DeMar had the task of guarding Rashard Lewis but it was evident quickly that was not going to work out in his favour. Coach made the halftime adjustment putting the task on Kleiza and that worked out perfectly for the Raptors. The change didn’t help with the mounting questions about what exactly is going on with DeRozan. He started the game attacking but switched to settling for jumpers as the game went on. For things to turn around, he needs to get to the hoop consistently, take the contact and eventually the calls will come. Luckily on this night, the team was able to get their offense elsewhere.

As the game progressed, the story quickly became about the Raptors bench and the production from them on both ends of the floor. Amir Johnson brought the energy, Barbosa brought the scoring and Kleiza did a great job on Lewis in addition to providing additional offense. This was probably one of the better team wins of the season and the fact that they have the same record as the Knicks at the end of the night is just a bonus.

The Night in Numbers

61 Rebounds for the Raptors. A franchise high in regulation as they were +24 in the category against the Wizards. Every single player who saw the floor grabbed at least one board.
17 Assists for Jose Calderon. A season high. The Wizards mustered up just 13 helpers as a team.
28 Second Chance points for the Raptors. Another season high as they managed to double up the Wizards on the offensive glass.
13 Rebounds for Amir Johnson on a night after it was revealed he has been struggling with some personal issues. A guy who relies on bringing the energy, he was able to tap into that and give the fans a few highlight dunks to top it off.
68 Points in the paint for the Raptors. On a night filled with season high’s this was probably the most surprising one. The Wizards are no defensive juggernaut but this was a big stat for the Raptors who have struggled finishing as of late.
63 Bench points led by the 19 from Barbosa. Kleiza sat for the first half but poured in 15 in the second while having to defend Rashard Lewis on the other end.
10 blocks tied another season high for the Raptors. The team effort is really starting to show through on the rebounding numbers as well as blocks and steals. Barbosa had two blocks and three steals on the night.
106 Points was the highest total for the Raptors at home this season, the first time they cracked 100 actually. It was also the first time the PIZZA chant was heard at the ACC. Still the worst promotion in the city… but the fans went home happy.

Up Next: Raptors @ Heat. Sunday Jan. 5th 2012. 1PM

As always, this cartoon is all in good fun. We hope you enjoy it just as much as we did making it!

Blake Kennedy, wrote a great post on RaptorBlog pointing out the offensive struggles we have seen this season but unlike him, I saw it coming. A new coach who preaches defense first, the minimal practice time to implement a new offense and above all, the lack of guys who can create for themselves.

Andrea Bargnani was playing at an All-Star level before he was sidelined with the calf injury and this team just doesn’t have the personnel to make up for the 20+ PPG they lose with him out. Jose Calderon has been playing like the guy who was rewarded with that fat contract but he rather stay in his comfort zone of being the distributer, a bit of a problem when he is one of the better spot up shooters on this team. The Rasual Butler experiment seems to have finally come to an end as he continues to struggle with the one thing he was brought in to do but his replacement James Johnson is not someone the team can rely on offensively.

Probably the biggest disappointment so far has been the inconsistency from DeMar DeRozan. James Herbert wrote in his defense, but no matter how you slice it, DeRozan has regressed. After the most recent loss to the Blazers, DeMar admitted he is aware of the issues — “The last couple of games I have not gotten to the line. I have to be aggressive. Just going to the contact and not trying to avoid it, that’s my main issue.” He is taking more jumpers and they each look too strong and too flat. Maybe it is the adjustment he made in order to hit the long range shot but it has hindered his mid-range game a lot. Last season DeMar developed a spin move in the lane as his go to move, he has gone away from that and his resistance to contact has led to his numbers going down in almost every offensive category.

You know that phrase, basketball is a game of runs? Well the Raptors have yet to find  a way to avoid 5 minute offensive dry spells to make their runs count. Until they can get consistant production from guys not named Andrea Bargnani, they are going to be a tough team to watch. Hellloooo (Jack Armstrong voice) Kevin O’Neill era revisited!

Between the 10 mainstream media outlets and countless blogs, there are a ton of good Raptor reads each week. Every Friday I will pick my favorites and link them for those who may have missed out. If I miss any you liked, be sure to put them in the comments.

The Basketball Jones with another instant classic! If this doesn’t get you to vote for Bargnani, nothing will.

Amir wasn’t the only Raptor to impress, Andrea Bargnani continued to silence his critics, putting together his third 30 point game of the season. The Timberwolves bit on Andrea’s fake at the 3 point line all night and he rarely settled for the jumper. He put that quick first step to use and went to the hoop early and often. Tallying 31 points to go with 9 rebounds, one has to think this new version of Bargnani is here to stay. While the Raptor bigs carried the load offensively, the play of James Johnson cannot be overlooked. He made use of his five fouls and showed again why he should soon get that starting SF spot over Rasual Butler who has surely left his jump shot south of the border.

For most of the night it felt like the Raptors were dominating but the scoreboard told a different story. They had managed to contain Rubio & Co. for the most part but the additional free throws and three’s kept the Timberwolves in the game. The Raptors upped the ante on defense in the 4th, and Minny managed just six made field goals in the frame. There were moments where Rubio dazzled but his counterpart and mentor Calderon, held his own. The Raptors’ starters logged major minutes in order to close this one out but may be running on fumes as they hop on a plane and prepare to face the Wizards in less than 24 hours.

