Despite Rondo drama, Mavs outlast Raptors 99-92

Dallas Mavericks PG Rajon Rondo and head coach Rick Carlisle got into a heated exchange of words in the opening minutes of the 3rd quarter. No one knows what was said yet, but whatever it was, it caused Rondo to be benched for the remainder of the game.

That didn't stop the Mavericks from buckling down and taking control of this game and getting out of the first night of a back to back with a 99-92 victory over the Toronto Raptors. Some might argue that benching Rondo helped. The Raptors were shooting lights out in the first half, only for their field goal percentage to drop to a mediocre 45%. The Mavericks turned the ball over an uncharacteristic 20 times to the Raptors 19. It was a sloppy game in terms of ball control.

I salute Al-Farouq Aminu for his play Tuesday night. He nearly had his 3rd double-double of the season with 9 points and 12 rebounds.   He also had 2 blocked shots in the winning effort but what stood out the most was his hustle and energy displayed on the floor. He is flying to the ball and is always actively trying play a part in every play on the defensive

Whether the whole Rondo-Carlisle ordeal will be a future issue is yet to be seen. Could it have just been the typical coach-player dispute that happens in all sports on every level? Or is there a deeper meaning to it? Will it play a role in Rajon Rondo's future in Dallas? Since he left the game in the 3rd, the team proceeded to take over the game. Is Dallas better off without Rondo?

*stats/photo via NBA.com

Read More

Bulls' Record 49 point 4th Q. Helps Topple Toronto, 129-120.

Derrick Rose was back in the lineup and Chicago felt the comfort level, scoring 49 fourth quarter points to storm past the Toronto Raptors, the East's top team to date (22-8).  Home is starting to look like "home sweet home" as the Bulls won their 3rd home game in a row to move to 6 wins for the season.  Rose led 7 Bulls in double figures as he tallied 29 points on 12-19 attempts from the field.

The Raptors had won 6 games in a row, all without their top player, G DeMar DeRozen, out with an injury. Kyle Lowry again sparkled for the Raptors, scoring a game high 34 points.

Chicago and Toronto played a taut game for most of 3 quarters, but the Bulls pulled slowly ahead in the third with a 5 point lead. Then the floodgates opened and 49 points were scored in 12 minutes. Sometimes last season, it would take until the third quarter until Chicago had 49 points.

When they are clicking, the Bulls can score points.  Aaron Brooks scored 17 in a reserve role.  Pau Gasol, had 14 to go with 9 rebounds.  Joakim Noah had 14 points and F Nikola Mirotic added 12 points.

Jimmy Butler continues to impress and is making a name for himself in the League. He is an emerging star now, playing 40 minutes a game, doing it all.  His coach, Tom Thibodeau, is singing his praises almost nightly.  "He's playing terrific," "Thibs" said of Butler.

When Rose plays well, The Bulls play well.  They are well over .500 with him in as point-guard.  He apparently is finding is scoring touch.  His knees are holding up. If he is healthy, the Bulls will make some noise this season.

Read More

Toronto Raptors: Next Man Up

The Toronto Raptors started off the season hot with an 13-3 record but with the most recent injury from their star guard DeMar DeRozan the Raptors must look for some more help from their young talent pool. DeRozan, who was an 0-8 from the field on Friday's contest against the Dallas Mavericks, left the game early in the 3rd quarter after suffering a groin injury (torn left adductor longs tendon) and has been ruled out indefinitely. DeRozan has played in 399 out of a 410 games in his career. He hopes to return in 4 weeks or less, but with DeRozan out the Raptors will look to get help from other key players on the roster.

One person the Raptors will be looking to get a spark from is Terrence Ross. Ross is averaging 10.7 points 2.6 rebounds. He will need to step up in order for the Raptors to be successful going forward. Don't get me wrong, Ross can light it up quickly.  The last time DeRozan was out Ross went for a scorching 51 points, tying the franchise record set by Vince Carter back in 2000. The Raptors aren't expecting 30 points from him every night, but a solid 16 points would do justice. This is Ross's shot to show the league his scoring ability and that he can do something other than just dunk the basketball and shoot the long ball.

Another player the Raptors will need is Jonas Valanciunas. Jonas is averaging 11.9 points and 8.3 rebounds in 24.7 minutes. For the Raptors to keep their hot streak, Jonas will need to get going early. Jonas should strive at the opportunity to have the ball in the post more and a 15 and 11 stat line is pretty reasonable. Jonas should take this chance as a learning opportunity and maybe even give us all a little glimpse of the future for Jonas.

The Raptors will also need their 2nd unit to continue their stellar job thus far and continue it into the month of December. Lou Williams has come off the bench for the Raptors playing his best basketball in years.  Williams, who was traded in late June to the Raptors in exchange for John Salmons, surprised many by being named Easter Conference Player of the Week, scoring a career-high 36 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Williams has done it all and he's just getting started. If he can continue his amazing play with the help from Patrick Patterson, Greivis Vasquez, and James Johnson; the Raptors won't have to worry about the best bench in the league keeping up with the starters.

The Raptors lineup going into their contest against the Los Angles Lakers Sunday will most likely consist of Kyle Lowry, Terrence Ross, James Johnson, Amir Johnson, and Jonas Valanciunas. Landry Fields who has proved himself valuable when given playing time could see himself inserted into the starting lineup if coach Dwane Casey decides he would like to keep the 2nd unit intact. The Raptors' depth will be tested heavily and this is the chance for us all to see if the Raptors will rise or sink to the challenge. Lowry stated the following in an interview after the loss to the Mavericks:

"We've got to play. Next man up. It's a team, not about one guy. If anybody goes down the next man has to step up."

If its from Ross, Jonas, the 2nd unit, even if it's Bruno Cabcolo for crying out loud, the Raptors will be looking for anybody on the roster that could provide a spark and with this 15 men deep roster. It can be anyone...


Raptors next 5 games: A: Lakers A: Kings A: Jazz H: Cavs H: Nuggets
A = Away H= Home

Read More

"Half Man, Half Amazing"

Wednesday night was no ordinary game for the Toronto Raptors. It was the return of Vince Carter. Nearly 10 years ago Carter was shipped to the then New Jersey Nets for Eric Williams, Aaron Williams, Alonzo Mourning and two first round draft picks. This move hit the Raptors hard. Trading away their franchise's best player for Mourning who refused to join the Raptors with a injury and was soon bought out and returned to the Miami Heat. Eric and Aaron were two poor players and one draft pick was used on Joey Graham while the other was traded away. To date this was the worst trade in franchise history.

