 | Ed Davis, PF 31 MIN | 9-13 FG | 0-2 FT | 8 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 18 PTS | +7 These kind of games are becoming the rule, not the exception. The key to his offense is that elbow jumper, which he made consistently today. |  |
 | Landry Fields, SF 38 MIN | 8-11 FG | 2-4 FT | 10 REB | 0 AST | 4 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 18 PTS | +8 Best game as a Raptor. Has really good court presence and kept finding ways to get open down the right baseline, where Caldy constantly found him. Rebounding like he is from the 3 is making up for his non-existent perimeter game. |  |
 | Aaron Gray, C 16 MIN | 2-5 FG | 1-1 FT | 2 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 5 PTS | +12 You know what? Aaron Gray played a hell of a game today, even if it was for 16 minutes. Kept Dwight from going off before D12 was unceremoniously tossed, and then Gray was no longer needed. |  |
 | Jose Calderon, PG 30 MIN | 9-15 FG | 3-3 FT | 2 REB | 9 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 3 TO | 22 PTS | +7 It wasn’t just “good” Jose today. It was the way he scored. Gone are the days where Numero Ocho struggles to shoot off the dribble. He can stroke it from anywhere on the court, and is one of the best shooters in this league. | |
 | DeMar DeRozan, SG 30 MIN | 4-9 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 3 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 5 TO | 8 PTS | +10 Just a passenger today. Seems to be a passenger for a lot of the Raptors big victories this year. Just can’t do anything other than hit open mid-range jumpers and draw contact in the lane. The 3 assists at least show an attitude to concede to his teammates, but attitude has never been the problem with DeMar. |  |
 | Amir Johnson, PF 22 MIN | 4-6 FG | 1-2 FT | 8 REB | 3 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 9 PTS | +2 Typical workmanlike effort from one of the most underrated big men in this league. The short jumper off an AA dish late in the game is one he needs to take more often. Big defensive play on Gasol late in the game as well. | |
 | Quincy Acy, SF 8 MIN | 1-2 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 2 PTS | +1 A plus every game for intensity. |  |
 | Kyle Lowry, PG 18 MIN | 2-3 FG | 2-3 FT | 4 REB | 2 AST | 3 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 8 PTS | -2 Played in control and hit some big threes late in the game. His defense on Kobe was actually decent in the 4th. Wish he would shoot more, is pretty automatic when open. |  |
 | Alan Anderson, SG 28 MIN | 5-13 FG | 1-2 FT | 2 REB | 8 AST | 3 STL | 0 BLK | 3 TO | 14 PTS | -15 If Calderon or Lowry don’t have the ball in their hands and the shot clock is winding down, this is the guy you want with the rock. Sorry Demar. Just goes to prove that there is athleticism and then there’s the ability to use it with a ball in your hand. AA does that better hands down. | |
 | Terrence Ross, SG 18 MIN | 2-7 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 4 PTS | -5 Great finisher on the fast break, not much else. |  |
 | Dwane Casey Didn’t hurt the team with his coaching, didn’t necessarily help either, although his timeout calls were done at the right times and the team did seem to rally from them. | |
Five Things We Saw
- Obviously Dwight Howard getting tossed changed the complexion of this game, not that the Lakers were looking like a well-oiled machine with him in there.
- What makes this game so satisfying is the Raptors shutting up all those annoying Lakers fans in the building. Let’s see how long they stick around if the Lakers continue to struggle.
- The Lakers main problem this season has been the defense, clearly. To remedy that, they hire Mike D’Antoni. The same D’Antoni whom Amare Stoudemire played for the majority of his career. The same Stoudemire who recently mentioned that he never been taught defense in the Association.
- This victory will do a lot of good to the Raptors’ collective psyche. This will really boost their spirits after some really tough losses: OT against Brooklyn, imploding against Milwaukee at home, blown Amir call against Chicago, botched inbound play against Philly.
- Refereeing was brutal. It was like the zebras needed to give the Lakers superstar treatment, yet the poor Raptors have had two game-deciding calls completely botched that the league recognized and apologized for. Must have been tough for them.
