It took three minutes for the Raptors to record their first points of the game and by that time they were already stuck 10. As well as they have played of late, the Raptors came out the gates slow and dug themselves a deep hole early, allowing the Magic to set the tone. A furious comeback in the first quarter was the only real one they were able to muster up as the Magic went about their business and showed why they are regarded as a top-tier team in the east.

“We just got to take this one as a bad one,” said Calderon post game. Unfortunately the bad ones keep piling up for the Raptors who at 16-34 have won as many at home as they have on the road. It doesn’t get any easier with just a month left in the regular season… they still have three more to play before the week is up.

The Night In Numbers

16 point lead for the Magic just 7 minutes into the game. The Raptors struggled to get going and committed 6 turnovers in the 1st quarter.

“We came out as flat as a pancake against one of the top teams in the league, and it’s disappointing.” – Dwane Casey.

12 man roster for the Raptors who were without DeRozan. That included the recently signed Alan Anderson who saw 7:33 of playing time, despite coming to the arena straight from the airport, due to the lack of available bodies after Bayless left the game.

It doesn’t matter how many guys we’ve got, we just have to show every night what we can do and that we can compete. We didn’t tonight.” – Jose Calderon.

21 points for Gary Forbes. One of the lone bright spots for the Raptors, Forbes followed up his career high in rebounds vs. the Bulls with a career high in points against the Magic.

46 points in the paint, the Magic almost doubled up the Raptors in that category. They also were +11 in fast break points and +9 in second chance points, completely dominating all the hustle stats.

54% shooting from the field for the Magic. The Raptors have not won a game this season when allowing their opponent to shoot over 50%. The 117 points given up were also a season high.

11 Three pointers made by the Raptors. They tried to keep pace with the Magic since they couldn’t stop them, but still ended up -12 points in the category.

23 Minutes for Andrea Bargnani who struggled with foul trouble early and then the inability to make a shot. Just when he looked to be finding his groove, a night like tonight makes you think that calf is not all the way back yet.

101 points for the Raptors which meant the fans went wild for the worst promotion in pro sports…

“Really, we got a standing ovation for a slice? They told me they got a free pizza. A slice, you’ve got to sit in your seat and clap you can’t stand up on a slice, I’m sorry that’s bad etiquette.” – Stan Van Gundy.

Up Next: Nuggets @ Raptors. Wednesday, 28th March, 2012.

The first half of this one was far from memorable. The Raptors were shooting blanks from all over but were getting good looks, while the Warriors were relying on the offense of just two guys in a team game. It didn’t get much better offensively in the second half but the Warriors shot themselves out of it and the Raptors started hitting some of those open looks. Monta Ellis struggled going 8-22 for 20 points and with Stephen Curry unavailable, the Raptors were able to focus on him for most of the game.

Dwane Casey stressed pre-game that this was going to be the complete opposite of the Memphis game and the focus would be to run the shooters off the 3 point line. The Raptors went small early and often, stuck to the game plan and forced the Warriors into trying to establish an inside game. DeMar who had a quiet 25 got some offensive help from Barbosa and the Raptors made the timely plays to close this one out, a feat that has eluded them over the last month.

The Night In Numbers

25 Points for DeMar DeRozan was a game high and a good bounce back game for him after scoring just 4 points against the Grizzlies. DeMar also played a game high 46 minutes on the first night of a back to back, hope those legs hold up for tomorrow.

3 Raptors in double digit rebounding (Amir, James & Ed) helped the team finish +!0 on the boards. The last time that happened was 2 years ago with Bosh, Andrea and Amir.

12 Rebounds are a career high for James Johnson who also tallied 12 points. This was his second double-double of the season as he continues to become an important piece of this puzzle.

16 Turnovers for the Raptors for a second consecutive game. They gave up just 7 points off them tonight compared to the 24 they gave up to the Grizzlies. A big sign of the team hustling back tonight. The Raps also managed to take advantage of the 14 Warriors turnovers, scoring 18 points off them.

28 Second half points for the Warriors is a season low for a Raptors opponent. The Raps clamped down in the second half, giving up just 11 points in the 3rd quarter and a total of 75 to a team that averages over 97 points and are in the top 10 in the league scoring.

14 Fast break points for the Raptors while holding the Warriors to just 1. The Raptors managed to get back on D after misses as well as the 16 turnovers.

4 Three pointers for the Warriors. Pre-game coach Casey stressed the Raps have to run them off the 3 point line and they managed to pull it off. Warriors shot 19 three’s and made just 21%.

UP NEXT: Magic @ Raptors. Monday, 5th March 2012. 7PM

Andrea Bargnani: A-

Jose Calderon: A
This is the Jose Calderon that earned the fat contract a few years back. The swagger is back and he has abandoned the clap defense for the most part. Sure he still gets burned by his opposing counterparts but he has been trying harder than ever on D. The offense was always there but Jose has been a coaches dream so far. He brings so much stability to the team and with them being young, he is the perfect PG to make sure they are getting the ball in the right spots and he bails them out with his shot when needed. Right now Jose is playing like an elite PG on a rebuilding team and might just be a victim of the upcoming trade deadline.