Raptor fans are never kind to Carter when he steps onto the court in the Air Canada Center, but last night it was different. The Raptors set up a video tribute for Carter in the first quarter. Carter was emotional when watching the video, tearing up and after 10 years of hatred the crowd finally applauded Carter. Carter then thanked the crowd wiping his tears from his shirt."It was a great feeling," Carter said. "I couldn't write it any better."

Carter has been a role model for Canadians if we'd like to admit or not. He put basketball in Canada on the map. From the likes of Andrew Wiggins who stated that his interest in basketball came from watching Vince Carter when he was on the Raptors. Vince Carter might have exited Toronto horribly but he will forever be a huge part in Raptor fans lives. From 2004-present Carter is 2nd on the Raptors All-Time Scoring list, 5th in rebounds, 4th in assists, 3rd in blocks, 3rd in steals, and the greatest Raptor of All-Time. "Air Canada," "Half Man Half Amazing," "Vinsanity," call him what you want. When it's all said and done Vince Carter's jersey will be raised up in the rafters and he'll be a legend forever.

Read More

Can the Raptors repeat the road success of last season?

After a 109-102 win on Opening Night win against the Atlanta Hawks, the Toronto Raptors head out on the road to face the Orlando Magic and the Miami Heat. With all five starters scoring in double figures, the Raptors were just too much to handle for the Hawks. Jonas Valanciunas led the team in scoring with 17 points and 8 rebounds. Amir Johnson poured in 16 points and 10 rebounds while DeMar DeRozan, who is known for his offensive game, surprised many and grabbed 11 rebounds along with 6 steals.

The Raptors face the Magic Saturday night which shouldn't be much of a challenge after sweeping the season series last year. Sunday the franchise will face the Heat which should be a interesting contest. The Raptors haven't had any success facing "The Big 3" in previous years but with LeBron James back in Cleveland, it gives Toronto a great chance to finally beat the Heat.

Tonight the Raptors look to continue their success on the road and build from last season's franchise-record 22 games won on the road.  This season's success on the road should be very interesting for the Raptors, if they can repeat the road success of the 2013-14 NBA season, Toronto would have earned the right to become the Atlantic Division Champions consecutively for the first time in franchise history.

Read More

5 Potential Busts of 2014 NBA Draft

The 2014 NBA Draft was one of the more loaded drafts in recent memory. There were franchise changing players at the top, with plenty of strong players following right behind. While there are plenty of good players in the draft, there undoubtedly will be some that fall short of expectations. Here are some potential busts from the 2014 NBA Draft.

Aaron Gordon, Forward, Arizona: Gordon is as athletic as they come in this class, but that is about all that he has going for him currently. Like so many of the players who grew up playing AAU basketball, Gordon does not have a true position, being labeled a tweener at small forward and power forward.

Associated Press

Gordon was a top-prospect in this draft, and he falls into the bust category more because of where he was drafted and selected before. It was the first surprise of the draft that he was taken ahead of Julius Randle, Marcus Smart, Dante Exum and Noah Vonleh. When you are selected ahead of players expected to excel at the level those are, you better bring your A game.

Gordon has some ways to go on both ends of the court, and is joining a team he will have every opportunity to showcase himself. The Magic though are currently loaded at the forward positions, so Gordon will have to prove himself worthy of the minutes as he will be facing plenty of competition.

Nik Stauskas, Shooting Guard, Michigan: This pick for bust has less to do with the player, and more to do with the team he was selected by. Stauskas is joining a team that is in flux with its roster, trying to figure out who is in their long term plans and who to move on to. Not to mention the Sacramento Kings first round pick from 2013 is a shooting guard in Ben McLemore.

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Stauskas can score the ball offensively, but he may not have a good chance to do it with the Kings. Getting lost in the shuffle is something Stauskas should be very worried about as players such as Rudy Gay and Travis Outlaw will be playing minutes at the same position as Stauskas in addition to McLemore. The track record the Kings have with first round picks make Stauskas a candidate to be a bust.

Tyler Ennis, Point Guard, Syracuse: Ennis is a bust candidate because he does not fit the mold of where the NBA is heading at the position. He is a smart player, but it is hard to imagine him being able to consistently stick with the super-athletes that are filling up the point guard position now.

Mark Konezny - USA TODAY Sports

He is also not a strong shooter, something teams need from their point guards. Last season at Syracuse Ennis shot only 41 percent from the field and 35 percent from the three point line. Those are numbers he must improve upon at the NBA-level to have any success; NBA teams cannot afford to have a player that offers nothing offensively on the court, especially when your defense is as in question as Ennis’ is.

Ennis also falls onto this list because of how things are looking with the Phoenix Suns. The Suns signed Isaiah Thomas from the Kings in free agency, further pushing Ennis down the depth chart. They already have breakout player Goran Dragic on the team, and are in contract negotiations with Eric Bledsoe to bring him back as well. Ennis could very well be the fourth string point guard heading into the season, firmly placing him on the bench with the bust label.

Josh Huestis, Power Forward, Stanford: It is not Huestis’ fault that he was selected in the first round by the Oklahoma City Thunder, but like all other players he needs to be judged by his draft selection, and he has bust written all over him. Huestis is known more for his rebounding and defense, something that is not always appreciated when it comes to evaluating draft prospects.

David Butler II - USA TODAY Sports

Huestis was also not expected to be in the mix as a first round pick, so expectations are automatically heightened for him. Getting selected to a team like the Thunder gives you time to develop your skills, but there are a slew of players ahead of Huestis currently on the roster, and playing time will be hard to come by. He also has to contend with fellow first round draft pick Mitch McGary

Huestis has a long road ahead of him to crack the rotation and get minutes with the Thunder this season. He is destined for a spot in the D-League this upcoming year.

Bruno Caboclo, Small Forward, Brazil: There is not much known about Caboclo other than he is the Brazilian Kevin Durant. ESPN international scout Fran Fraschilla also said that he was two years away from being two years away, meaning Caboclo is nowhere near ready to contribute to the Toronto Raptors.