The Night in Numbers

9 blocks for the Raptors as a team. James Johnson, who was in the zone all night tied a career high with 4.
75-37 the Raptors starters outscored the Timberwolves’ starting five. 50 of the 75 coming from Bargnani and A. Johnson.
34% FG for the Wolves. The revamped Raptors D was in full effect tonight. This is the fifth time in nine games the Raptors have held an opponent to under 40% from the floor. They only pulled that off five times all of last season. They shot 44% on the night.
3 made three’s for the Raptors. The team struggled from deep going just 3 of 19. Minnesota made 5 of their 8 three’s in the first quarter.
9 points for DeMar Derozan who is struggling to find consistency on the offensive end. He did attack the basket more once that jumper wasn’t falling.
20 second chance points for the Raptors who crashed the offensive boards hard tonight. Amir Johnson had 8 ORB’s and the Raptors had 14 as a team.
45 minutes of playing time for Bargnani. He made the most of them but it is to be seen how the legs hold up in he second and third games of the back to back to back.
26 FT’s made by the Raptors. The team stayed aggressive when the 3 ball was not falling and got to the line 28 times. Barbosa was perfect from the line going 9-9.

Top 10 tweets from the #RTZ chat on twitter (LINK)

Up Next: Raptors @ Wizards. Tuesday, 10th Jan. 2012. 7PM

When the Raptors took on the Nets last week, coach Casey stressed that there were “no easy wins” in the NBA and the team proved that. Unable to close out on shooters and letting Kris Humphries grab 16 rebounds were two of the many factors that did them in that night. Deron Williams ran circles around Jose Calderon and when things weren’t going well on the offensive end, the Raptors started falling into bad defensive habits from previous seasons.

The next night against the 76′ers a similar pattern began to occur. 11 first half turnovers and the inability to find an offensive flow set the team back pedalling on defense. Inconsistency seems to be trend here early in the season. Outside of Bargnani, none of the guys have been able to produce constantly on the offensive end with the SF and SG spot being the glaring issues. James Johnson brings everything the team needs on D but is an absolute black hole on offense at the moment. Rasual Butler has yet to find that range he is known for and Barbosa is less blur and more bricks these days. DeRozan too has been unable to string together a few good games from start to finish. For him he may need to reconsider how he starts off — go to the basket instead of checking if your jumper is falling.

This version of the Raptors is not going to be breaking any offensive records but once they start scrambling to score, the easy rebounds and fast breaks lead to defensive breakdowns and the rest just spirals from there. Right now this team needs to stop worrying about scoring and just keep building on the new defensive fundamentals being brought on by coach Casey. “Old habits die hard” they say, in this case, those old habits are probably going to keep this team lottery bound for one more year. For a big group of the fan base, that sounds like a plan!

Up Next: Timberwolves @ Raptors. Monday, 9th Jan. 2012

Here is what @jaysatur from Raptors.com is looking for from tonight’s matchup

Defensively this was the best effort put forth by the team so far in this young season. The Raptors are making it hard for their opponents to get the easy buckets they were knowing for giving up. They held the Cavs to under 30% from the floor and it is starting to become a pattern. Casey has made these guys, essentially the same core from last season, do a 180. The bad habits show up from time to time but its hard to miss all the talking going on, the improved defensive rotations and the shot contests. While the Cavs are hardly a benchmark to judge against, the Raps have been showing this new look for 6 games now. It suits them. Offensively they still have a ways to go because DeMar isn’t going to give them 5 three’s a night and Andrea is going to start facing a double team soon. If there was a weakness in this one it has to be the lack of production from the small forward spot once again. Butler is just a black hole right now, and James Johnson needs to find a jumper.

Once the team starts putting things together on both ends of the floor, which I believe they will, expect there to be lots of empty room on the “TankNation” bandwagon.

The Night in Numbers

29.6% from the field were the Cavs who were stifled by the Raptors D all night. The Raptors are currently the only team holding opponents to an average of under 40% from the floor. Impressive for anyone, more so for a team never mentioned when talking defence.

3 double-doubles for Jose Calderon after he put up 13 and 11 against the Cavs last night. Jose is playing some of the best ball of his career right now and has built a chemistry with both Andrea and Amir on that pick ‘n roll or pick ‘n pop.

“He is much better than people give him credit for as far as his solid play, running the team, shooting the basketball.” – Dwane Casey on Calderon’s play early in the season.

31 points from Andrea Bargnani and they all came within the flow of the offense. He is averaging 24 points on the season (7th best in the league) and doing it efficiently. Even more surprising, he is fully committed on the defensive end of the floor and it hasn’t taken away from what everyone knew he could do, which is score.

“He is playing at an all-star level. I am totally impressed with his approach, defensively and offensively.” — Dwane Casey on Andrea

5 made 3′s for DeRozan. He made 5 all of last season. DeMar put in a lot of work on that jumper this offseason, he was in the gym making 300 three pointers a day. Against the Cavs he picked his spots but that hard work is already paying off. The percentages are off the charts right now compared to last year but even if they come down to earth, its nice that he has this as an arsenal to use.