DeMar DeRozan: B-
It’s safe to say DeMar hasn’t made the jump most expected him to. Seems that in the process of extending his shooting range this past offseason, DeMar lost some of that athletic ability fans had become accustomed to. I don’t want to start throwing out Vince Carters name and the whole love for the jump shot but things were a little shaky to start the season. He remains an enigma but this last home stretch showed the aggressive DeRozan the team needs. He is still one of the younger guys on the roster with a boat load of talent, give him another 33 games to bring that out.

James Johnson: B+
Probably the biggest surprise so far this season considering how much of a question mark he was coming in. James Johnson has brought a defensive mentality that fans have not seen here since the days of Oakley and Christie. He has yet to figure out the offensive side of his game but that can be worked on. The natural instincts he has shown has ensured him a spot in the starting rotation and if he continues on the path he is on, he becomes one of those un-tradeables at the end of the year.

Amir Johnson: C+
There was the off-season surgery and the in-season personal issues but Amir has yet to put together a stretch of games where he is consistently producing for the team. For the first time in his career, foul trouble is not at the forefront, but with inconsistant production comes inconsistant playing time. Andrea’s injury left an opening for Amir to establish himself as an essential part of the team but he failed to take full advantage of that. His energy is still a big asset but it’s a matter of how long it will take for him to figure out how to use it more effectively.

Jerryd Bayless: C
Unfortunately, Bayless has spent more time having a fashion face off with Bargnani than pounding the rock so far this season. He is still Barbosa 2.0 and the ankle injuries haven’t helped his stock with the team or his trade value. Bayless is still young but unless he finds a way to show his skills I can’t imagine he remains in the long term plans for this team.

Linas Kleiza: B
This is the Kleiza fans were expecting to see last season but it is nice to see he finally arrived. With that knee healed up for the most part, Kleiza has become the Raptors best post up guy. Unfortunately it seems everyone on this team above 6’6″ plays better at the 4 spot and there are only so many minutes to go around. Expect Kleiza to stick around and keep doing his thing as he awaits the arrival of the other Lithuanian next season.

Leandro Barbosa: B-
Barbosa has bailed the Raptors out on a few occasions this season and though his shot took some time to get on track early on, his boost of the bench is sorely needed on most nights. Don’t hold your breadth for him to suddenly become generous with the ball — that was never his MO. Barbosa could help a lot of teams in the playoffs and I imagine Bryan Colangelo will be working the phones in the next couple of weeks to find him a new home.

Ed Davis: C
One night you think he has turned the corner and then he throws up back to back duds. That lefty hook is pretty but I have not seen a guy blow so many layups within 2 feet of the basket since Milt Palacio was doing so on a nightly basis in a Raptors uniform. Let’s put it out there that he is still young and raw, and we know it takes longer for big men to make the adjustment, it just would be nice to see more hunger from this kid through the second half of the season.

Aaron Gray: B
Aaron Gray and his masterful hair have been a pleasant surprise so far and when all is said and done, it may well be the best move Bryan Colangelo made in the offseason. If anything while Andrea was out, it was Gray who has stepped up and earned more playing time. He still doesn’t have a post up game but his rebounding instincts and sheer size in the lane are a reason enough to keep the project in the fold possibly beyond this season.

Gary Forbes: C
Being totally honest, I was expecting more from Forbes. He has not managed to crack the rotation on a 10 win team and during his sporadic playing time he has not really shown a reason for that to change. His numbers are down for the most part from his rookie season and it seems that he still has some proving to do on the practice courts before he sees more time under the big lights.

Anthony Carter: C
Pushing 37, Carter has probably played more minutes than most expected, largely due to injuries. He hasn’t done much to hurt the team but he isn’t helping much either, well aside from the surprising 4 blocks. He is playing the player coach role this season and if Bayless stays healthy through the rest of the way, expect Carter to make himself comfortable on the bench.

Rasual Butler: C-
Where to start with this one? Butler is a vet and that was the role he was expected to play. He got minutes early in the season and did nothing with them expect prove he is on the wrong side of the hill with his career. A 3 point shooter who can’t shoot and with time it seems he lost some of his confidence doing other things too. Coach really likes his leadership in the locker room but fans would probably prefer he stays in there during the game too. Not going to knock what he has accomplished in his career but on a young team it would be a shame if he takes away any more minutes from guys who are still looking to grow.

Jamal Magloire: C
Most fans are going to remember the missed free throws and inability to grab key rebounds late in the game but Magloire has proved to be quite a vocal leader on this team. Several times this season he has come off the bench and changed the complexion of a game, and boy does this guy know how to set screens. Expect more of the same as the season goes on and he continues to be a mentor to the younger guys, while setting the tone by making sure guys are communication on the floor and on the bench.