Dave Abel/Toronto Sun/QMI Agency

Caboclo it has been said will be a part of the NBA roster, but it is hard to imagine him giving much positive to the Raptors. He is an extremely raw basketball player, and could be stapled to the Raptors bench for many seasons to come. Like Huestis, it is not Caboclo’s fault that he was selected where he was, but he will be judged with where he was selected.

The Raptors would have been better off getting another wing such as Rodney Hood, Jordan Adams or P.J. Hairston, all three of which were selected after Caboclo.

Read More

Raptors trade for Williams

The Toronto Raptors traded John Salmons to the Atlanta Hawks for Lou Williams, Lucas "Bebe" Nugiera, and a first round pick. The Raptors were planning on waiving John Salmons prior to Monday so they could avoid paying him $7 million. They were able to add more depth to their bench in Williams who was one of the best players role players in the league before tearing his ACL. Lucas was the 16th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft from Brazil that played in the Spanish ACB League this season and is a great shot blocker. The Raptors also have until midnight tonight to waive Tyler Hansbrough and save $2.3 million.

Read More

Raptors on the Rise

Veteran NBA writer Ric Bucher from Bleacher Report reported that the Miami Heat were looking to acquire Toronto Raptors G Kyle Lowry via sign and trade for cash and future draft picks.  Despite Bucher's admission of the rumor being false Raptors GM Masai Uriji said himself that the Raptors and the Heat have had zero conversations about Lowry. To think that the Raptors would trade Lowry, who had his best season as pro for cash and future draft picks is ridiculous. On July 1st Kyle Lowry will become a free agent and the Raptors will do everything in their power to re-sign him. The Heat may be interested in Lowry but that is not their number one priority going into free agency. The Heat have to convince the Big 3 to re-sign to lower deals. With Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem all opting out Saturday and LeBron James opting out early this week, the Heat will have $55 million in cap space to use this off-season to rebuild their roster. The Raptors number one priority is re-signing Lowry.......period!

The Raptors have extended qualifying offers to restricted free agents Grievis Vasquez, Patrick Patterson, and Nando De Colo which gives them the power to match any offers they may receive via free agency. Tyler Hansbrough's $3.3 million salary for next season becomes fully guaranteed Sunday.  This off-season, anything could happen. With a number of elite free agents, you have to expect, the unexpected which is why this is the most important off season in the Raptors history.  

In this years NBA Draft the Raptors held the 20th, 37th, 59th picks. Going into the draft the Raptors had a game plan to draft Tyler Ennis at 20, then trade John Salmons and their 37th pick to the Grizzles for Tayshuan Prince and their 20th pick to draft Clint Capela. That plan was washed when the Pheonix Suns drafted Ennis at 18. The Raptors then had to go with the next guy on the list, Bruno Caboclo. Bruno is an 18 year old 6'9 small forward from Brazil that played with a team called Pinheiros. When the Raptors drafted Bruno it was huge shocker to everyone. No one knew who this guy was, but after checking out his scouting report he has potential to be great. Some say "The Brazilian Kevin Durant." He can shoot, defend, dribble the ball. He also has just over 7'6 wing span. Most people asked why the Raptors didn't take him at 37. Phoenix also new about Bruno. Phoenix had the 28th pick and Suns G Leandro Barbosa knew about Bruno while being injured and training in Brazil.  It was during that time that Barbosa met Bruno and began to mentor him. The Raptors didn't want to take a chance on someone else taking him. Bruno arrived in Toronto on Friday and arrived at the arena on Saturday to workout with the Raptors and meet with the media. Bruno knows little English and has an interpreter. He will be playing in the Summer League and meeting with DeMar DeRozan, Amir Johnson, and Terrence Ross next week.  There's a lot of upside for this young man and he's determined to get better.

The Raptors also had the 37th pick and drafted DeAndre Daniels from Connecticut and with the 59th pick they drafted Xavier Thames from San Diego State but traded him to Brooklyn for cash. This off-season will be special for the Raptors expect Masai to pull of some moves you will never see coming. Watch the Raptors target a great power forward, maybe Pau Gasol. Also expect them to improve their bench, bringing players that are able to produce under coach Dwane Casey's system. The Raptors aren't even close to where they want to be, but they are on the right track.

Read More

Prospect Examination: Tyler Ennis

"I'd like to thank Coach [Jim] Boeheim, the coaching staff, my teammates and the amazing fans of Syracuse for the opportunity to play at a great university like Syracuse," Ennis said in a statement as he declared for the draft. "I feel this experience has helped prepare me to fulfill my lifelong dream – to play in the NBA."

Tyler Ennis entered this years college basketball season as a nobody since he's wasn't talked about in comparison to the other freshmen. At the start of the season Ennis wasn't thought of as a potential lottery pick and as he improved throughout the season it became more obvious to the oblivious that he would declare for the NBA Draft after his strong but surprising freshmen season ended. The Canadian product wasn't known or hyped up coming out of High School and didn't receive great ranks from respected High School athlete ranking sites (I.e. scouts.com, maxpreps.com, 247sports.com and rivals.com). Actually 247 Sports had him as a five-star athlete. But his high school rankings mean nothing now as he was clutch this season showing calmness in the court the entire 40 minutes.

This season with the Syracuse Orange he was a semi-finalist for the Naismith College Player of the Year and was named to the Second Team All-ACC (2014), All-ACC Freshmen Team (2014), All-ACC Defensive Team (2014). In 34 games he averaged 12.9 points, 5.5 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 2.1 steals, 41.1% (FG%), 35.3% (3P%) and 76.5% (FT%) in 35.7 minutes.

Ennis is expected to be a mid-late first rounder as he is believed to have more weaknesses than strengths, he is believed to be the third-best Point Guard in this years crop behind Dante Exum (Australia) and Marcus Smart (Oklahoma State). 

"If you were to ask me right now whether I'd take Ennis over Kyrie Irving, I think it's Ennis," an NBA GM said. "He does all the things that help a basketball team win basketball games. You can pick him apart on individual flaws, but I would take this kid right now and trust him to run my team. I think there's very few freshmen you could ever say that about."

