingston while running back
ronto Raptors have a team on defense. He had a CT
of guys who would take the Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet lies on the floor as blood flows from below his eye during the scan to make sure there
pain. second half of Game 4 against the Golden State Warriors in basketball s NBA Finals, Friday, June were no broken bones in
“Yeah, we got some tough 7, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. his face and said he has no
guys,” VanVleet said. Associated Press concussion symptoms.
And they’ve overcome it’s going to be hard, but at Milwaukee a 3-0 lead that in Game 2. He wouldn’t show off his
tough situations. the same time if we stay to- has been insurmountable in “So that’s probably a mo- dental work Sunday, but
The Raptors were down gether and do everything the NBA. ment of where I thought that made him just like his
and almost out in the East- we’re supposed to do, we The Raptors recovered the team had something Raptors teammates who
ern Conference finals, in have a chance. We have to win and have barely inside them to keep on go- walked off the floor without
danger of falling into a a good chance to put our- looked back, winning sev- ing,” Nurse said. hints of satisfaction on their
hole from which no NBA selves in a position to win,” en of eight games against What Toronto didn’t have faces after Game 4.
team has ever recovered. Raptors forward Pascal the Bucks and Warriors, the at that point was a reliable They are too focused on
But they pulled out Game Siakam said. No. 1 seeds in each confer- offense beyond Leonard. keeping their run going,
3 of that series against Mil- The first trip to the NBA Fi- ence. Coach Nick Nurse Veterans Lowry, Danny though they’ll be smiling
waukee to kick off a pow- nals in franchise history ap- had seen the possibilities Green and Marc Gasol had plenty if they can get one
erful postseason run, and peared it might have to from his team even before struggled to make shots. more win.
the only thing that might wait at least another year the comeback started, The bench was contribut- “Now is the time to lock
slow them down is stopping when the Raptors fell be- first with how the Raptors ing only sporadically. in even more,” VanVleet
to collect the Larry O’Brien hind in the second over- played so well in Game 1 That isn’t happening any- said. “We’ve been doing it,
Trophy. time of Game 3 of the of the conference finals more. The Raptors made we’ve proven that we can
Toronto can do that Mon- conference finals. Kawhi after needing seven gruel- 17 3-pointers in their Game do it. It’s not time to change
day by beating the Golden Leonard’s leg seemed to ing games against Philadel- 3 victory at Golden State anything that we’ve done,
State Warriors at home in be hurting, Kyle Lowry had phia in the previous round, and have hit 10 or more in it’s just time to do it a little
Game 5. already fouled out and a and then by the way they 10 straight games. VanV- bit better, a little harder
“It’s going to be a battle, victory would have given shrugged off a blowout loss leet from the perimeter and and a little smarter.”q

Nationals hit 4 straight homers

in 8th to stun Padres 5-2

town team again as the the wall in center, his sixth. Petco Park. He pitched at
Washington Nationals de- Fans began booing then, West Hills High in suburban
feated the San Diego Pa- and piled on after Rendon Santee before pitching for
dres 5-2 Sunday. homered to right-center, the late Hall of Famer Tony
The Nationals became the his 12th. Gwynn at San Diego State.
first team in major league The homers came in a span Luis Perdomo started for
history to accomplish the of seven pitches by Stam- the Padres, pitching 3 1/3
feat twice, according to men (4-3), who was the innings of two-hit ball and
the Elias Sports Bureau. fourth Padres pitcher to allowing only an unearned
The other time was July 27, throw on a “bullpen day.” run.
2017, against Milwaukee. Kendrick’s homer went 421 Washington took a 1-0 lead
Washington Nationals players celebrate on the field after
defeating the San Diego Padres in a baseball game on Sunday, With the score tied at 1, feet, Turner’s 425, Eaton’s on an unearned run in the
June 9, 2019, in San Diego. Kendrick was pinch-hitting 402 and Rendon’s 391. first without the benefit of
Associated Press for Strasburg (7-3) when he Strasburg held San Diego to a hit. Leadoff batter Turner
By BERNIE WILSON Rendon hit consecutive started the homer parade one run and six hits in seven reached on an error by Ian
AP Sports Writer home runs off Craig Stam- with a shot to left, his 11th. innings while striking out six. Kinsler on a popup, ad-
SAN DIEGO (AP) — How- men with one out in the Turner followed with a drive He improved to 8-2 in his vanced on Eaton’s ground-
ie Kendrick, Trea Turner, eighth inning and Stephen to center, his fourth, and career against the Padres out and scored on Ren-
Adam Eaton and Anthony Strasburg beat his home- Eaton’s homer just cleared and to 4-1 in five starts at don’s groundout. q