The Chicago Bears anticipated wide receiver Allen Robinson would need time to assume a role as quarterback Mitchell Trubisky’s No. 1 target.
Considering where the Bears passing game was last season
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Robinson continues to work at a slower, steadier pace through his first live practices since suffering a torn left anterior cruciate ligament, and hopes to reach a point where he and Trubisky click in the passing offense.
”It’s all about getting back acclimated, running certain routes, getting the small things in football, as far as actually football – route-running, sinking my hips, stuff like that,” Robinson said Tuesday at Bears training camp. ”As far as physically, I feel fine.”
Robinson took off Monday’s practice to rest his knee after his first full practice participation over camp’s first three days. He returned to work Tuesday with no ill effects.
The slow, steady approach isn’t keeping Robinson from learning during meetings.
”He’s asking great questions,” Nagy said. ”He sits in the front of the room. He’s a little introverted, which is fine. That’s what we talk about – everyone is a little different. But he comes to me probably three to four times a practice and asks me certain questions, so we have a good relationship going there.”
Rehab from the injury kept Robinson from doing much in organized team activities and minicamp.
”Man, it’s fun,” Robinson said. ”Being away from the grass for 10-plus months, it feels so good to be back out here running routes, competing, going against defenders
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Nagy said no receiver has stepped up so far as Trubisky’s top target.
”But in a couple weeks I think if you come back and ask me that question there might be somebody that he starts to develop that bond with,” Nagy said to reporters.
Nagy sees signs Robinson is a bit tentative on routes requiring a cut inside, and expects the fifth-year receiver to overcome this as the knee continues to strengthen.
”I like where he’s at,” Nagy said. ”Allen is doing everything that we’re asking for. There might be a couple routes I think more mentally he’s just trying to get over, that it’s OK to do that. But that’s part of the health part of him.
”Just once you get through that part, then you’re ready to go. So we have the time. That’s the benefit of having five weeks in the preseason and then we get him ready for Week 1.”
Robinson calls his goal a better understanding of the offense rather than simply labeling it a need for receiver and quarterback to build chemistry.
”I think that’s a big misused word,” Robinson said. ”Because at the end of the day you know certain routes and certain things like that, you’ve got to be in the right place at the right time in a way that matches up with your quarterback.”
The Bears last season badly needed a primary target for Trubisky after injuries deprived them of Kevin White and former Bear Cameron Meredith. Chicago finished last in passing yards (2,811) and tied for last in touchdown passes (13).
Despite suffering a season-ending knee injury in Jacksonville’s opener, Robinson signed a three-year, $42 million free agent deal with the Bears. In the process, he left a blossoming AFC championship game qualifier for a team out of the playoffs since the 2010 season.
”You know, looking at the (new) coach, offensively scheme-wise, the quarterback, and things like that, I mean, there’s no doubt at all that this team has all the talent in the world to win games,” Robinson said.
The talent Robinson brings is being able to stretch defenses and make jump-ball catches. Robinson had 22 touchdown catches in his first three seasons.
”Me being a bigger receiver
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”For me, watching him, the play calls that he had prior to coming here, I knew that’s something that was a big part of his offense is versatility. I knew that he would be able to use me in a very effective way.”
Even if Trubisky has been targeting receivers such as Kevin White, Taylor Gabriel and Anthony Miller just as much or more often at camp, the Bears quarterback said he knows how to use the 6-foot-3 Robinson.
”He goes up, gets the football, creates separation,” Trubisky said. ”He can make those acrobatic catches that we haven’t seen here in the past.
”He can separate with speed, he’s physical, he runs great routes. He’s really a student of the game. That’s something I’ve learned.”
Robinson expects to apply what he’s learned by making Trubisky’s job easier.
”I want Mitch to be able to go out there and just be able to play free,” Robinson said.
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The Portland Trail Blazers fought their way through a pressure-packed playoff race to earn home-court advantage in a series, then lost it in one game.
The Toronto Raptors know that problem all too well, so they want to take advantage of playing from ahead for a change.