Watching Ennis throughout the season it can be seen that he is very mature as a 19-year old and with that maturity he was given a bigger role and opportunity by long time Syracuse Head Coach, Jim Boeheim. Boeheim doesn't show if any admiration for freshmen but to him Ennis is different.

"Tyler, for us, he’s so valuable," Boeheim said on Ennis' importance. "He plays 40 minutes in the [ACC games]. We can’t win a game without him. Literally. If you talk about the best pro prospect (in the ACC), it’s Jabari Parker, but who’s the most valuable to his team? We don’t have a point guard, I don’t know where we would be without Tyler Ennis."

Scouts are impressed with Ennis' poise when he plays the game and it's obvious that he has a feel for the game that some players are missing which sets him apart from his other with a tremendous IQ and smooth operator like attitude. He has great handles as he only averaged 1.7 turnovers per game. On the court he has showcased leadership and great communication skills as he got his teammates into the right spots on the floor to make the offense flow like a waterfall which was a main reason as to why Syracuse started the season 25-0. Ennis will attempt to follow in the footsteps of former Orangemen guards Michael Carter-Williams and Dion Waiters into the NBA but the question is, Where will he get drafted? Most if not all NBA teams have a franchise Point Guard at this point in time and Ennis isn't good enough to become a franchise player but will be a backup in this golden age of Point Guards, the acculturation of the position is tremendous and it will be interesting to see how Ennis adjusts. 

Ennis' pick-and-roll game will translate perfectly to the NBA if he is teamed up with a good finishing big-man. If you compare Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul and Jrue Holiday to their respective college careers you would notice a difference in their points averaged from college to the NBA. The reason for that difference is because most colleges especially big schools have a offense they they refuse to change regardless of the players and players from smaller schools as in Damian Lillard and Jimmer Fredette who had to be scorers for their respective schools. 

Ennis is a mixture a pass-first guard and a scoring-guard; typically he's a traditional Point Guard in the first half but in the second half he's what most of this generations point guards do and that is score and if needed he will takeover. Some believe he's to unselfish, but there's no such thing of that at the point guard position since his job is to do what's best for the team and go with what  the defense gives him. He's an All-Around great Point Guard as he averaged a 3.24 to 1 assist-to-turnover ratio along with having a 5.38 Pure Point Rating which was good enough for 18th in the nation. 

When in the NBA he'll need to improve his jumpshot as it is very inconsistent. This past season he averaged 4.4 made shots per game on 10.6 attempts. As the season progressed Ennis gained more confidence to take that shot and would sometimes catch fire with it when his defender least expected it; sometimes on the fast-break when you think he's going to do something else he pulls-up for the shot, his shot wasn't as deadly as his driving ability to the rim. When needed he can score in bunches in a variety of ways if it's with hit shot, driving ability, runners, floaters etc.

At 6'2" and 180-pounds he isn't the biggest defender on the court and his lack of mass is quite evident. Despite his lack of size, he did average 2.1 steals, 3.9 steal percentage and 2.2 defensive win shares all show how IQ on that side of the court but he doesn't have the potential to become a good defender and could just be average on that end; possibly a liability. 

"I think he’s a great college player," Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said. "I think physically he probably could’ve used another year. A little bit different than Dion Waiters who I had a couple of years ago who left. I think Dion was physically better, more physically ready."

When in the NBA Ennis' might not be selected to the All-Star team but will be a solid contributor to any team he's on. He contains things not can't be taught but only born with. As a team leader he brings positivity to the court as he never seems down in any situation and seems very positive. It'll be great to see how he performs during the combine and pre-draft workouts.

"He’s a tremendous player and a very, very smart point guard," Jim Boeheim said. "And I think the one thing I think is point guard is probably the hardest position to break into in the NBA, it’s a very difficult position, but he’s got the skill set to do that. It’s just a question of him landing in the right place."

NBA Comparisons: Chauncey Billups, Ray McCallum, George Hill, Austin Rivers

Best fits: Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks & Toronto Raptors.

Twitter: @NBAFLASHNEWS

Facebook: NBA Flash News

Instagram: NBAFLASHNEWS

Read More

The Future is Bright in Toronto

The Toronto Raptors came up short in game 7 of their NBA Playoff match-up against the Brooklyn Nets. Greivis Vasquez inbounded the ball with 6.2 seconds with the team down 1 after Terrence Ross, the 2nd year player who was waiting to break out of his shell of poor performances, gave the Raptors a chance to win the game after stealing the ball that was inbounded and throwing it off of Paul Pierce. It happened so sudden, Kyle Lowry, "Mr.Clutch", was blocked. Paul Pierce at 36 years old, who could barely get off the ground, was able to execute the game winning block that sent the Brooklyn Nets to the 2nd round and the Raptors packing. One could blame the refs or one could blame anybody on that court for the lose but you can't say that the Toronto Raptors didn't give it their all. With all the blown calls in the series the Raptors did everything that was possible against the Brooklyn Nets and the Officials. Lowry, who was not able to get off the ground after getting blocked, held his head with disbelief and was helped up by his teammates and made his way to the locker room in the glow of a standing ovation from the crowd.

This team, on December 8th, traded away their best player Rudy Gay and Quincy Acy plus Aaron Gray for four bench players from Sacramento Greivis Vasquez, John Salmons, Patrick Patterson, and Chuck Hayes. The Raptors were 6-12 and tanking was suggested an option by many. The Raptors did the opposite. Taking advantage of the poor Eastern Conference the Raptors were able to take the 3rd seed and never looked back. They posted a franchise record with 48 wins this season. This team went from the bottom quickly to the top and made sure they gave a message to the league that they're coming. This team was 15 deep and every single player mattered; whether it was Landry Fields who played only 30 games or even Steve Novak. Every player was ready when their name was called, and made sure they didn't disappoint.

The current incarnation of the Raptors team may look different next season but this team will be built to win. Raptors' GM Masai Ujiri's plans are to re-sign Kyle Lowry who made it pretty obvious he wants to return next season and DeMar DeRozan even feels that Lowry will return by recently stating "He isn't worried about him." with a laugh, when asked about Lowry's future with the team. Ujiri is also planning on re-signing Greivis Vasquez and Patrick Patterson who had a huge impact on the Raptors success off the bench. Ujiri has been proven as a great GM and every Raptor fan should be ecstatic with what he will do. During the off-season Jonas Valanciunas, DeMar DeRozan, and Patrick Patterson will all be working with 2x NBA Champion Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon. Simply put, the future for the Raptors couldn't look more bright; even head coach Dwane Casey will be back next season after receiving a three year contract extension. Maybe even the most hated player to put on a Toronto Raptors jersey Vince Carter could be back to end his career here. Things just keep on getting better in Raptor Land and soon enough, the league won't be able to stop it.

