Does “No Dogs” in Toronto still ring true?

The Toronto Raptors have had a long history of facing star guards in big moments for the team. Whether that was Allen Iverson in the 2001 Eastern Conference Semi’s or Steph Curry in the 2019 Finals, Toronto has had its fair share of contending with dangerous backcourts. Yet, in the past five years, one of the most notable guard confrontations with the Raptors did not take place on the basketball court: rather, on the podcasting circuit.

Patrick Beverly, the defensive specialist who most recently played for the Israeli team Hapoel Tel Aviv, had a viral moment in 2023, drawing attention with his claim that the Raptors had “no dogs” on their team, specifically referring to a lack of fear he…