Jakob Poeltl looks right at home back with the Toronto Raptors after producing stats in Tuesday's win not seen in a single game since Shaquille O'Neal.
In the Raptors' 123-113 home win against the Orlando Magic, Poeltl finished with 30 points on 15-of-17 shooting, nine rebounds and six blocks. It was the first time since O'Neal in 2004 that a player has had 30 points, six blocks and shot at least 85 per cent from the field.
Poeltl, who was drafted by the Raptors back in 2016, had spent the past four-and-a-half seasons with the San Antonio Spurs after being part of the trade package to acquire Kawhi Leonard, ultimately resulting in Toronto's only ever championship.
The big Austrian became one of the league's best rim protectors in San Antonio, and with a gaping hole at center, the Raptors made a move at the deadline to bring him back in return for a one first-round pick, two second-rounders and bench big Khem Birch.
Speaking after the game, Poeltl highlighted his familiarity with point guard Fred VanVleet, who racked up a season-high 15 assists thanks in large part to the duo's pick-and-roll partnership.
"It's been going well," he said. "I feel like I've made improvement from game-to-game, I'm getting more and more comfortable out there.
"Tonight Freddy found me about 10 times in the pick-and-roll, so my team-mates made it really easy on me.
"[The connection with VanVleet] has been going great, I feel like we're getting back to our chemistry, obviously we played together for two years already. Tonight we just kind of clicked, and I'm happy it worked out that way."
Raptors head coach Nick Nurse called that pick-and-roll combination "huge" and said "every time we hit [Poeltl], it seemed like something good happened".
Nurse went on to discuss the value of finally having an imposing presence on the interior that can dissuade opposing defenses from switching all screens.
"It's really valuable, it really is," he said.
"There's two ways you're going to beat teams that switch – the big guy is going to go bury somebody inside, or the big defender is going to have to guard someone on the perimeter that can get by him or shoot a three.
"Having both of those makes it – it means you're probably not going to switch as much – especially if we're getting those inside buckets. Nobody likes the feel of a switch, throw it inside, get overpowered for a lay-up.
"It looks easy – I don't think it's that easy – but he made it look easy tonight."
The Raptors were expected to be sellers at the deadline as rumours swirled about trade offers for VanVleet, All-Star Pascal Siakam and wing O.G. Anunoby, but they have now won five of their past six to claw their way to 28-31, sitting ninth in the Eastern Conference and trending in the right direction.
Kerr demands improvements from Team USA as Olympic opener looms
United States coach Steve Kerr wants to see higher levels of intensity from his team as their Olympics campaign approaches.
Kerr was unhappy with the lacklustre displays from his side in their warm-ups against Germany and South Sudan.
Germany led 71-68 at the end of the third quarter before LeBron James conjured up 11 points in the final four minutes to give the USA a 92-88 win, while South Sudan were 20 seconds away from pulling off one of the biggest shocks in basketball history, before eventually falling to a 101-100 loss.
The USA face a dangerous Serbia side featuring reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic on Sunday, and Kerr is adamant that improvements are required if they are to win a fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal.
He said: "It's got to be 40 minutes of force and attention and focus, and we can't let teams outplay us effort and energy-wise like we did the other night against Germany, like we did against South Sudan.
“We have another level. I think we have another two levels that we can get to, but it's a collaboration, always.
"We can show them, 'Let's do this, let's do that. Let's learn personnel.'
"We got to know the shooters, know the non-shooters, all that stuff. So that's where we can help them. Where they can help themselves is just effort and energy play after play, after play. This is different."
Kerr is a four-time NBA champion as a coach, and was part of the triumphant Olympics team in Tokyo in 2021, but the Golden State Warriors boss knows the experience of the Games will only be enhanced if the USA were to come out on top again.
"This should be one of the great experiences of our lives. But the best way to make it an incredible experience is to win a gold medal," he said.
After facing Serbia, the USA will once again go up against South Sudan, this time in a competitive format, before ending the group stage with a match against Puerto Rico.
Sesko opts for Leipzig stay over Arsenal, Man Utd move due to progress opportunities
Benjamin Sesko remains certain that staying at RB Leipzig is the "right decision" to develop his career after turning down reported Premier League interest.
Slovenia international Sesko joined Leipzig from RB Salzburg in 2023, scoring 14 league goals last campaign, a tally bettered by only seven players in the German top flight.
That form was said to have attracted Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea to the 21-year-old, who instead signed a new five-year contract with the Bundesliga club last month.
Having committed his future to life at the Red Bull Arena, the striker believes Leipzig will provide a platform for his progression.
"I thought it through very well," Sesko said to Nogomania, a Slovenian media outlet. "I believe I made the right decision. I wanted to gain more experience, learn more, and not rush things.
"Leipzig are an excellent club that can provide what I need for the next step. Leipzig's vision is clear; everything is geared towards growth, progress, and high goals. I felt it was right to decide this way."
Sesko's new deal could see him stay with Leipzig until 2029, with Marco Rose boasting one of the world's most exciting prospects up top.
The Leipzig attacker scored from 14 of his 47 shots last season in the league, a conversion rate of 29.8% – the third-best ratio in the 2023-24 Bundesliga among players to have managed at least five goals.
That deadly finishing in front of goal will have Rose excited once more, and Sesko says his boss was key to the decision to stay.
"We talked," Sesko explained. "He told me he wanted me to stay but also said I should decide based on my feelings.
"He said if I felt I needed to move on, I should go, but if not, I should stay. He's an excellent coach who has led many great players.
"I'm glad I decided this way. I did it before the Euro to keep a clear head and focus entirely on the championship."
Durant warns Team USA 'everybody is a contender' in Olympic basketball tournament
Kevin Durant has warned Team USA they will not have an easy ride through the basketball tournament at the Paris Olympic Games, declaring: "Everybody is a contender".
The United States will go in search of a fifth straight men's basketball gold in the French capital, where they open their Group C campaign against Serbia on Sunday.
After that meeting with Nikola Jokic and company, the star-studded USA team featuring Durant, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid and a host of other NBA stars take on South Sudan and Puerto Rico.
With Steve Kerr having so much talent at his disposal, the roster has been compared to that of the 1992 'Dream Team', who took gold in Barcelona behind the efforts of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Scottie Pippen and other great names.
However, at a press conference ahead of Team USA's 2024 opener, Curry reminded reporters that the class of 1992 only faced nine other active NBA players.
Durant is expecting a much tougher assignment this year, responding to Curry by saying: "Everybody is a contender. Everyone is here for a reason.
"We're playing against 65 or 64 NBA players in Paris. So you know they're the best in the world."
Asked to identify the main players to watch from other nations, the Phoenix Suns forward said: "Giannis [Antetokounmpo] or Jokic."
While Durant adopted a cautious tone, Golden State Warriors star Curry was more bullish regarding the USA's gold medal hopes.
Quizzed on who he was most excited about facing, Curry simply said: "Whoever's in the gold medal game."
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