Read More

Go Big Or Go Home.......GAME 7

At least we didn't lose by 26 points. The Toronto Raptors just didn't want this win. They settled early and that was  all she wrote. The Raptors played like the Brooklyn Nets in game 5 as they were down by 19 at halftime with DeMar DeRozan doing it all by himself, the Raptors needed more. The Raptors came out in the 3rd quarter playing defense, letting the Nets do whatever and whenever they wanted. Fans who have not watched the Raptors all season thought this game was over when the Nets went up 26 in the 3rd. Toronto needed a spark and disappointingly that wouldn't come until the 4th quarter. The Raptors went into the 4th down 20, and DeMar DeRozan had enough. DeRozan began the 4th aggressively; helping cut the lead down to 15 with a huge slam that breathed life into the franchise. DeRozan would finish the game with 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists.

The Raptors finally realized they were in the playoffs. They started moving the ball and Jonas who started off poorly did what he does best, finish at the rim with authority. Toronto looked as if they were going to stage an amazing comeback, but the Nets had different plans. The Nets came into tonight's game with a purpose. Paul Pierce had earlier guaranteed a win and he was spot on. Every time the Raptors made a little run, the Nets were able to respond and they eventually won the game by 14, 97-83. The Raptors must start game 7 out strong and not let the Nets take control early or they will be in for a long night. A Toronto vs Brooklyn game 7 will be this Sunday and the time will be TBD. This game is do or die for both teams hoping to move on to the 2nd round to face the 2x defending champs, the Miami Heat.

NOTE: Nets head coach Jason Kidd was fined early today $25,000 for public criticism of the officials. 

“If flopping is the way to go, we maybe have to play that game,” Kidd said, according to Newsday. “But Joe is a strong individual and unfortunately he doesn't flop. He plays, he doesn't complain. That's why we have officials.” - Jason Kidd 

Read More

Raptors Hang On To Win Game 5

One million viewers watched the Toronto Raptors game last night which was the most in Raptors history. Raptors' fans got what they wanted for most of the game with the franchise controlling the first half and up 18 at one point which included Kyle Lowry hitting a banked three pointer to end the first half (Check below for video of the buzzer). Everyone was celebrating, except the die hard fans who knew this game was far from over.

Raptors were up by 20 at the end of the 3rd quarter and the fans started to mock Brooklyn and chant "BROOKLYN" and from that point on, the Nets had enough and seized control of the game. Joe Johnson recorded 26 points in the 2nd half after playing the 1st half with foul trouble. Johnson was simply too much to handle in the 2nd half. Brooklyn had 44 points in the 4th quarter with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett not playing a single minute. The Raptors were in serious trouble but once again, Kyle Lowry came to the rescue. Lowry finished with a game high 36 points while shooting 11-19 from the field and adding 6 assists. Lowry hit a huge three to shift the momentum back but when everyone thought things were over; Alan Anderson, a former Raptor, hit a three plus the foul after getting tackled by Amir Johnson. The only thing remaining was free throws. DeMar DeRozan hit 4 clutch free throws late in the game to give the Raptors a 3 point lead. The Raptors just needed a stop to close this game. 

The ball was inbounded to Andray Blatche and without a doubt Patrick Patterson committed a foul. Blatche, a 74% free throw shooter on the season, hit the first free throw but missed the 2nd. Everything else went crazy from that point on. Blatche grabbed the rebound near the Raptors bench and was double teamed right away and looked to pass the ball to Deron Williams but threw it way over his head committing a backcourt violation. Oddly enough Williams was able to gather himself and fire a desperation 3 point shot from half court. The Raptors, however, caught a break with that call with Jonas (The Rookie) Valanciunas in his 2nd season from Lithuania goaltended. Rookie mistake, Jonas has done things like this before, like in the amazing 3OT committing a basket interference which gave momentum to the Wizards, and they closed the game out. This time things were different. Brooklyn was called for a backcourt violation and the rookie was off the hook. Raptors inbounded the ball threw it to Ross, and Ross was able to escape Williams and toss the ball in the air to end the game and win game 5, taking a 3-2 lead in the series.

"Every mistake you could think about, we made in the fourth quarter" said Dwane Casey, Raptors really did make every mistake to let the Nets back in in the game but at least they kept composure and were able to win this game. Raptors fans would've thought that this was deja vu like the Warriors game earlier this year, but no. The Raptors did what they needed to do late in this game, whether it was Lowry's crossover on Williams and the the bucket, or DeRozan hitting his free throws. Raptors won this game even if they gave up a 26+ advantage. Doesn't matter about how much you win by, just depends on whether they got the job done which they did, and they did it as a "TEAM."

The Raptors have a chance to end this series Friday in Brooklyn. The Nets will come out throwing elbows but the Raptors will try their best to avoid the rough style of play. Friday will be a dog fight, and just remember that it was Brooklyn who wanted the Raptors.

Kyle Lowry buzzer beater to end the first half

Read More

Can the Raptors control their destiny and win Game 5?

The Toronto Raptors and Brooklyn Nets headed into the 4th quarter all tied up in game 4 of their first round playoff series. With about 6 minutes left in the game, Brooklyn was up by 4 (77-73) and looked like they had the game under control but then the Raptors roared back as they forced the Nets to 6 turnovers in the 4th. DeMar DeRozan and Amir Johnson, who played tremendous defense, forced two charges late in the game.

Kyle Lowry, the man who has done it all year long, finished the game with 1:13 remaining by hitting a huge shot over Kevin Garnett which catapulted the Raptors to a  (87-79) win giving them their first road playoff win since 2001. DeRozan finished with 24 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, while Lowry "Mr.Clutch" added 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists. Brooklyn fans starting to leave the arena before the game was over, but in Toronto outside of the Air Canada Center (ACC) everyone was celebrating and DeMar shushing the crowd in Brooklyn was priceless.