They try for their first 2-0 playoff series lead ever Tuesday night against Washington, while the Trail Blazers try to even things up in against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Boston and Milwaukee play the other Game 2 on Tuesday after the Celtics pulled out a 113-107 overtime victory on Sunday.
The No. 3 Trail Blazers were the highest-seeded team to lose so far, falling 97-95 on Saturday. Anthony Davis was dominant
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”I think it puts some pressure on us,” Lillard said. ”You know, you come in with home court, the first two games on your floor and you lose the first one, and now they’re saying in their locker room we got one, why not go get another one. And our job is to defend the home court.
”We’ve got to tighten up, come back sharper, and take care of home floor.”
Toronto had lost Game 1 at home all six times it had home-court advantage in a series, part of an overall 10-game losing streak in series openers, before beating Washington 114-106 dropped on Saturday. Finally, the Raptors could enjoy the start of postseason play.
”And for me, this year is finally a year I can be happy watching other games and not be like `Damn, I lost Game 1,”’ point guard Kyle Lowry said.
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Some things to know about Tuesday’s matchups:
WIZARDS AT RAPTORS
Toronto leads 1-0. Game 2, 7 P.M., NBA TV.
NEED TO KNOW: Toronto’s only other 1-0 series lead was in the 2001 Eastern Conference semifinals against Philadelphia, which won Game 2 and ultimately the series in seven games.
KEEP AN EYE ON: The 3-point line. The Raptors made a franchise-record 16 in the opener, twice as many as Washington for a 24-point advantage behind the arc.
INJURY UPDATE: Raptors reserve Fred VanVleet (right shoulder) went through most of practice Monday after missing the opener but remains day to day. Lowry was fighting a cold but joked he was ”out tanning” Sunday during an ice storm.
PRESSURE IS ON: Washington’s bench. The Wizards‘ reserves probably aren’t going to win the battle against Toronto’s highly productive second unit
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BUCKS AT CELTICS
Boston leads 1-0. Game 2, 8 P.M., TNT.
NEED TO KNOW: Giannis Antetokounmpo has scored 20 or more points in eight straight games against the Celtics after scoring 35 before fouling out in overtime of the opener.
KEEP AN EYE ON: Boston’s balance. With Al Horford (24 points), Terry Rozier (23), Marcus Morris (21) and Jaylen Brown (20), the Celtics had four 20-point scorers in a playoff game for the first time since Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Reggie Lewis and Brian Shaw did it in a 1991 game. Throw in Jayson Tatum’s 19 points, and the Bucks let too many players get hot in Game 1.
INJURY UPDATE: Celtics coach Brad Stevens said Marcus Smart is getting some shots up and working on lower body and conditioning as much as he can, but has been told by the training staff that April 27 is the earliest the guard could begin basketball activity.
”We’re still a ways away from that and a lot of games away from that,” Stevens said.
PRESSURE IS ON: Eric Bledsoe. Milwaukee needs more from its starting guard who had more combined fouls (6) and turnovers (5) than points (9) in a bit of a Game 1 dud.
PELICANS AT TRAIL BLAZERS
New Orleans leads 1-0. Game 2, 10:30 P.M., TNT.
NEED TO KNOW: Anthony Davis had 35 points in the opener and has scored 25 or more in his first five postseason games. He can tie LeBron James for the second-longest streak to begin a career, behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 14 straight, according to Elias.
KEEP AN EYE ON: Rajon Rondo. A 17-assist, eight-rebound opener was another reminder of how much the Pelicans’ point guard can elevate his game in the postseason.
INJURY UPDATE: Portland’s Maurice Harkless is nearing a return from late-season left knee surgery, but may not be available until later in the series.
PRESSURE IS ON: The Blazers’ backcourt. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum combined to shoot just 13 for 41, and their three combined points on 1-for-15 shooting in the first half doomed Portland to a big hole from which it could not recover.
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AP Sports Writer Kyle Hightower in Boston and freelance writer Ian Harrison in Toronto contributed to this report.
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