“He opens up the floor for everybody else. Now you have to honour him. It’s going to help us a lot offensively, especially on the pick and roll” — Dwane Casey on DeMar’s extended range

11 Turnovers, a category the team is still a little up and down with. They were much better handling the ball against the Cavs and sit around the middle of the pack in terms of coughing the ball up. Having the leader in AST-TO ratio in Jose, the Raptors should be fine over the course of the season. On the other end of the spectrum, the Raps are last in opponent turnovers per game. (source)

-13 in the FT category. The Raptors are near the bottom of the league when it comes to getting to the line. Most of that has to do with the fact that Andrea, and for the most part this season, DeMar have been playing outside the paint. The positive from last night, the Raptors gave nothing easy. Opponents are made to earn it at the line in coach Casey’s new system.

4 fast break points. Though coach Casey has stated he wants the team to get out and run it’s not happening. The Raptors are very much half court team right now, a lot has to do with the style of play from Calderon and Bargnani. As @Liston pointed out in his stats breakdown on Raptors Republic – Toronto has the fifth slowest pace factor in the league at 88.8.

Up Next: Nets @ Raptors. 7PM on Friday, 6th Jan. 2012.

Prior to their first 3 game road trip, I had outlined a few goals the Raptors should try to meet. They fell short for the most part but made up in other ways. In each of the first two games the Raptors did a lot of things well but it took a third game to put it together for a full 48 minutes.

Raptors @ Mavericks: Facing the defending champs is a tall task in itself, add in the fact that they were 0-3 after losing a heartbreaker to the Thunder and the Raptors looked like they may see an extended period of garbage time. Not the case. The Raptors managed to hold the Mavs to 44% from the field while Bargnani had an offensive explosion, tallying 30 points. After hanging in for most of the night, the Raps managed to take a lead in this one but a rough night from DeMar coupled with little productivity from the bench did not allow them to sustain it. The Mavs eventually showed why they are champions by taking the reins in the 4th and closing it out.

Raptors @ Magic: For the second game in a row, Bargnani was the best player in a Raptors uniform. This time the guys came out on fire and built a 16 point lead mid-way through the game. Once again inexperience came to the forefront as the Raps started coughing the ball up and gave Orlando a chance to think they were still in it. Once you give a veteran team like that an opening, they are going to take it. Take it they did as the Magic capitalized on the few errors from the Raptors and came storming all the way back to get the win.

Raptors @ Knicks: Without Amare, the Knicks front line looks a lot less intimidating and Bargnani was up for the task once again. This time aided by a 21 point night from DeRozan, the Raptors put the pedal to the metal and never took their foot off. Sure there were lapses and Melo went off but the key was they found a way to close out.

Road Trip — 3 Stars
Andrea Bargnani
Jose Calderon
Defense

Up Next: Cavs @ Raptors. Wednesday, Jan. 4th 2012. 7PM

The lottery bound Raptors train looked like it was about to take a detour last night in Orlando but managed to stay on track with the help of a 4th quarter collapse.

The Raptors have always seemed to match up well with this Magic team, winning two of three games last season, and last night was no different. Andrea Bargnani brought his hot shooting to Florida and with some great point guard play from Calderon, they found themselves with a 5 point lead at the half. Bargnani did finish the night with 28 points and 7 rebounds (still can’t seem to hit that 8rb mark.), but the late turnovers and inability to execute as a team down the stretch did them in.

Hanging on to a 3 point lead with 5 minutes to go in the game, the Raptors allowed Anderson and Turkoglu to catch fire which fueled a 16-0 run Magic run. Shorthanded at the PG spot, Barbosa and Carter got extended minutes and the two vets provided some horrible decision making late in the game. DeMar had another tough night offensively but on the positive side, he never took his mind away from the game and contributed on the boards. The Magic shot near 50% on the night and the new defensive minded Raptors team can’t allow that.

With a short turnaround and these games suddenly coming early and often, the team will not have too much time to ponder over losses. There is little practice time and we may just see the first ugly basketball from the Raps tonight as they get set to face the Knicks.

The Night in Numbers

11 turnovers as a team. The Raptors took care of the rock and in turn only gave up 9 fast break points to the Magic.
40 minutes for Andrea Bargnani who for a second game in a row was the best player in a Raptors uniform. Well, Jose was close.
13 assists for Calderon to go along with his very efficient 18 points. He also became the first Raptor player to reach 3,000 assists for his career.
28 of the Raptors’ 52 first half points came in the paint. The Magic are a big team and the Raptors didn’t back down and settle for jumpers.
+11  at the free throw line. One of the early complaints this season has been the lack of FT’s from the Raptors so this was a pleasant surprise.
16 points was the largest lead of the game for the Raptors which came in the 3rd quarter.
5 minute FG scoring drought for the Raptors in the 4th quarter. The Magic clamped down on D and the inexperienced Raps choked up.
5-8 from deep was Ryan Anderson who got to play the role of Raptor killer last night.