Amir Johnson spoke to the media Tuesday and stated the following:

 "When people doubt us? That's what we want."

That's exactly what we want! Raptors are probably the biggest underdogs in this season's playoffs and people are doubting Toronto which gives them a huge reason to succeed and beat this veteran Nets team. The Raptors need to come out strong in game 5 and not feel comfortable like the Nets did early in game 4. Big games from both DeMar & Lowry will be expected if the Raptors are to become victorious.

The Miami Heat have just sweeped the Charlotte Bobcats and will be watching on their future 2nd round match-up.....the winner of the Raptors and Nets.  The Raptors will come out with all they have in game 5 but will it be enough to stop this Nets team? We will all need to watch, Wednesday at 7:30, to see if this Raptors team can pull off a win in game 5 to take a commanding 3-2 lead in the series. 

Read More

Nets Offense Disappears in Game 4 Loss

nj.com

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 27th, 2014

Toronto Raptors vs. Brooklyn Nets Game 4 Recap

Final Score: Raptors 87 Nets 79

In a must win Game 4 for the young Toronto Raptors on the road, they were able to rise to the challenge and win their first playoff game on the road since 2001. The loss for the Nets evens the series up at two games a piece, and the home-court advantage switches back into the Raptors favor.

Player of the Game: Paul Pierce

In the Game 4 loss for Brooklyn they did receive a strong performance from Paul Pierce, who led the team in scoring. In the low scoring game on Sunday night, Pierce was able to drop 22 points on a great nine of 14 shooting from the field. Pierce added five rebounds and two assists to his final line, but was one of the few Nets to have a good game in the disappointing home loss.

Positives:

Besides Pierce the only other Nets player to turn in a good game was Mirza Teletovic, who had a strong game off the bench. Teletovic was second on the team in scoring with 12 points on five for nine shooting, shockingly none of which came from beyond the arc. Teletovic also added five rebounds, three of which were on the offensive end in a good 17 minutes of play.

Raptors Center Jonas Valanciunas has been a double-double machine in this season, but in Game 4, he was held to his worst game of the series, but noticeably only played 23 minutes. Valanciunas only had six points and six rebounds, far below what he has been doing to the Nets for the series in the first three games.

Negatives:

It was a tough night for most Nets on the offensive end starting with Deron Williams, who had a bad game in the loss. Williams finished with just 10 points on four for 12 shooting, as he went zero for five from beyond the arc, and turned the ball over five times. In his match-up against Kyle Lowry, Williams lost in Game 4 badly, as Lowry scored 22 points.

Joe Johnson also had a tough time getting going on Sunday, as the Raptors threw lots of double-teams at Johnson, which forced the ball out of his hands. Johnson finished with just seven points on two for seven shooting, in what was easily his worst game of the series thus far.

Amir Johnson had his second good game in the series, as he is emerging as an x-factor for the Raptors, as in both games he has scored in double-digits they have won. Johnson finished with 17 points on seven for 11 shooting with five rebounds. Johnson did hurt his knee which will certainly be something to keep an eye on before Game 5. DeMar DeRozan started off hot like the Raptors in Game 4, although he did struggle in the second half after starting the game seven of 10 from the field, but he still finished with a game-high 24 points

Excluding Teletovic, Brooklyn’s bench had a poor night scoring the basketball, as Andray Blatche and Alan Anderson combined to go a dreadful two for 11 from the field. Off the bench for the Raptors it was yet again another good game from Patrick Patterson, who early had a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds.

The experienced Nets missed a golden opportunity to take a 3-1 lead at home on Sunday, as the turnovers really piled up for Brooklyn. The turnover battle has been an advantage for the Nets in the first three games, but in Game 4 the Raptors only turned it over 10 times compared to the Nets 16, which was certainly a difference in Game 4.

Next up will be a few days of rest before a huge Game 5 with the series tied on Wednesday night in Toronto.

Read More

Raptors Defeat Nets to Even Series

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 22nd, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs. Toronto Raptors Game 2 Recap

Final Score: Nets 95 Raptors 100

The Brooklyn Nets after a big Game 1 win in Toronto fell a little short in Game 2 against the Toronto Raptors. In what was really a must win game for the young Raptors, not wanting to head to Brooklyn down two games in the series, but they avoided that and tied the series at a game a piece with the victory.

Player of the Game: Joe Johnson

Once again for the Nets their best player against the Raptors was Joe Johnson, who led the Nets in scoring in the Game 2 loss. Johnson finished with a team-high 18 points on seven for 13 shooting to go along with three rebounds and two assists. Most of Johnson’s damage came in the third quarter, as he scored 12 points in the Nets best quarter of the game. In the fourth quarter however Johnson did struggle against Landry Fields, in what was a change in the Raptors rotation that we will likely be seeing again in Game 3.

Positives:

Coming off the bench Mirza Teletovic was the first man in for Brooklyn, as Paul Pierce picked up two fouls very quickly in the first, but in extended minutes Teletovic played well. Teletovic was the only Net in double-figures off the bench, scoring 14 points on five for 11 shooting, which included him going three for six from beyond the arc.

After a difficult Game 1, Center Kevin Garnett bounced back with a much better performance on the offensive end in Game 2. Garnett finished with 13 points on five for six shooting with four rebounds in 19 minutes. Shaun Livingston also came through with a strong Game 2, as he finished with 12 points on four for eight shooting to go with five assists and three rebounds.

For the second straight game, Terrance Ross was completely shutdown, as the young Ross is having a difficult start to his playoff career. Ross scored just two points on one for eight shooting, and for the series now is just two for 12 with five points.

Negatives:

In his playoff debut, DeMar DeRozan looked a bit shell-shocked and nervous, but in Game 2 it looked like the DeRozan that was in the top 10 in the NBA in scoring. DeRozan finished with a game-high 30 points on nine for 21 shooting, and went an impressive 12 for 14 from the free throw line. In the fourth quarter DeRozan exploded for 17 points, which included some big baskets and clutch free throws to earn the victory.

nba.com

The big men in the Raptors starting lineup were great in Game 2, as Amir Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas both dominated the Nets on the glass, helping them win the rebounding battle 52-30. Johnson finished just shy of a double-double with 16 points on eight for 10 shooting, and nine rebounds. Valanciunas had yet another big double-double, as he finished with 15 points on five for nine shooting to go along with a game-high 14 rebounds.

