Raptors Regulars Met Their New Teammate On Bus to Arena

The Toronto Raptors were introduced to their COVID-19 replacement teammates on the bus en route to Sunday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers

Aaron Rose | Dec 27, 2021

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA stops for no one these days: If you've got eight, you're playing.

To be fair, it's not an edict from NBA commissioner Adam Silver. He's taken a lot of flack for the league's unwavering determination to continue the season through mounting Omicron COVID-19 cases. These things, however, are collectively bargained between the league and the Players' Association and the decision — as things usually do — comes down to money: If you want it, play.

"These leaders have to make decisions and you can't complain about every decision they make. We gotta accept them and roll," said Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse. "We're all wasting time and energy complaining about, 'this wasn't that way two days ago.' Well, things are changing."

Just a few days ago the NBA said no team would be required to play if it didn't have five available regulars. When the Raptors' roster was cut down to four regulars, the rules changed. Enjoy the game, the league said.

So the Raptors did what they had to do Sunday night. They found out four hours before tipoff that nobody else had tested positive for COVID-19 and the game would indeed be played. After a few more hours in isolation, they boarded the bus over to the arena in Cleveland for the very first time as a team.

"I mean, we met the new four guys right before the game," said Yuta Watanabe. "Like we met them on the bus on the way to the arena. And so, when we get here we went through a couple of plays."

What can you teach a team 74 minutes before tipoff? Not much.

Nurse showed his group some film of how the Raptors usually play as opposed to film of their opponent as they'd do prior to most games. He went over a few general team principles, let the team get in a few quick drills, and moments later the ball was being thrown up.

The Raptors took it on the chin.

Fortunately a 45-point loss and a one-point loss count all the same. Now the Raptors are back home. Practice will once again be closed Monday to avoid any potential lingering spread of COVID-19 and there's hope that some of the missing players should be back very soon. They'll be on a minutes limit, as Dalano Banton was Sunday, but reinforcements are coming.

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