Up Next: Raptors vs. Knicks. Monday, 2nd Jan 2012 @ 7:30 PM

• More Ricky Rubio bounce passes

• More LOB CITY

• More KD game winners

• More Amir Johnson put back slams

• More Denver Nuggets dancing

• More Shaq and Charles, Inside the NBA

• More Bosh and the Big 3

• More supporters of #FreeSteveNash movement

• More Lamar and Kris on the basketball court

• More D Rose, More MVP

• More Rookie Goodness

• More WORLD PEACE

The Raptors rode the hot hand all night but struggled to crash the boards in the first half. Once the turnovers started piling up it just made things tougher. A 12-0 Raps run in the second kept it close, and a 17-2 run in the third gave them their largest lead at 68-61. The Mavericks went into Championship mode to end the third which essentially closed the book on this one. They had the edge in pretty much every statistical category (most of which are broken down below) and needed just 31 minutes from Dirk to take care of business.

The Raptors did accomplish one of the 3 goals I had outlined for this road trip in my post yesterday — holding the team to under 45% from the field. DeMar tried to get going early but it clearly wasn’t his night. Andrea fell short in the rebounding category but if it wasn’t for him the final score would have been embarrassing. The team has a day off to watch tape and regroup for another tough team in Orlando over the weekend.

The Night In Numbers

50 of the Raptors’ 86 points came from 2 guys — Bargnani (30) & Barbosa (20). The Mavs meanwhile had a much more balanced attack, 5 guys in double figures.
44% was the magic number tonight as the Raptors held an opponent to under 45% from the field for the third game in a row.
2 monster dunks. DeMar with flies in for the slam and Amir with the put back.
7 assists from Jose Calderon who is now just 7 shy of hitting the 3,000 assist mark.
4-12 from the floor was DeMar DeRozan. He had 7 points at the half but ended with just 11. Never got in a rhythm to play hero in the 4th.
-30 The Raptors bench. Mavs bench outscored them 56-26, most of that coming from Carter and Kidd.
38 Free throws for the Mavs and the Raptors got there just 18 times. In the 3rd quarter alone, the Mavs went there 15 times, the Raptors 0.
7 Turnovers by the Raptors in the 2nd quarter after having just 1 in the 1st Q. They ended the night with 17, Dallas had just 10.

The Starting 5

Andrea Bargnani – The jumper was falling tonight and he went to it early and often. Sure the 11-18 shooting is nice but against Dirk he could have gone inside a little more (10 of his made shots were outside the paint). I don’t wanna rain on Andrea’s parade too much since he was the best player in a Raptors uniform tonight but he did fall short of the rebounding goal. If he is going to see 40 minutes of playing time each game, he needs to be effective on both ends of the floor or the Raptors are essentially playing 5 on 4 on the defensive end.

Rebounding – The Raptors finished just -2 (thanks to garbage time) on the boards but the disparity early in the game was downright ugly. Haywood had 4 offensive rebounds 6 minutes into the game and the Mavs held a 17-6 rebounding edge after just one quarter. Amir Johnson who had recorded double-digit rebounds in the first two games managed to grab just 4 in this one. Maybe coach can go over the tape, but the slow rotations and switching were the culprits early, leaving guys out of position to grab the board. The Raptors don’t have a bona fide C to clear out room and haul them in so they are going to have to help each other out and crash the boards as a team.

Free Throw Line - The graphic on the left can tell you where I am going with this. The Raptors are averaging just under 15 free throws through three games. Tonight the Mavs were +14 from the FT line and if you look at the final score, thats huge. Bargnani went to the line 8 times and the rest of the team just got there 10 times. Look at the shot chart (pictured) and note that of the 72 FG’s the Raptors took, just 15 were in the lane and within 5 feet of the basket — typically where most fouls occur. The Raptors can’t afford to be a jump shot happy team, they need to start attacking the basket more and get to the line for those easy points. Those points become even more valuable when their offense goes MIA as it has for segments of each game this season.

Second Unit – Quoting @timpchisholm again as he tweeted what I was thinking during the game — “I don’t love Bargnani and DeRozan on the bench at the same time. Puts too much pressure on non-scores to carry the offense.” The Raptors second unit is full of energy and hustle, problem is, you still have to score points to win the game. Aside from Barbosa, none of the guys can create a shot which makes it pretty easy to defend them. Bayless still can’t be trusted to run the team, not ’til he actually figures out how to pass the ball. James Johnson is great when he has to focus on D but gets in over his head when he has the ball on the offensive end. Coach is going to have to tweak the way he rests the starters or 5 minute scoring droughts are going to become standard. It may just be that these guys are still learning to play with each other but with a young team it would just make sense to have one of your weapons on the floor at all times.

Youth & Inexperience – Getting a lead in the NBA is easy, holding on to it takes experience. The Raptors are not there yet. They went on a 17-2 run middle of the 3rd quarter only to have it erased by the Mavs who ended the quarter on a 16-2 run and never looked back. This is part of the learning process and Dwane Casey acknowledged the youth factor post game. Mental lapses are going to happen but they need to be limited to shorter spurts. 6 turnovers in a 6 minute span of the second was another instance. The second unit came on and tried to do too much, at a speed even they couldn’t keep up with. Guys are still trying to find their roles on the team but they are going to need to grow up quick to compete in this league on a nightly basis.

Up Next: Raptors @ Magic. Sunday, 1st Jan 2012 at 6PM

With this season being less about wins and losses, rather a learning process, I have broken down 3 issues the team needs to address to deem this road trip a success.