Similar to Game 1 the Raptors got big performances from their bench, as the small rotation is working well for the young Raptors. Greivis Vasquez did very well again, scoring 10 points on five for 10 shooting, with eight assists, and three rebounds. Patrick Patterson continued to be a scoring threat off the bench, as he finished with 12 points on five for nine shooting, and he also helped dominate the glass with nine rebounds. Fields may not have scored, but his defense against Johnson was a major factor in the fourth quarter.

Deron Williams coming off a strong Game 1 had a tough time getting it going in Game 2. Williams struggled to score 15 points on five for 15 shooting with only five assists. Paul Pierce also struggled to get it going after a clutch fourth quarter in Game 1. Pierce finished with only seven points on two for 11 shooting, as it took him until the fourth quarter to get his first field goal.

Next up for the Nets will be a few days off as the series shifts to Brooklyn for Game 3 on Friday night.

Read More

Nets Take Game 1 in Toronto

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

April 19th, 2014

Brooklyn Nets vs. Toronto Raptors Game 1 Recap

Final Score: Nets 94 Raptors 87

The Brooklyn Nets were able to head up north of the border to Toronto and take Game 1 against the young Raptors. The experience of the Nets was talked about a lot heading into this game, and with a loud crowd and shot clock issues, it certainly looked like that experience was the difference in the game.

Player of the Game: Joe Johnson

Throughout the game Joe Johnson was the Nets most consistent player on offense from start to finish, and nearly played the whole game, as Jason Kidd only gave him three minutes of rest. Johnson finished with 24 points on eight for 13 shooting, including going a perfect eight for eight from the free throw line. Johnson not only scored well for the Nets, he also led the team in rebounds with eight. He had four assists, and two steals as well to round up a great overall game.

Positives:

In the first half it was a very aggressive Deron Williams, who was looking to score early and often. In the first half Williams had 18 points on seven for 17 shooting from the field. The second half was a different story for Williams, as he went one of three from the field. Williams finished going eight of 20 from the field for 24 points, which tied him with Johnson for the game-high.

Down the stretch for Brooklyn, Paul Pierce was the man to rise to the occasion like he has so many times in his career with some huge shots that gave the Nets the victory. Heading into the fourth quarter Pierce had just six points, but in the three minutes he scored nine points on a four for four shooting. Pierce finished with 15 points on six for 13 shooting with four rebounds, and four assists, as it was a good playoff debut for Pierce in a Nets uniform.

Raptor’s All-Star DeMar DeRozan was nowhere to be found in the loss, as he forced a lot of shots, and looked very uncomfortable in his playoff debut. DeRozan finished with just 14 points, well below his season average, as he shot it very poorly from the field going just three for 13, and zero for four from beyond the arc.

Negatives:

Center Jonas Valanciunas got off to a big start early for the Raptors on his way to a monster game, as the Nets inability to stop opposing team’s big men was on full display Saturday. Valanciunas finished with a big double-double, scoring 17 points on seven for 13 shooting to go along with a game-high 18 rebounds. The young Center did have six turnovers, but had a positive impact for the Raptors in his playoff debut.

Kyle Lowry did not disappoint in his first playoff start, as after a great regular season from Lowry he did all he could in Game 1 to get his team the win. Lowry finished with a team-high 22 points on seven for eight shooting to go along with eight assists, seven rebounds, and two steals. The Point Guard battle was pretty even between Williams and Lowry, this time resulting in a win for Brooklyn.

In the Nets resurgence this season, a lot of that had to do with them being able to hit the three-point shot with their smaller lineup, but on Saturday they were awful from deep. As a team the Nets shot four for 24 from behind the arc. The bench was the major problem shooting it from there, as Mirza Teletovic went zero from five, Alan Anderson went zero for three, and Marcus Thornton went zero for three.

The Raptors bench on the other hand played had two good performances Greivis Vasquez and Patrick Patterson. Vasquez went five of 11 from the field for 18 points to go along with eight assists and four rebounds, and Patterson went four for eight from the field with nine points and five rebounds. Vasquez and Patterson’s good play helped the Raptors, as they outplayed Brooklyn’s bench.

Next up for the will be a few days off for both teams before Game 2 on Tuesday night in Toronto.

Read More

Series Preview: Brooklyn Nets vs Toronto Raptors

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

Eastern Conference Playoffs

Series Preview: Brooklyn Nets vs. Toronto Raptors

The Brooklyn Nets will be heading into the playoffs for the second consecutive season, as after a strong inaugural season in Brooklyn, the Nets loss a tough series to the Chicago Bulls. This postseason they will be looking for their first playoff series win as the Brooklyn Nets against the team they were chasing the whole season in the Atlantic Division, the Toronto Raptors.

Match-Up of the Series: Deron Williams vs. Kyle Lowry

In what has been a great season for the Toronto Raptors, one of the major contributors to that has been Kyle Lowry, who has had an All-Star worthy season. Lowry is one of the more complete all-around Point Guards in the NBA, as this season he is averaging 17.9 points, 7.4 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. Against the Nets this season Lowry has been very efficient and effective scoring in four games this season, as he is averaging 22 points on 50% shooting from the field. Deron Williams has certainly had a disappointing season for the Nets, as he is averaging just 14.3 points and 6.1 assists per game, but if the Nets are going to do anything in the playoffs they need Williams to step it up and that has to start against Lowry.

nba.com

- Debut for DeMar

Raptors Shooting Guard DeMar DeRozan is having a season of firsts, as in February he made his first All-Star team, and now after a bunch of losing season will be making his playoff debut after playing the best basketball of his career so far. Nationally, DeRozan may not be a household name like some players, but this season DeRozan is averaging 22.7 points per game, which puts him in the Top 10 in scoring for the NBA this season. DeRozan will be given the chance to shine on the National stage in the postseason, and something big to watch and that could go a long way to deciding the series is whether he rises or falls to the biggest challenge of his NBA career.