Solomon Alabi: NG
Not much of a surprise with this one as Alabi has played less than 10 minutes this season. Not expecting that to change much before the year is up either.

With a large Asian contingent present at the ACC to watch Lin, there was a strong buzz going before things tipped off. A few minutes in though, I along with most on media row were left confused. Fans were booing Lin at the line but as soon as he made the shot the place would erupt. Were these Raptors fans, Knicks fans or Jeremy Lin fans? By the end of the evening when he had hit the game winning shot, I decided they were a mix of both. There were those who were rooting for him to fail but then couldn’t help applaud as he kept proving the doubters wrong. There were others who were rooting for a great story and even more who were there to check out the hype.

Lin struggled early and Jose Calderon managed to run circles around him. The Raptors played out the first half perfectly, giving up just 36 points and looked to be in control. Things changed quickly in the second half, as they often do in the NBA. The Raptors coughed up the ball 12 times and allowed the Knicks to gain momentum. Chandler was in foul trouble but the Raps were unable to take advantage of that playing smaller, though they did outscore the Knicks 50-46 in the paint. The inability to convert at the line, coupled with the turnovers set the stage for Lin and what a heck of a performance he turned in. 27 points to go along with 11 helpers and he hit a game winning three.

The Raptors didn’t seem to buy into the hype to start, but when it came down to crunch time, they became spectators. A chance to shine in front of a huge audience, they became the secondary story. For one more day… Linsanity continues, For the Raptors — tonight is another game.

The Night in Numbers

19 Turnovers on the night but the glaring number is 9 of them came in the final frame. You are not going to win many games averaging a turnover a minute.

-9 at the free throw line. The Raptors didn’t get to the line much but even when they did, they managed to convert on only 60% of them.

25 Points for Calderon to go along with 9 assists and 7 rebounds but he was held scoreless in the final frame when D’Antoni made the switch and put Shumpert on him. Jose played a stellar game but at the end, it was him on Lin and Lin won.

16 Fast break points. The Raptors managed to control the pace of the game and scored 24 points off the Knicks’ 16 turnovers. Earlier in the season, still figuring out the new system, one wondered if they were ever going to get out and run.

11 Blocks for the Raptors, 5 of them courtesy of Amir Johnson as he threw a little block party for Amare Stoudemire. A trend emerging under Dwane Casey’s system is the Raps are winning the hustle categories on most nights.

30 Points given up by the Raptors in the 3rd quarter after holding the Knicks to just 36 for the first half. Lapses like these are what Dwane Casey keeps talking about when he says they need to learn how to play 48 minutes.

12 Points for Jeremy Lin, 6 of those came in the final minute including the game winning 3, ensuring LINsanity would go on for another day.

The Raptors are 1-3 so far on this home stand but the 3 losses have been by a combined 11 points. “Losing pretty” one might call it but there is a quick turn around and it’s on to the next one leaving little time to dwell on the past…

Up Next: Spurs @ Raptors. Wednesday, 15th February 2012. 7PM

All season coach has preached defensive intensity and after allowing the Bucks to shoot 56% in the first half, Dwane Casey spoke to the team after the loss, stressing “we have lost our pride guarding the yard. We have slipped.” Some blame can go on the limited practice time and the condensed schedule, but Casey put it on himself and his staff to find the time to keep instilling the fundamentals they have been preaching to this team that is still trying to find it’s identity.

The game plan was to make Jennings a non factor and the Raptors accomplished that. Casey inserted Amir Johnson in the starting lineup for match up purposes but that did not stop Drew Gooden from getting hot early, he finished the night with 20pts and 14 rbs. The Bucks not known for their offense got 35 points off the bench from Jackson and Dunleavy and 25 from Delfino who was clearly up for this one agains his former team. The Raptors won most of the hustle categories in most part thanks to James Johnson who is becoming a regular stat stuffer, but losing the rebounding battle while allowing the Bucks to shoot a high percentage was the recipe for their demise.

It doesn’t get any easier with the Celtics, Lakers, Knicks and Spurs coming up but in a season of small victories and silver linings, just getting the team back on track with the defensive mentality would be a win.

The Night in Numbers

6 Three pointers made by Carlos Delfino. The Bucks as a team shot nearly 50% from deep.

+10 in Points in the paint for the Raptors. Considering they played small for most of the game this was a positive.

19 Turnovers for the Bucks led to 20 points for the Raptors. The TO’s and 12 offensive rebounds helped the Raps get out and run, scoring 19 on the fast break.

25 Points for DeMar DeRozan who got hot early but started to fade in the second half when the Bucks brought pressure.

27 Assists on 37 made FG’s for the Raptors at a team. They were moving the ball all night, and most of that contribution came from Jose Calderon (15 ast).

6 Bucks players reached double digits in scoring including Stephen Jackson and Mike Dunleavy who came off the bench

Up Next: Celtics @ Raptors. Friday, Feb 9th 2012.

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

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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.