4 Quarters from DeMar DeRozan – 4 first half points through 2 games. It may be nice to pick up your team when they are down but DeRozan would be better served getting his team going early. Both coach and DeMar have addressed the issue and now its up to him to put his words into action. Goal: 2 games of double-digit scoring in the first half.

Rebounding from Andrea Bargnani – 10 rebounds through two games is not what the coach ordered. Even the naysayers can admit Bargnani has looked more active on both ends but the rebounding numbers don’t reflect it. Before the season coach said he wants to see Andrea pull down 2 rebounds per quarter and right now he is falling short. Surprisingly, the issue hasn’t been effort but rather those butter fingers. This trip will have him defending guys who play outside in (Dirk, Amare) and should give him an opportunity to up that rebounding average. Goal: One double-digit rebounding game.

Defensive Intensity – Early stats show the Raptors are buying into Dwane Casey’s defensive philosophies. Sure there have been breakdowns, but for the most part they are greatly improved on that end of the floor (Raptorblog broke down some stats in detail here). Coach Casey believes the team has a grasp on his defensive system, it’s just a matter of time and practice to carry it out consistently. Turnovers have been an issue early on but the guys have been active on the boards and in the passing lanes. Out on the road its easy to fall back into old habits when things are not going well but the Raptors need to stick to the game plan. Goal: Keep opponents under 45% shooting.

Remember that whole thing about small victories and silver linings I mentioned before the season kicked off? Well tonight was full of them as the Raptors dropped a close one to the Pacers, 90-85. Another slow start from DeRozan combined with a struggling Calderon found the team in a 8 point hole going into the fourth. The fact that they were in this position had nothing to do with their defense, which picked up where they left off in Cleveland. Rather, the Raptors struggles came on the offensive end where the lack of practice time and a full length preseason were evident.

Andrea Bargnani carried the offensive load for the first half where the team mustered up just 34 points (Fans better get used to these low scoring affairs). Unlike previous seasons though, the Raptors remained focused on the defensive end holding the Pacers to just 38 points in the same span. They loosened up the D a little in the 3rd, but a late 4th quarter run put the team in a position to tie the game up. Considering this is a learning process and the system is fairly new, this team battled to the end when many times they could have just given up. These are the things you want to see in a team that is rebuilding. Getting the fundamentals right and the offense will follow.

After the game, Dwane Casey said he was happy with the way they played, feels they are right there and with time together as a unit, they are headed in the right direction.

The Night in Numbers

21 points for Bargnani has him join Bosh and Carter as the only Raptors players to score 20 points or more in 4 home openers. (via @RaptorsPR)
54% from the free throw line. Not going to cut it on most nights, especially when they only got there 13 times as a team.
2 straight games the Raptors have shot a better percentage from the field than their opponent. Tonight they held the Pacers to 39.5%
13 steals against a young, athletic team is another example of the effort the Raptors are bringing on the defensive end.
10 Fastbreak points registered by the Raptors who did not record a single point in that category against the Cavaliers.
0 first half points for DeMar though he ended the night with 22. Through 2 games, he has scored just 4 first half points.
22 second chance points for the Pacers to go along with the 16 points they got off 19 Raptors turnovers.

The Starting Five

4th Quarter Heroics – DeMar DeRozan knows he is a cornerstone for this franchise as it stands now but he isn’t getting worried about his lack of production early in games. After being held to just 4 points in the first half in Cleveland, DeMar notched 0 tonight. Postgame, I asked him if there was anything he feels he can do differently to get going early to which he replied, “It will come. I don’t want to start forcing things. I have to pick and choose, because some days its going to come later in the game”. That’s the right answer but the 22 second half points won’t be so easy each time. It may be early in the season but DeMar needs to find a go to move, one that he can bank on. Part of this growing process is building consistency and while its fun to play hero in the 4th it’s even more fun to play hero for the entire game.

James Johnson – Can we just call him Santa cuz this kid is stuffing the stat sheet every night. 14 RB, 8 STL, 5 BLK over the first 2 games. Save for the blown assignment late in tonights tilt, he was the best player wearing a Raptors uniform. After the game he took the blame for it but coach wasn’t letting him go down alone. James was a complete question mark coming into the season but it’s clear early what his role is going to be and if he keeps playing this way, expect to find him in the starting lineup sooner rather than later.

Andrea Bargnani – There was a 30 second span in the 3rd quarter where I was in absolute shock. Bargnani gets a block on David West, runs the floor, takes a pass from DeMar and slams it home. Yep, that was in a game and it didn’t stop there. Though not all of it shows in the boxscore, Andrea was active all night on both ends of the floor. He still can’t hold on to a rebound to save his life but it wasn’t for the lack of trying tonight. When the Raptors brought in a defensive minded coach, I was concerned that Andrea is going to have a tough time adjusting. So far, so good. He seems to be committed to making the effort coach is asking of him and if he can build on it there is hope for him yet.

3 Point Shot – The Raptors were a horrible 3 point shooting team last season and the stats are there to prove it. They even surrendered the sole record they had held for most consecutive games with a made three pointer. Totally different story through 2 games this season where they are shooting 41.7%, good for 5th best in the league. Most of the personel is the same but the looks they are getting are much better. DeMar adding the 3 to his repertoire has been a nice surprise as well. His 2 made three’s tonight were the first time he has done that in his career. During the game, @timpchisholm made a great observation on twitter – “DeRozan’s three point shot does not impress me as much as his confidence in it. Impressive indeed for a 9% 3p shooter last season.”