- Youth vs. Experience

The experience differential is eye-pooping in the series between these two teams, as in total the Raptors roster has 156 games of playoff experience. In comparison Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce have played in a combined 267 career playoff games. A major concern for the Raptors has to be that their playoff inexperience comes mostly from their starting lineup that has three starters that have never played in a playoff game. TThe two starters that have, Lowry and Amir Johnson have combined to play in 24 playoff games, but neither has started a playoff game.

- Center Dilemma

For most of the season size has bothered the Nets in large part due to the absence of Kevin Garnett, and Jason Kidd using a small lineup with Paul Pierce at the Power Forward position, and although the Nets avoided Joakim Noah and the Chicago Bulls, they will have to deal with Jonas Valanciunas. Valanciunas is playing very well in April, as he is averaging a double-double in eight games with 16.8 points and 11 rebounds per game. Against the Nets this season he has been solid averaging 10.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. A major question going into the playoff is what is the realistic expectation of what Garnett will be able to give the Nets? The amount of minutes Garnett will be playing is unknown and even if it is more than he has been since returning from the back spasms, there hasn’t been a whole of court time to see how effective he will be. If Garnett is ineffective or can’t play much, Kidd does have the luxury of going with Mason Plumlee and Andray Blatche off the bench.

Read More

NBA Playoffs: Eastern Conference 1st Round Preview

Indiana Pacers (1) vs Atlanta Hawks (8)

The Pacers spent much of this season at the top of the Eastern conference standings, but a slump in performances over the last month or so saw the Heat catch up and eventually take control of the top seed, only to hand it back to the Pacers. Paul George has been excellent once again this season, and is a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year, but it is the continued improvement of Lance Stephenson that has been most impressive.

The Hawks have had problems of their own this season, having lost star center Al Horford to his second torn pectoral muscle in as many seasons, causing him have season ending surgery. Jeff Teague has been putting the team on his back in recent weeks, despite the Hawks continuing to fall down the standings. The Knicks almost caught up to Atlanta after a late surge, but a victory against Miami secured the Hawks place in the post-season.

Despite their recent slump, this series should be just what the Pacers need to get their form back on track. The Hawks may be able to cause them a few problems, and may even steal a game on their home court, as Indiana has not been great away from home, but other than that the Pacers should get through this match-up without too much trouble.

Winner: Pacers in 5.

Miami Heat (2) vs Charlotte Bobcats (7)

The Miami Heat have not been at their best for much of this season as the rigors of attempting to make the NBA Finals for the fourth straight season has started to take its toll. Despite this, they have still been able to comfortably secure second place in the Eastern Conference standings, challenging Indiana all the way for the top spot. The Heat has been resting Dwyane Wade for the second game of most back-to-backs to allow his ailing knees a chance to heal, which just makes Miami even more dangerous in the post season.

The Bobcats have been one of the surprise packages in the league this season. The stellar play of Al Jefferson has carried Charlotte into the playoffs, with his consistent double-double performances carrying the Bobcats up the standings. Back in September, Kemba Walker was quoted as saying he was “sick of losing” and his play this season has certainly shown that, as he has set career highs in rebounds and assists, helping the Bobcats to their first season over .500 in four seasons.

The Heat should have too much quality to beat the Bobcats without a lot of difficulty. Miami swept the season series 4-0, and although the Heat has always had trouble with forwards like Al Jefferson during the Big Three era, he will not be able to win the series, or indeed a game on his own against this team. The Bobcats are the only NBA franchise yet to win a playoff game, and I expect that to remain the same at the end of this series.

Winner: Heat in 4.

Toronto Raptors (3) vs Brooklyn Nets (6)

The Raptors have surprised a lot of people around the league with how well they have done this season, not only making the playoffs for the first time in six seasons, but winning the Atlantic Division for the first time since 2001 by way of a franchise record 48 wins. The trade of Rudy Gay in December allowed Toronto to change their approach on offense, from a team looking to isolate Gay into a pick and roll offense. This has seen the Raptors get the best out of their players, in particular DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, who are both having breakout seasons.

The Nets had a terrible start to the season, and it appeared as though, despite all the money they had spent in putting together a team capable of challenging for the title, they might not even make the playoffs. However, despite losing center Brook Lopez to a season-ending foot injury, the Nets have been one of the form teams in the league since the all-star break, which saw them fly up the standings and fall just short of gaining home court advantage in the first round.

If things had stayed as they were before the last day of the regular season, the Raptors would have been very happy, as it would have meant facing the Wizards in the first round. However, the Nets lost and the Wizards won their final games, meaning Toronto have arguably a more difficult match-up now. The Nets have a vast wealth of playoff experience, and will be ready to play physical basketball; they will need to be in order to slow the game down and keep up with the much younger and athletic Raptors. This will be a tricky test for Brooklyn, but one they should win.

Winner: Nets in 6.

Chicago Bulls (4) vs Washington Wizards (5)

The Bulls have once again shown resilience to make the playoffs despite losing former MVP Derrick Rose to yet another season ending knee injury. They have also had to deal with the trade of Luol Deng, one of their key contributors, while only getting Andrew Bynum, who was later released, and draft picks in return. Joakim Noah has been in inspired form throughout the season, and has been putting up numbers that have put him in the running for the Defensive Player of the Year award. DJ Augustin has also provided some much needed offense off the bench, leading the team in scoring at 14.9 points per game.

Washington has been pleasantly surprising this season, making the playoffs for the first time since 2008. John Wall has been healthy and playing excellently this season, averaging 19.4 points and 8.8 assists per game. With Bradley Beal alongside him, averaging 17 points per game, the young duo make one of the best backcourt pairings in the league. Forget about their frontcourt at your own peril, however, as Nene and Marcin Gortat will battle down low, while Trevor Ariza has proved he is more than capable of knocking down outside shots.

This is a match-up of a team all about offense against a team all about defense. However, the Wizards are going to have a tough time breaking down the impenetrable Chicago defense. With Noah and Gibson in particular locking down the paint, that will cut off a lot of the driving lanes that John Wall needs to be effective. This could lead to Washington having to settle for long range shots, and with a defender like Jimmy Butler on one of the Wizards’ better shooters in Bradley Beal, the Bulls should be able to nullify the opposition’s threats and win this series with relative ease, especially with the wealth of payoff experience they have over their youthful and inexperienced opponents.

Winner: Bulls in 5.

Read More