Physical Play – “Soft” and “Toronto Raptors” went hand in hand during the Bosh era, but this new version of the team looks like they want to change that perception. Several times during the game tonight things got scrappy but the Raps did not back down. Magloire got in the face of a couple Pacers and after the game DeMar said he enjoyed playing a more physical game. “Fun”, he called it. The team has each others back’s too. During a play where Amir Johnson went down, Hibbert offered him a hand which he refused and waited for his own teammate to help him up. Its a small thing but speaks volumes of the new mentality of this team.

Up Next: Raptors @ Mavericks. Friday, 30th Dec 2011 at 8:30PM

The Raptors opened up their season with a win against the Cavs but are faced with a much bigger test tonight against the Pacers. Coach Casey has elected to stay with the same starting lineup from opening night (Calderon, DeRozan, Butler, Bargnani and A. Johnson). Butler remains a surprise in the starting lineup but coach stressed that he has become a quiet leader in the locker room and provides some good fundamentals on D creating space for Andrea and Demar on the floor. Expect to see him remain there but James Johnson should still get the bulk of minutes at the SF spot. The Raptors did not record a single fast break point in game 1, but Casey insists that getting out and running is still very much part of the game plan. Pregame when asked what he hopes his team brings to the floor tonight, coach said ”We owe it to our fans to come out and scrap.”

The Pacers have dropped 5 straight in Toronto but the team that comes in today is much more experienced, athletic, and have been doing some great things under coach Vogel. The Raptors are going to have to hit the boards as a team, continue to talk on D and focus on making sure that every basket the Pacers get is earned. The Pacers have a size advantage at every spot aside from PG, but Collison can give Calderon fits all night. Amir is going to have to battle down low with Hibbert while Andrea needs to make David West work on both ends. The matchup to look out for is DeMar going at Paul George. Two athletic freaks who have so much potential. Get your camera’s ready!

I am coming at you from the game tonight on Twitter (@Nat77) so give me a follow for all the in-game tweets and pics you can handle.

The Raptors kicked off their season on a high note getting the 104-96 W over the Cavaliers. Sure, beating a squad of lesser talent isn’t something to write home about but there were so many good things happening on the floor for the Raptors it’s hard not to feel optimistic.

Leading up to the game, all we have heard about is how new head coach Dwane Casey is trying to change the culture and instill a defensive mentality into a team that has always struggled with the concept. Last night fans finally got to see the plan being put into action. 9 blocks, out-rebounding the opponent, shooting a better percentage than the opponent, and communicating on the floor (Bargnani got caught doing that on camera! BOOM). I was so focused looking out for the changes on the defensive end I didn’t get to fully appreciate the offensive efficiency and ball movement from the Raptors. Jose played the role of distributor perfectly, DeMar made an impact in the 4th quarter, Bargnani stayed focused on both ends of the floor, Johnson & Johnson were the perfect blend of energy and execution, and Ed Davis earned himself some more playing time.

This was one of the winnable games and though this season is not going to be measured by wins and losses, it is sure nice for a young team to get off on the right foot.

The Night in Numbers

53% The Raptors were hot from all over. For a team that was at the bottom shooting 3′s last season, they hit 43% of those. On the other end of the floor they held the Cavs to shooting just 41%
10 players saw the floor and each of them recorded at least 1 assist.
+8 on the boards. 9 of the 10 guys who played last night grabbed at least 1 rebound.
35 assists on 42 made FG’s. Not only were the Raptors moving the ball, they ended up finding the right guy to finish each time.
7 of the 10 guys who saw playing time scored in double figures, led by Jose and DeMar who had 15 a piece.
7-7 from the floor for Ed Davis. Should earn him some additional playing time in game 2.
2 Players (Jose, Amir) recorded double double’s. The 13-13 from Amir is not as surprising as the 15-11 from Jose considering who he is passing the ball to…

The Starting 5

Jose Calderon – It’s been a while since fans saw this Jose who was completely in control of the offense all night. He didn’t hesitate to shoot when he had to and even put in effort on the defensive end. This is the Jose Calderon that got the big contract some four seasons ago. For the first three quarters he directed the guys and hit the open man, but when it came to closing out the game, he knew the ball had to go to DeMar or Andrea. Calderon played like he was trying to secure his starting spot for the near future — mission accomplished.

Amir Johnson – Coming off ankle surgery in the offseason, Amir looked to have all the bounce back in his legs. He got the starting nod at C and logged 32 minutes without fouling out. Entering his 7th year in the NBA, this is the perfect opportunity for him to take things to the next level. Amir had a tough task guarding Varejao, who might have the edge when it comes to energy levels, but for the most part held his own. As good as he was defensively (13 rebounds, 2 blocks), Amir showed promise to be the primary pick and roll guy. Jose was able to hit him rolling to the rack on multiple occasions through the game and more often than not the play ended in points.

Pick and Roll – The Raptors executed the play to perfection and the Cavs never found a way to stop it. Calderon has always been good on the PnR but that was seen more in the Bosh days. Last night he showed the chemistry he has developed with Amir and they went to it almost every other time down the floor. As the season goes along, teams will have that leading off the scouting report but until someone can stop it, this will be the bread and butter move on offense for the Raps.

Ball Movement – As pointed out in the numbers, the Raptors had 35 assists on 42 made FG’s. That’s pretty ridiculous no matter who your opponent is or who is doing the scoring for you. In the 2nd preseason game, the offense looked like it had a long way to go but against the Cavs the Raptors focused on getting the ball to the right guy rather than “Player X”. They displayed a trust in each other rarely seen this early in the season and is a great position to build from.

Block Party – Way too often last season, the Raptors laid out the red carpet for opponents to form a layup line to the hoop. This was not the case last night as the Raptors had a man there each time to contest the shot. Johnson & Johnson combined for 6 of the Raptors’ 9 blocks but as a team there was a clear commitment to protecting the basket.

Up Next: Pacers @ Raptors. Wednesday, 28th Dec 2011 at 6PM.

Preseason Notes

Coach Casey isn’t about to sugar coat it. This rebuild is a long process and he clearly understands the challenge on hand.

The Raptors headed into the 2 game preseason against the Boston Celtics with five new faces and got fed their first dose of reality.

The Celtics were without Paul Pierce for Game 1 at the ACC and the Raptors put themselves in a position to win but came up short thanks to a game winner from Stiemsma. Andrea Bargnani showed signs that he is finally starting to understand the effort he will need to put in on the defensive end. He even hit the rebounding quota set by coach (9 RB). DeMar DeRozan tried to make his way to the hoop each time he had the ball but also got to show off the work he had put in on that long range jumper. Ed Davis recorded a double-double and James Johnson had a block party. Amir Johnson got a chance to put his surgically repaired ankle to work. The 21 turnovers were indicative of a preseason game but the surprising stat was the Raptors holding Boston to 76 points. Dwane Casey’s plan may take a while to execute but that surely was the first glimpse.

Most of the positives went out the window in Game 2 at the Garden. DeRozan recorded a double-double and the Raptors were +10 on the boards but their inability to execute on offense was stifling. Bargnani and DeRozan combined for 36 points on a night when the team managed to shoot just 32% from the floor. The Raptors were playing catchup all game and lost sight of the positives they had shown in the first game.

Preseason never means much but with a new coach, new system, new faces and little time to put it together before the games start to matter, the Raptors displayed what most fans are prepared for — a whole lot of growing pains.

Primer: Game #1 – Raptors @ Cavaliers

The Raptors kick off their 17th year in the NBA against the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight. Both teams found themselves watching the lottery balls drop at the end of last season and head into this one as a work in progress.

With 13 guys ready to go, the Raptors starting lineup remains a mystery as coach Casey elected not to divulge that information post shoot around. There are a couple of locks (DeRozan & Bargnani) but the starting spots at PG, SF and C are wide open. Expect to see Calderon, J. Johnson and A. Johnson to get the nods tonight as they face a Cavs starting lineup of the Irving, Jamison, Parker, Casspi and Varejao.

The toughest defensive assignments for the Raptors tonight will be Irving and Jamison. If Calderon is unable to keep the rookie PG in front of him, Bayless may get some extra minutes to take on the assignment. Jamison has always been a Raptor killer. His ability to stretch the floor messes with defensive positioning and rotations.

This is one of the few winnable games on the schedule and the Raptors have the edge with their bench and scoring weapons. It all comes down to how they react on defense when trying to guard Jamison on the outside, Varejao on the inside all while stopping Irving from setting up a lay-up line down the lane.

Predictions

“I want to win,” Casey told the Toronto Sun. “I want to compete, I want to build. We have so many fundamentals that are lacking — screening, physical style of play.”

Let’s not kid ourselves, this 66 game season is about to feel like the longest one ever. The Raptors are going to play hard each night as they did last year but my glass half full prediction is not far off from the glass half empty one.

Glass half full: 23 wins
Glass half empty: 19 wins

With 5 games on tap to kick off the season, I compiled a video to get you in the NBA Christmas spirit. Happy Holidays. Enjoy!

(Video credits to users on Youtube)

The schedule wallpaper is available in 4 resolutions and includes the Canadian TV Schedule (subject to change during the season). TV Schedules have also been included in the iCal and Google Calendar version.

Make sure you click the links for the size wallpaper you need. You will notice slight variations in each of the sizes.

Raptors Schedule Wallpaper - Size: 1920x1200
Raptors Schedule Wallpaper - Size: 1680x1050
Raptors Schedule Wallpaper - Size: 1280x1024
Raptors Schedule Wallpaper - Size: 1280x800

Toronto Raptors 2011-2012 Schedule

Google Calendar: (Link)
iCal Version - Raptors 2011-2012 Season Schedule w/ TV listing (Make sure you right click the link and hit the save link or save as… )

Raptors iPhone & Blackberry Backgrounds

I will be making a couple of new backgrounds and posting them on the Heels Blog FB page. Give it a like so you can grab those on the weekend. If you prefer the ones from last season, they are linked below

Click link to download high resolution: iPhone – Claw (last season)
Click link to download high resolution: iPhone – Silhouette (last season)

Download Link: Blackberry – Dark
Download Link: Blackberry – Red

Atlanta Hawks: They dug up the grave and pulled out TMac, Stackhouse & Vlad Rad? Too bad they couldn’t bury JJ’s contract. First round exit seems realistic.

Boston Celtics: Shortened season helps the aging big 3, but with the loss of Green and Big Baby its going to be hard to go deep in the East.

Chicago Bulls: Rose has to be in full bloom all season with little backup. Solid front court should guarantee some good battles in the playoffs.

Charlotte Bobcats: They may not have much,  but what they do have going for them is a roster full of guys with hella cool names. Rebuild in effect.

Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron season ticket holders are gone. Expect to see a whole lot of empty seats (see: NJ Nets 09-10 season). Rebuild in effect.

Dallas Mavericks: Damn. They got real old, real quick. Not sure if they can repeat but that would have been a dream team 6 years ago.

Denver Nuggets: They got the tattoo title on lock and should remain players in the West by re-signing their guys in addition to adding Fernandez and Faried.

Detroit Pistons: If anyone is going to be worse than the Raptors it will be this years Detroit Pistons. Rebuild in effect.

Golden State Warriors: “Mama, There goes that man!”… Oops, it’s just Kwame jogging out the building after looting the Warriors. New Coach, young team, not ready.

Houston Rockets: Not a player with more than 8 years in the NBA and a coach that has seen it all. This is going to be an interesting experiment.

Indiana Pacers: They won the David West sweepstakes and if they can keep Granger healthy, this team may be the surprise of the East.

Los Angeles Clippers: The Clippers now have a wait list for season tickets! ’nuff said. Oh, and Chris Paul. Slot them into your League Pass favorites.

Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe may be losing half his net worth but isn’t about to do the same on the court. Expect the Lake Show to remain the hottest ticket in town

Memphis Grizzlies: The best underdog story from last season took a blow with the loss of Darrell Arthur to a torn ACL. A healthy Gay should keep them in the mix.

Miami Heat: (Dream Team – Take #2) They chose Eddy Curry over Magloire… really?!? Well, maybe the second time’s the charm. /scene

Milwaukee Bucks: They need Bogut w/ 2 fully functioning arms ‘cuz Stephen Jackson is not the answer. Not sure where this team is going but it’s not the ECF.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Rubio has finally made it across the pond… only to throw passes up court to Bonzi Wells. Rooting hard for this team but let’s be realistic.

New York Knicks: What a difference a year can make… and the fact that every guy in the NBA wants to play in NY. Contenders as far as the PG’s can take them.

New Jersey Nets: No Dwight & still in Jersey, the Nets are headed for a season of uncertainty. The main question… How long does the Kardashian effect last?

New Orleans Hornets: CP3 was going to leave eventually. They managed to get great value back… now if they could just get a real owner. Caution: Rebuild ahead.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Have you seen Kendrick Perkins lately? A full season with this roster should put them as the team to beat in the West.

Orlando Magic: This team is headed in the wrong direction but I would still pay PPV $$ to have Stan Van Gundy mic’ed up for a game. Caution: Rebuild ahead.

Portland Trailblazers: They lost Brandon Roy, still have no answers about Oden and remain without a GM. Great way to kick off what looked like a promising season.

Philadelphia 76′ers: Still waiting for Evan Turner to blow up but this team has enough guys to squeak into the playoffs for a second straight season.

Phoenix Suns: “Hey Sarver, it’s time to let go.” Nash and Hill remain on this team that is a shell of its former self. Warning: Losing Season Ahead.

Sacramento Kings: JIMMMMER! Healthy Tyreke! Staying in SacTo! The win-loss record will be ugly but they should be fun to watch.

San Antonio Spurs: Duncan, Ginobli & Parker aren’t getting younger so Popovich needs his young guys to step up in order to avoid last season’s playoff outcome.

Toronto Raptors: Ever wonder how a 15 man roster of role players would fare in the NBA? Time to find out… Rebuild in effect.

Utah Jazz: Coach Corbin will have to settle for 66 games in his first full season after replacing Jerry Sloan. Roster looks like its time for a rebuild.

Washington Wizards: Digging the new look uniforms, not so much the team around John Wall. Like last season, this is a work in progress.

Expect coach to be doing a whole lot of this during the season.

A log jam at the PG spot, the Raptors still elected to bring veteran Anthony Carter into the mix. With just a year left on his contract, he may just be roster filler but this could also mean Bayless and Barbosa spend some time playing the two guard where DeMar DeRozan is slotted to start. The Raptors have enough guards but the big mystery is at SF. With Sonny Weems gone, James Johnson has a chance to display his defensive abilities to Coach Casey and secure the starting spot. Right on his heels are new additions Rasual Butler and Gary Forbes who should have plenty of opportunity to get playing time at the 3.

It may be a whole lot of ugly when the games start to matter but there are still the small victories to look forward to. Andrea’s relationship with rebounding, DeRozan’s jumper, Amir Johnson’s foul rate, and maybe Jose finally finds an alternative to the clap defence!

In the end, this may be a shortened NBA season but for most Raptors fans, it may feel like the longest one ever.

(Note: I will be updating the look and feel of the site over the next few weeks but hope to be producing content regularly in the meantime, so please ignore the mess!)